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been made。 But from 1800 to 1824 the presidential candidates were
designated by members of Congress in caucus。 It was by this means
that the Virginia Dynasty fastened itself upon the country。 The
congressional caucus; which was one of the most arrogant and
compact political machines that our politics has produced;
discredited itself by nominating William H。 Crawford (1824); a
machine politician; whom the public never believed to be of
presidential caliber。 In the bitter fight that placed John Quincy
Adams in the White House and made Jackson the eternal enemy of
Clay; the congressional caucus met its doom。 For several years;
presidential candidates were nominated by various informal
methods。 In 1828 a number of state legislatures formally
nominated Jackson。 In several States the party members of the
legislatures in caucus nominated presidential candidates。 DeWitt
Clinton was so designated by the New York legislature in 1812 and
Henry Clay by the Kentucky legislature in 1822。 Great mass
meetings; often garnished with barbecues; were held in many parts
of the country in 1824 for indorsing the informal nominations of
the various candidates。

But none of these methods served the purpose。 The President was a
national officer; backed by a national party; and chosen by a
national electorate。 A national system of nominating the
presidential candidates was demanded。 On September 26; 1881; 113
delegates of the Anti…Masonic party; representing thirteen
States; met in a national convention in Baltimore。 This was the
first national nominating convention held in America。

In February; 1831; the Whig members of the Maryland legislature
issued a call for a national Whig convention。 This was held in
Baltimore the following December。 Eighteen States were
represented by delegates; each according to the number Of
presidential electoral votes it cast。 Clay was named for
President。 The first national Democratic convention met in
Baltimore on May 21; 1882; and nominated Jackson。

Since that time; presidential candidates have been named in
national conventions。 There have been surprisingly few changes in
procedure since the first convention。 It opened with a temporary
organization; examined the credentials of delegates; and
appointed a committee on permanent organization; which reported a
roster of permanent officers。 It appointed a committee on
platformthen called an address to the people; it listened to
eulogistic nominating speeches; balloted for candidates; and
selected a committee to notify the nominees of their designation。
This is practically the order of procedure today。 The national
convention is at once the supreme court and the supreme
legislature of the national party。 It makes its own rules;
designates its committees; formulates their procedure and defines
their power; writes the platform; and appoints the national
executive committee。

Two rules that have played a significant part in these
conventions deserve special mention。 The first Democratic
convention; in order to insure the nomination of Van Buren for
Vice…Presidentthe nomination of Jackson for President was
uncontestedadopted the rule that 〃two…thirds of the whole
number of the votes in the convention shall be necessary to
constitute a choice。〃 This 〃two…thirds〃 rule; so undemocratic in
its nature; remains the practice of the Democratic party today。
The Whigs and Republicans always adhered to the majority rule。
The early Democratic conventions also adopted the practice of
allowing the majority of the delegates from any State to cast the
vote of the entire delegation from that State; a rule which is
still adhered to by the Democrats。 But the Republicans have since
1876 adhered to the policy of allowing each individual delegate
to cast his vote as he chooses。

The convention was by no means novel when accepted as a national
organ for a national party。 As early as 1789 an informal
convention was held in the Philadelphia State House for
nominating Federalist candidates for the legislature。 The
practice spread to many Pennsylvania counties and to other
States; and soon this informality of self…appointed delegates
gave way to delegates appointed according to accepted rules。 When
the legislative caucus as a means for nominating state officers
fell into disrepute; state nominating conventions took its place。
In 1812 one of the earliest movements for a state convention was
started by Tammany Hall; because it feared that the legislative
caucus would nominate DeWitt Clinton; its bitterest foe。 The
caucus; however; did not name Clinton; and the convention was not
assembled。 The first state nominating convention was held in
Utica; New York; in 1824 by that faction of the Democratic party
calling itself the People's party。 The custom soon spread to
every State; so that by 1835 it was firmly established。 County
and city conventions also took the place of the caucus for naming
local candidates。

But nominations are only the beginning of the contest; and
obviously caucuses and conventions cannot conduct campaigns。 So
from the beginning these nominating bodies appointed campaign
committees。 With the increase in population came the increased
complexity of the committee system。 By 1830 many of the States
had perfected a series of state; district; and county committees。

There remained the necessity of knitting these committees into a
national unity。 The national convention which nominated Clay in
1831 appointed a 〃Central State Corresponding Committee〃 in each
State where none existed; and it recommended 〃to the several
States to organize subordinate corresponding committees in each
county and town。〃 This was the beginning of what soon was to
evolve into a complete national hierarchy of committees。 In 1848
the Democratic convention appointed a permanent national
committee; composed of one member from each State。 This committee
was given the power to call the next national convention; and
from the start became the national executive body of the party。

It is a common notion that the politician and his machine are of
comparatively recent origin。 But the American politician arose
contemporaneously with the party; and with such singular
fecundity of ways and means that it is doubtful if his modern
successors could teach him anything。 McMaster declares: 〃A very
little study of long…forgotten politics will suffice to show that
in filibustering and gerrymandering; in stealing governorships
and legislatures; in using force at the polls; in colonizing and
in distributing patronage to whom patronage is due; in all the
frauds and tricks that go to make up the worst form of practical
politics; the men who founded our state and national governments
were always our equals; and often our masters。〃 And this at a
time when only propertied persons could vote in any of the States
and when only professed Christians could either vote or hold
office in two of them!

While Washington was President; Tammany Hall; the first municipal
machine; began its career; and presently George Clinton; Governor
of New York; and his nephew; DeWitt Clinton; were busy organizing
the first state machine。 The Clintons achieved their purpose
through the agency of a Council of Appointment; prescribed by the
first Constitution of the State; consisting of the Governor and
four senators chosen by the legislature。 This council had the
appointment of nearly all the civil officers of the State from
Secretary of State to justices of the peace and auctioneers;
making a total of 8287 military and 6663 civil offices。 As the
emoluments of some of these offices were relatively high; the
disposal of such patronage was a plum…tree for the politician。
The Clintons had been Anti…Federalists and had opposed the
adoption of the Constitution。 In 1801 DeWitt Clinton became a
member of the Council of Appointment and soon dictated its
action。 The head of every Federalist office…holder fell。
Sheriffs; county clerks; surrogates; recorders; justices by the
dozen; auctioneers by the score; were proscribed for the benefit
of the Clintons。 De Witt was sent to the United States Senate in
1802; and at the age of thirty…three he found himself

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