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organization； an army determined to achieve certain conquests。
Every party has； therefore； two aspects； each attracting a
different kind of person： one kind allured by the principles
espoused； the other； by the opportunities of place and personal
gain in the organization。 The one kind typifies the body of
voters； the other the dominant minority of the party。
When one speaks； then； of a party in America； he embraces in that
term： first； the tenets or platform for which the party assumes
to stand （i。e。； principles that may have been wrought out of
experience； may have been created by public opinion； or were
perhaps merely made out of hand by manipulators）； secondly； the
voters who profess attachment to these principles； and thirdly；
the political expert； the politician with his organization or
machine。 Between the expert and the great following are many
gradations of party activity； from the occasional volunteer to
the chieftain who devotes all his time to 〃politics。〃
It was discovered very early in American experience that without
organization issues would disintegrate and principles remain but
scintillating axioms。 Thus necessity enlisted executive talent
and produced the politician； who； having once achieved an
organization； remained at his post to keep it intact between
elections and used it for purposes not always prompted by the
public welfare。
In colonial days； when the struggle began between Crown and
Colonist； the colonial patriots formed clubs to designate their
candidates for public office。 In Massachusetts these clubs were
known as 〃caucuses；〃 a word whose derivation is unknown； but
which has now become fixed in our political vocabulary。 These
early caucuses in Boston have been described as follows： 〃Mr。
Samuel Adams' father and twenty others； one or two from the north
end of the town； where all the ship business is carried on； used
to meet； make a caucus； and lay their plans for introducing
certain persons into places of trust and power。 When they had
settled it； they separated； and used each their particular
influence within his own circle。 He and his friends would furnish
themselves with ballots； including the names of the parties fixed
upon； which they distributed on the day of election。 By acting in
concert together with a careful and extensive distribution of
ballots they generally carried the elections to their own mind。〃
As the revolutionary propaganda increased in momentum； caucuses
assumed a more open character。 They were a sort of informal town
meeting； where neighbors met and agreed on candidates and the
means of electing them。 After the adoption of the Constitution；
the same methods were continued； though modified to suit the
needs of the new party alignments。 In this informal manner； local
and even congressional candidates were named。
Washington was the unanimous choice of the nation In the third
presidential election； John Adams was the tacitly accepted
candidate of the Federalists and Jefferson of the
Democratic…Republicans； and no formal nominations seem to have
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