The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-19


AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TIL
HELPED CANDIDATES TO WIN
CROUCH AND READY" "HONEsT
BY. THOMAS SCARF. LII. D.
Copyright, 1896, The S. S. Mcclure Coz
In the formative days of the republic,
before American politics had taken
distinct party shape, the people, when
they wanted to know what was going
on, or who was running for office, went
to their coy little coffee houses, or
tayerns. met there the quiet, dignified
leaders and were enlightened. At
these conferences it was often de-
cided who should be sent to the gem
eral court, who should be made colonel
of militia, and who should be delegated
to the legislature. At the Green
Dragon, in Boston, notable conferences
Of the caucus order were wont to be
held. in which Hancock, Adams, Otis
and Warren were leading and inspiring
spirits.
INTRODUCTION OF THE FISTI-
CUFF ERA.
Then came the revolution, which up
set many of the old Quaker-like no
tons, and finally introduced the ex-
citable, Touchdown, fsticuff era of
stalwart politics. 4 man had to speak
out boldly and back UP his opinions.
The Republican amused himself by
punching his Federalist rival with his
fists and the Federalist by breaking
his cane over his head. The carrying
of deadly weapons, such as the pistol,
the blackjack and the knife, were I'M
known in those days.
With the close OF the revolution came
in play party politics. The Federal
party was organized Immediately af-
ter tire adoption of the federal con-
stitution in 1889, and was composed of
those who claimed to be preservers of
the Union and favored the Federal al
lance OF confederation. The first con-
stitutional election for representatives
to congress and electors for president
and vice-Dresident was by general
ticket and was contest between the
'Federalists" and the "Anti-Federal
lists" At this election in the country
districts barbecues were first intro
duced. To feed the immense throngs
who attended the polls beeves, sheep
and hogs were roasted whole and rum
and whisky were served in barrels with
the heads knocked in and tin cups be-
side them.
DEMOCRAT" NOT RECOGNIZED
BY JEFFERSON.
The name Democrat" was intro
duced as a party appellation in Aneri-
can politics about 1893. 1t was derived
from the Democratic society which had
been formed in Philadelphia. in imita
ton OF the political clubs of Paris. A
long time elapsed, however, before 1t
was accepted as a distinct party name
by any but the more ultra portion of
o-ft to r1,l cd CT
was never recognized by Jefferson, and
even of these societies, several pre-
ferred to call themselves Republican.
1t was only in combination with the
earlier name that the epithet Demo-
cratic came into general use, the COM
bined opposition taking to themselves
the title Of Republicans.
The great conventions that in these
days nominate candidates for the pres
idency were unknown when Federalist
and Democratic Republican parties
were organized. Grave caucuses of
very grave members of congress placed
the candidates in nomination, and
sometimes even this formality was dis
pensed with and the electoral college
voted for the candidates, who were in
Dictated by what is now called the
consensus of opinion. For the first three
presidential elections, however, there
were no nominating caucuses of con-
gressmen, for the reason that the can
didates were very clearly designated by
the events of the revolutionary and
notwithstanding period.
WASHINGTON CALLED NAMES.
1t was in the year 1900 when sue
cessor was TO be chosen to President
Adams, that the first caucus recorded
in our history was held in Philadelphia,
to place MIR. Jefferson before the peo-
pie. In the campaign which ensued
the Campaign Liar" was first intro
duced. The art it may be said was
first practiced upon President Wash
ington, and greatly annoyed him. In a
letter to Henry Lee he wrote: The
publication in Freneau's and Bache's
papers are outrageS on common de-
cency." In letter to Jefferson, writ
ten in the summer of 1896, he COM
planned that every act of his admins
tration had been contorted and the
grossest and most insidious misrepre-
sensations made lin such exaggerated
and indecent terms as could scarcely
be applied TO q Nero, q notorious de-
faulter, or even a common pickpocket."
And even when he was about to retire
from the presidency he was denounced
by some of the Democratic journals as
the man who is the source of all the
misfortunes of our country" and was
charged with having 'cankered the
principles of republicanism in an en-
lightened people just emerged from the
gulf OF despotism," and with having
carried his designs against the public
liberty so far as to put in jeopardy
its very existence
The campaign liar was introduced in
1895 to prevent the election of Mr.. JEFF
ferson for the presidency. and in the
heat Of the campaign of 1900, he sue
ceeded in originating that variety and
reckless extravaganza of calumny
which has crowned his efforts since
He was able, of course, to prove that
Mr.. Jefferson hated the constitution"
had hated it from the beginning, and
was pledged TO subvert it, Mr. Ham
ilton. the noble Maroellus" of New
York, scared into prophecy, and was
thus enabled to describe with precision
the methods which Mr. Jefferson would
employ in efrecting his fell purpose. He
would begin by turing every Federal
ist out of office, down to the remotest
postmaster. Then, he would tumble
the financial system of the country
into ruin at one stroke" which would
of necessity stop all payments of inter-
est on the public debt, and bring on
universal bankruptcy and beggary.''
Next, he would dismantle the navy.
and thus give free course to privateer-
ing that every vessel which fioated
from our shores would be plundered or
captured" And, since every source of
revenue would be dried up the govern
7ara4 M 10y, l. IL