The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-21
AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES
uI.-EARLY LOCAL AND STATE
PARTY ORGANIZATION.
BY JESSE MACY, LII. d.

States is the outgrowth OF the TWO inde-
pendent and sometimes conflicting ideas
OF localism and Capitalization, so is Amer
lean party machinery development from
two independent sources and along two
corresponding independent lines. The
history OF National nominations has been
traced in previous chapters, till the I'M
certain and irregular party methods OF
earlier years have been seen to give way
TO the great Federal nominating body,
with its self-perpetuating organization. But
there is also the intricate local and State
party apparatus correlated to the Fed
eral party machinery and essential to its
harmonious working This latter is of far
older origin, far more diverse in form,
and has a more varied and obscure his
tory.
The local organizations for formulating
and expressing political opinion which ex-
listed in the colonies before the adoption
OF the National constitution had como
down from the early days OF popular gov
eminent in England-with such modlhca-
licn and adaptation as our practical fore
fathers were accustomed to make in their
familiar institutions under changed condi-
tons. Two methods of placing candidates
for office before the voters had been ia
miiiar to the first English colonists in
their ancestral home. They had been ac-
custCmed 10 see aspirants for public po-
sitions stand forth before assemblies OF
voters and discourse upon their own quail
ifications for the office sought, and they
had also seen candidates announced by
coteres of the local landowners receive
the SURFACES OF the limited number of
voters SO in the colonies candidates.
were frequently self-announced, especial
~ in the South where, as well as in the
Southwestern States. that method largely
prevailed down 10 the civil war But in
the Northern colonies 1t was more com
mon for clques of the leading men in
community to agree together in private
conference respecting those for whom the
people should be asked to vote in an ap-
preaching election. This sort OF inhu-
ence controlled the New England town
meeting to a great extent, and the par
lor caucuses," as they came later to be
called were a really worthy and accepta-
BILE political agent They fairly represent
ed the limited number Of legal voters, and
they led in general to the choice of sulta-
bic persons for office.
Some sort of official nomination also
grew UP in certain colonies by which men
designated for the purpose in each county
chose candidates. while in Connecticut a
complex system arose by which fne free
men CT the colony were accustomed TO
vote for their governor and magistrates
from a list OF candidates nominated by
deputies Of each town and the central I
court of election" and votes could BE-
cast for those only who had been previ
ously nominated. There seems to have
been an imperceptible change, at least in
the northern colonies, by which nominal
tion by private conference of leading cltl-
zens and men Of substance became nom
inaton by members of the legislature.
Perhaps il was because these men of
means and influence had become legis-
lators and could act in that capacity as
well MS In that OF simple citizens
Prof Howard, author of Local Consti |
tutional History of the United States"
finds in the colonial records of Massa- |
chusetts evidence of the gradual develop
ment OF nominating system in which are |
the beginnings of both the caucus or prl- |
mary, and the convention running back |
to the year 1910 Nominations for magis- |
trates were made by the freemen in town |
meetings, and the general court acting as |
canvassipg board returned back 10 the |
several towns the names of those having
the largest number of votes as the accept.
ed candidates to be voted for at the son-
eral election. Two wears later a change
in procedure required each town 10 select
one or two freemen, who should all meet
and agree upon the required number cot
the most able and ft men" TO be nom,-
mated for magistrates; while only those
so nominated should be eligible Bv this
law the delegates chosen by the "prl-
marles' met In State convention" IN
make the nominations
Rise of tho Caucus.
The word caucus did not come into use
until about the year 1924 when. his
torians tell us, group OF some twenty
men in the town Of Boston, of whom the
father OF the patriotic orator, Samuel
Adams. was one were accustomed to
meet to consider practical questions in
local politics and 10 "lay their plans for
introducing certain persons into places OF
trust and power Then, having agreed as
to the persons, each member Of the group
used his influence with others to ac-
complish what they wished And they
provided ballots including the names
OF the parties fixed upon, which they dis
trihuted upon the days OF election" So
successful were their methods thai "thev
generally carried the elections to their
own mind. In like manner It was that
Mr.. Samuel Adams first became repre
sentative for Boston," (Gordon's "FJis-
tory Of the American Revolution.0
Because these meetings wore attended
oy certain mechanics called "calkers -
tN.n tie sulpoullulng yards at the north
END OF Boston, they came to be called
eaikers clubs, which was corrupted into
caueuT clubs" or "caucuses." Though
writer's differ, this is the derivation civ n
oy colonial authors OF the word which
MIS- so large place In American nolitiraI
history. Like many another institutlon
unknown to the law the caucus has playeI
d lar more influential part in politics fIan
nave multitudes of governmental davies
having all local sanctions The caucns a,
p!e-IeYolntionayy times was ilenticsI en-
us functions with the caucus. or "nrI-
mary" of today. f
Closely, allied to the caucus clubs IN
composition and purpose were the nurnar'
Gus patriotic societies and committees ~
salety which sprung up throughout he
iah9 before and during the reVomtion-S
such as the Sons OF Libesty." with itz
many branches. Wherever despotic GOV /
eInneht presses upon a people intelIigen,
enough to work together to accompIlsh an
end, such organizations always arise Tb b
peopie inevitably combine 10 resfst o.
prefslon' TO some extent the American
1oeleties were nodded after the Frsnch
D = societies, but they acted also ne
dominating bodies. When ono 30 thsss |
.osrletles, or eaucuses, appointed COM
no,,,,,5, OF eonterera~s to meet with other