The Etymology of Caucus

[Stephen Goranson]

Frederick William Dallinger, Nominations for Elective Office in the United
States (Harvard Historical Studies IV, 1897) p. 10 [Google Book full view],
which mentions the Caucus Club and the North End Caucus, presents part of a
Boston newspaper appeal, but made two errors. He misdated it as May 4, 1764
when it was May 14, and he said it was signed "The Caucus" when it was signed
"The _CAUCAS_." (Also note the plural: "Your humble Servants, The _CAUCAS_")
And he omitted the N.B. section following the signature. Apparently we
now have
the spellings Caucus, Caucuss (1776 mentioned yesterday), and Caucas (this is
not the only appearance of the latter). The appeal is in the Boston Evening
Post and is available in America's Historical Newspapers.

My previous message made no mention of, and no claim about,  Elisha Cooke Jr.

The slight misdating in the OED Caucus etymology perhaps followed the similar
mistake in An American Glossary By Richard Hopwood Thornton page 154.

More of the biography of Joseph Warren in John Eliot, 1809, I suggest, ma be,
for those interested in this word, worth reading.

Stephen Goranson
http://www.duke.edu/~goranson

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