As caucuses seem to be necessary, so it seems to me, some of them are managed with singular wisdom. I see nothing which the most dreaming theorist could desire to mend. Take the usual method in which a governor is nominated, as an example. The members of the legislature, previous to the next election, assemble on some evening, to consult on this important point. They are supposed to be the wisest men in the commonwealth; they come from all parts of the State; they stand in a responsible situation, and their characters are well known. Such nominations are as little likely to fail either from want of wisdom, or want of virtue, as any that can be devised.

Respecting the lower caucuses, more might be said; they too often fall into the hands of busy and irresponsible men. No government can be worse, than that which is managed by secret agents, behind a curtain. But the defect of these caucuses, happens through the negligence of our best citizens. They have imbibed such a prejudice for the word, and have such a perfect detestation of a meeting called for the purposes of violence and faction, that they often stay away from them; and leave their purposes to be forestalled by agents of less virtue, but more activity. It should be remembered, that the caucus is the most important meeting; there resides the spirit of the election, and in the other only the form. Here, minds are compared, wills are united, and the proceedings here fix the election, as the planting of the seed decides the character of the tree.

It may be asked, whether caucuses should be confined to men of one party, as is now generally the case? or whether a general meeting of free citizens, should be invited? In times of high excitement, I apprehend the exclusive mode is the best. If in an informal meeting, you were to bring two parties together, there would be danger of a tumultuous assembly, and no decision. But in calmer times, it would perhaps be best to collect all, and to adjust differences by a mutual compromise.

It is an evil, that caucuses are held in the evening. A man is not the same being by candle-light, that he is in sunshine; no, not the wisest and best. It is true, it will be said on the other side, that the evening is the season of leisure; and that it would be difficult for artisans and men of business to leave their work, during earlier hours. How far these evils counterbalance those of nocturnal deliberations, deserves to be considered. But I am sure no man ought to allow himself to make any important decision, after ten o'clock at night. He will be apt to find it a work of darkness, in more senses than one. Late sessions, late courtships, late meetings, are the ruin of our welfare, in politics, love, and religion.

One evil of caucuses is, that there is often a first cause before the first; a caucus before the caucus, where a number of busy men have already anticipated the decisions of the meeting. It is as hard to trace things to their first causes in politics, as it is to find

the end of the little fibrous roots of a tree, which run deep in the ground. To prevent this, I could wish that a caucus could always hold two sessions. Let them first meet to discuss matters, interchange opinions, hear speeches, (which should be short, and not inflammatory,) and run over a list of candidates. Let them choose a large committee of nomination, and then adjourn; for it is an excellent thing to sleep, after a debate, before a decision. Let them come together, to hear the report of their committee, and fix on their candidates. All this should not be considered as a subsidiary part of an election. It seems to be essential to a union of efforts, and a wise result.

Republicanism is a car, which can only accomplish its journey, by going slow enough. The people will generally be right, if you can only keep them in pause long enough to think. For this reason, in all our proceedings, we should avoid hasty decisions. A great deal has been said about long speeches, irrelevant repetition, and a needless consumption of time, in our State legislature. This is a preservative evil in republicanism. I had rather be vexed with long speeches, than ruined by rash legislation. I have sometimes thought it would be wise, to hire ten longwinded tribunes, to consume the day for the preservation of our laws, and to save us from the evils of perpetual innovation.

THE PURITAN.

No. 44.

For though most hands dispatch apace,
And make light work (the proverb says),
Yet many different intellects

Are found t' have contrary effects;
And many heads t' obstruct intrigues,
As slowest insects have most legs.

Hudibras.

YOUTHFUL recollections are not easily effaced; and I look back with some pleasure on the eloquence I heard, and the scenes I witnessed, in former days, at our Bundleborough town-meetings.

In the first place, a half sheet of fools-cap paper, with all the articles to be debated, written out in a fair hand, was pasted up at the porch-door of the meeting-house, and other conspicuous places in town, signed by the selectmen, warning all good citizens worth sixty pounds in money, to come and vote on their municipal affairs. Sometimes it was to choose a governor, sometimes representatives to the State

legislature, and sometimes to raise monies to defray the expenses of the town; and if any one wished to have a birds-eye view of politics and politicians, he might have seen it there. There were dupes and knaves, demagogues and gulls, management and jealousy, art and deception, rustic shrewdness and rustic eloquence; all the tricks and knaveries of social life played off to perfection, so that what our primer was to other books, our town-meetings were to more dignified assemblies. I am an impartial judge of politics, for I began life by looking down on its operations from a gallery; and I must own, from that day to this, I have seen little in the science to enamor me with its beauties.

On the appointed day, the meeting-house was thrown open; and in the great pew immediately under the pulpit, a little elevated above the rest of the audience, were collected the town-clerk, the selectmen, and whoever had a right to that dignified seat. The first business was to choose a moderator, to regulate the meeting-a very needful officer; and here the choice almost invariably fell upon squire Wilson, whose silver tongue, and cautious wisdom, made him the hero of our town. How often have I seen him walk to the chair, with all the dignity of a speaker in the house of commons, taking off his three-cornered hat, showing on his back the circle, which the club of his powdered wig had made on his coat, every step firm and deliberate, every look a thunderbolt of