Uncle  Fairfield,  Story,  Ruddock,  Adams,
Cooper,  and  a  rudis  indigcstaques  moles  ol
others,  are  members.  They  send  commit
tees  to  wait  on  the  merchants'  club,  and  to
propose  in  the  choice  of  men  and  measures.
Captain  Cunningham  says,  they  have  of
ten  solicited  him  to  go  to  the  caucuses ;
they  have  assured  him  their  benefit  in  his
business,  etc."  (Adams'  Works,  vol.  ii.,  p.
144.)  Under  the  title  caucus  should  be


eult,  to    speak — but   the    more    probable

derivation     makes    it    a     corruption    of

caulkers.     In  the  early  politics  of  Boston,  |  caucus ;  the  caucuses  of  legislative  assem-

and  particularly  during  the  early  difficul-  j  blies  ;  primary  elections,  still  known   out-


considered  the   congressional  nominating


ties  between  the  townsmen  and  the  British
troops,  the  seafaring  men  and  those  em
ployed  about  the  ship  yards  were  promi
nent  among  the  town-people,  and  there
were  numerous  gatherings  which  may
have  very  easily  come  to  be  called  by
way  of  reproach  a  meeting  of  caulkers,
after  the  least  influential  class  who  at
tended  them,  or  from  the  caulking  house
or  caulk  house  in  which  they  were  held.
What  was  at  first  a  derisive 'description,


side  the  larger  cities  as  caucuses  ;  the  evils
which  have  been  attributed  to  the  latter,
and  the  remedies  which  have  been  pro
posed.  These  will  accordingly  be  men
tioned  in  the  order  given.
