The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1900-07-25
The TORCHLIGHT
NOW IN ORDER.
Interesting History OF Political
Argument That viii Soon Become
Extremely Popular.

This is the season of the year when
political orators are busy getting their
arguments ia order 1t is the time when
old speeches are drawn out from pigeon
holes in which they have rested for four
years, aud old stories are renovated and
brought down To the present time; for
it IL the time when the spellbnder and
the stump speaker are to be turned loose
upon the land to explain to the eager
voter why he should vote for this or that
candidate. and why IA vote cast for the
other man means ruin and desolation for
the nation.
OF all the political arguments that will
be advanced during this campaign, how
ever. there is none that will touch more
responsive chord in the popular heart
than the torchlight parade.
1t may not mean anything from the
point OF view Of actual common sense,
and yet the people have come to look
upon these long lines of torchbearers
us one VI the most eloquent factors of
the campaign. As the result, it is safe
to say that ii will not be many weeks
before the torchlight brigade is out In all
its glory. for In n campaign that is to
be 50 bitterly fought such an argument
will certainly not be neglected by either
party.
Political campaigning in this country
has been II growth which has n more or
less interesting history. for in the earlier
days OF the Republic there were no at.
tcmpts made To resort to spectacular or
otherwise sensational arguments in the
seasons OF Presidential elections.
In fact, the first nominations were
made by members OF Congress and other
prominent citizens ut the national cap.
itul, and the nation was nearly half n
century old before the first political con
vention was beld. Even ut that time,
however. the demonstrations Of the
people We're dignihed and circumspect as
compared to those of to day, and IL was
not until 1910. in the great campaign of
"fippeeanoe and Tyler. too" that pop
ular feeling in the country WAS 10 any
great extent aroused.
SIXTY YEARS AGO.
As II campaign. that Of 1910 was one
| OF the most exciting in the history of
| the country. From one end Of the United
States 10 the other the people thought
OF nothing but politics. and there was no
end OF public meetings and other demon.
STATIONS in the interests OF the can
didates. This campaign of log cabins
and hard cider seems To have absorbed
all the popular effervescence. however
for II was not until twenty years had
passed that there was another noisy
campaign in behalf OF candidates. This
was the campaign that followed the
nomination of Lincoln. In 1860
In the South. OF course, Lincoln was
not well thought of, and there were
few sections In the East where he was
rot popular, but generally throughout the
North and West the enthusiasm for him
was great. Huge political parades, with
log cabin and rail-splitting accompnni
ments, We're the order OF the day and
night, Seldom IL ever, has more interest
been manifested by the people. But the
one great event that makes this cam.
paign memorable Is that II was the oceas-
ion for the first appearance of the torch
bearing brigade
The torchlight parade was the result
OF bright thought on the part of IA
few political youths in Hartford Conn.
In February, 1860. Cnssius NJ. CLAY
visited that city, and ON that occasion
the organization known as the Wide
Awakes inaugurated what has since be
come the most popular feature OF all
campaigns. Ii consisted OF the adoption
Of half uniforms, each member of the
marching club carrying a torch, and the
effect Of this innovation proved to be
eNhilrating TO a degree that can scarcely
he appreciated at this time.
THE WIDE AWAKES
After the first appearance of the Wide
AMakeS in this way the idea spread all
over the country aud there was scarcely
town OF village OF Importance where
| clubs al Wide Awakes We're not formed
aud these torchhearers were in the great
est demand at every political demon.
! stratiun
1t is probable that we shall never
/ know the name OF the man in whose
/ brain this idea first developed. and the
i fact is certainly one To be regretted. for
, il would be but just reward 10 him II
his name could be sent laundering down
the ages in the pages OF history or
all the campaign innovations. there have
heen none that have been more spectacu-
lar or sensational. Nothing that has been
responsible for SO much genuine enthus-
iaSm