The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-09-28
Rise Of the jackson Party in Maryland,

-"~~' VIZ y 49, 10 W eaN fAAeS VI A@A~~tAh
which was at Sinners Hotel, in Exchange
Place, then kind of Democratic Head.
quarters. George Beltzhoover kept the
old Fountain Inn, on Light street, where
the Carrollton now stands. DR.. Showers
letter viii be read with interest by those
who value the truth of history.
In an article published in the DEMOCRATIC
ADVOCATE, taken from the Bulletin, under
the caption OF 1.-THE Rise of the jackson
Party IN Maryland" history given by Judge
Peter w. Grain TO one of the representatives
of that paper, the Judge says that ''in the
year 1927 there we're two political parties,
I known as Federalist and Democrat, which
were In rioleat dntagoRisM,n and that ''aboui
the 18th of September, 1927, twelve gentle
men, manning them Democrats and FEEDER
alists, in conformity with a previous call, me;
at Sinners, the old Fountain Inn, on Light
street, for the purpose of forming the basis Of
jackson party"
This history is subject TO some correction,
both in regard to the violent antagonism ex-
isting in 1927, and the purpose of forming the
basis of a Jackson party.
To give an ineligible history of the rise OF
the jackson party in Maryland, it will be ne
cessary to 60 back at least ten years from the
above date.
In 1916 the Federalists held the preponder-
anee in the Legislature in this State, and
John Hanson Thomas, a Federalist, was
elected U. S. Senator to fill the vacancy
caused by the resignation of Robt Goodloe
Harper, also Federslist. With the election
for President that year the national organiza-
ton of the Federal party expired, and also in
the State of Maryland, but kept up its organ
ization in a number of the States for some
years afterwards. AT that election James
Monroe, the Democratic candidate for Presi-
dent, received 1873 electoral votes, and Rufus
King, of New York, the Federal candidate,
"a. Politically, the Federal party of the
Union became so thoroughly demoralized
that ut the ensuing Presidential election they
presented no candidate, and James Monroe,
the Democratic candidate, received the cleo
toral votes of all the States in the Union ex-
cept one vote in New Hampshire, which was
cast for John Q. Adams.
That up to this period bitter feelings exist
ed between the two old parties is well known
by all who are conversant with the political
history of this country. After the irretrievable
downfall of the Federal party these feelings
so far abated that after 1917 or Is Baltimore
ceased to have conventions to nominate can
didates for the Legislature. These feelings
were still further modified on the part of the
Federalists by the noted letter of Gen. Jack
son to President Monroe, after his second
election, on the subject of his Cabinet and
some other prominent political appointments.
His earnest recommendation Of Col Drayton,
a distinguished Federalist, of Georgia, for
Secretary of War, elected their warmest
friendship and esteem.
John Q. Adams, Henry Clay and w. H.
Crawford, afterward the Democratic caucus
nominee, were each looked upon by their re-
spective friends as the coming man, and the
Democrats generally were divided on them,
leaving Gen. jackson with a small support
from that source and apparently little strength
as a candidate, although he was universally
popularwith the Democracyas a man. About
the beginning of the year 1923 his popularity
as candidate began to brighten, by continual
and increasing accessions to the numbers of
his original friends, by advocates of each Of
the other divisions of the Democratic parry
concentrating on him, and towards the close
OF the year there were excellent materials to
build for him a strong party. The leading
Federalists having had but little political
friendship for either of the other three candi-
dates on account of their having had many
conflicts with each other during their political
career, laid quiet, but were ready to act when
ever favorable opportunity presented itself
Caucus nominations had become odious to
many on account of the manner in which they
had been conducted, and all that was neees-
sary was for his friends, who were now many,
to take the initiative step. Most OF the Fed
eralists and a large portion of the anti-eaucus
voters were ready to rally around them, but
no public demonstration was made by them
Either quite late in that year, or early in
the year 1924, there was published in the Bal
tfH0re Chronicle a call for jackson meet
ing, to be held at the Washington Hotel, Gay
street, west of Baltimore street two doors.
This call was responded to by respectable
number of persons, more by curiosity than 10
participate in the proceedings of the meeting.
as the sequel will show
This, the first jackson meeting in the city
of Baltimore, If not in the State, certainly
the first, If not the only permanent Jack
son Association in the State, was organized
by the appointment of Charles Washington,
President; James NJ. Buchanan, Secretary,
who was afterwards Chief Judge of the Cir
cult Courts of Baltimore and Hartford coun-
ties, and appointed by President Buchanan
Minister to Denmark; and McClintock Young,
Treasurer; and during Jacksons administra-
ton held the responsible post of Chief Clerk
OF the Treasury Department, and on several
occasions, IN the absence of the Treasurer,
acted as Secretary pro TEN. The resolutions,
the basis of the jackson organism, were read
by the Secretary and adopted by those taking
part in the meeting. The association was
styled the jackson Club"
AT the Presidents call on those present TO
subscribe the resolutions, only four names,
besides those of the officers, we're obtained,
viz: the names of William Rainey, George
w. Warheld, - Woods and Jacob Shower,
and since the death of James NJ. Buchanan,
within the last two years, the last subscriber
Is the only survivor of the original members.
These seven we're the nucleus around which
the jackson party in the city of Baltimore
concentrated.
The proceedings of this meeting, embracing
the resolutions, were published in the BALI
more Chronicle, and can be read in a file of
that paper deposited in the Baltimore CITY
Mercantile Library, on North Calvert street.
Not IN the least discouraged by the paucity
OF its numbers in the outset, the ''Club' met
every Wednesday evening, and the accession
to It's numbers was large and increasing at
every meeting. Besides the rank and file
and many of the most prominent politicians
OF both the old parties together, with nine of
the twelve gentlemen named by the Judge,
became members of the "Club.'i The ex-
ceptions were the Judge himself, who did not
then reside in the city, and probably knew
nothing of such an association having once ex-
isted, and James P. Heath and John V. L. Nc
Mahon. At one of the meetings Col. Richard
Frisby, an enthusiastic jackson man and
member of the "Club," exhibited the now
venerated caption of jackson and Liberty and
the Hickory Tree. 1t was adopted by the
"Club" as its emblem, and also by the Jack
sonians of the State. II was reported that it
was designed by John H. B. Latrobe and en-
grayed by General James NJ. Anderson. They
are both alive and can answer for themselves
After the Presidential election of 1924 the
Club" dissolved, and never again met as a
body.
As to the violent antagonism, &c:-0n re-
Election 1t must occur to the Judge that the
violent antagonism, which he represents as
existing between the two old parties in 1927.
in this State, is referable to an earlier period.
Furthermore, when he takes into consider
alton that long prior to 1927 conventions to
nominate candidates had been dispensed with
by both the old political parties, aud that at
the Presidential election in 1924 the jackson
electoral candidate for the electoral district