the boss and the machine-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　on　the
highroad　to　political　eminence。　But　he　resigned　almost　at　once　to
become　Mayor　of　New　York　City；　a　position　he　occupied　for　about
ten　years；　years　filled　with　the　most　venomous　fights　between
Burrites　and　Bucktails。　Clinton　organized　a　compact　machine　in
the　city。　A　biased　contemporary　description　of　this　machine　has
come　down　to　us。　〃You　＇Clinton＇　are　encircled　by　a　mercenary
band；　who；　while　they　offer　adulation　to　your　system　of　error；
are　ready　at　the　first　favorable　moment　to　forsake　and　desert
you。　A　portion　of　them　are　needy　young　men；　who　without　maturely
investigating　the　consequence；　have　sacrificed　principle　to
self…aggrandizement。　Others　are　mere　parasites；　that　well　know
the　tenure　on　which　they　hold　their　offices；　and　will　ever　pay
implicit　obedience　to　those　who　administer　to　their　wants。　Many
of　your　followers　are　among　the　most　profligate　of　the　community。
They　are　the　bane　of　social　and　domestic　happiness；　senile　and
dependent　panderers。〃

In　1812　Clinton　became　a　candidate　for　President　and　polled　89
electoral　votes　against　Madison's　128。　Subsequently　he　became
Governor　of　New　York　on　the　Erie　Canal　issue；　but　his　political
cunning　seems　to　have　forsaken　him；　and　his　perennial　quarrels
with　every　other　faction　in　his　State　made　him　the　object　of　a
constant　fire　of　vituperation。　He　had；　however；　taught　all　his
enemies　''the　value　of　spoils；　and　he　adhered　to　the　end　to　the
political　action　he　early　advised　a　friend　to　adopt：　〃In　a
political　warfare；　the　defensive　side　will　eventually　lose。　The
meekness　of　Quakerism　will　do　in　religion　but　not　in　politics。　I
repeat　it；　everything　will　answer　to　energy　and　decision。〃

Martin　Van　Buren　was　an　early　disciple　of　Clinton。　Though　he
broke　with　his　political　chief　in　1813；　he　had　remained　long
enough　in　the　Clinton　school　to　learn　every　trick；　and　he
possessed　such　native　talent　for　intrigue；　so　smooth　a　manner；
and　such　a　wonderful　memory　for　names；　that　he　soon　found　himself
at　the　head　of　a　much　more　perfect　and　far…reaching　machine　than
Clinton　had　ever　dreamed　of。　The　Empire　State　has　never　produced
the　equal　of　Van　Buren　as　a　manipulator　of　legislatures。　No
modern　politician　would　wish　to　face　publicity　if　he　resorted　to
the　petty　tricks　that　Van　Buren　used　in　legislative　politics。　And
when；　in　1891；　he　was　elected　to　the　Senate　of　the　United　States；
he　became　one　of　the　organizers　of　the　first　national　machine。

The　state　machine　of　Van　Buren　was　long　known　as　the　〃Albany
Regency。〃　It　included　several　very　able　politicians：　William　L。
Marcy；　who　became　United　States　Senator　in　1831；　Silas　Wright；
elected　Senator　in　1833；　John　A。　Dix；　who　became　Senator　in　1845；
Benjamin　F。　Butler；　who　was　United　States　Attorney…General　under
President　Van　Buren；　besides　a　score　or　more　of　prominent　state
officials。　It　had　an　influential　organ　in　the　Albany　Argus；
lieutenants　in　every　county；　and　captains　in　every　town。　Its
confidential　agents　kept　the　leaders　constantly　informed　of　the
political　situation　in　every　locality；　and　its　discipline　made
the　wish　of　Van　Buren　and　his　colleagues　a　command。　Federal　and
local　patronage　and　a　sagacious　distribution　of　state　contracts
sustained　this　combination。　When　the　practice　of　nominating　by
conventions　began；　the　Regency　at　once　discerned　the　strategic
value　of　controlling　delegates；　and；　until　the　break　in　the
Democratic　party　in　1848；　it　literally　reigned　in　the　State。

With　the　disintegration　of　the　Federalist　party　came　the　loss　of
concentrated　power　by　the　colonial　families　of　New　England　and
New　York。　The　old　aristocracy　of　the　South　was　more　fortunate　in
the　maintenance　of　its　power。　Jefferson's　party　was　not　only　well
disciplined；　it　gave　its　confidence　to　a　people　still　accustomed
to　class　rule　and　in　turn　was　supported　by　them。　In　a　strict
sense　the　Virginia　Dynasty　was　not　a　machine　like　Van　Buren's
Albany　Regency。　It　was　the　effect　of　the　concentrated　influence
of　men　of　great　ability　rather　than　a　definite　organ