The Etymology of Caucus

[Stephen Goranson]

According to Life and Times of Joseph Warren By Richard Frothingham
page 50 note
1: "In the records of one of these caucuses, the word is spelt caucos
("Siege of
Boston," 30). In the "Boston Gazette" of 1760 are the following sentences:
"Nothing of the least significance was rransacted at a late meeting of the New
and Grand Corcas."-- "Votes are to be given away by the delicate hands of the
New and Grand Corcas."

If the same group (as appears), an antedating.

Sure enough (perhaps an outsider view, perhaps spelling from oral account):
Headline: [No Headline]; Article Type: Advertisements
Paper: Boston Gazette, published as The Boston Gazette, and Country Journal;
Date: 05-05-1760; Issue: 266; Page: Supplement [1]; Location: Boston,
Massachusetts: [italics ignored]

Whereas it is reported, that certain Persons, of the Modern Air and
Complexion,
to the Number of Twelve at least, have divers Times of late been known to
combine together, and are called by the Name of the New and Grand Corcas, tho'
of declared Principles directly opposite to all that have heretofore been
known: And whereas it is vehemently suspected, by some, that their Design is
nothing less, than totally to overthrow the ancient Constitution of our
Town-Meetings, as being popular and mobbish...

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

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