Secrist—The Anti-Auction Movement of 1828. 153 
was mad© without their consent and in an irregular manner. 25 
Ogden was a counsellor at law, and White a merchant; both 
were supported by Bums, who seconded their nomination on the 
ground of their being “essentially commercial in their pursuits.’’ 
“We have deemed it most proper and in accordance with your 
feelings to propose to you men, a majority of whom, from their 
habits of life, have devoted their thoughts to commercial sub¬ 
jects. . . .” 26 
Walter Browne was sincere in his refusal of the candidacy 
and somewhat later Thomas C. Taylor, “selected from the great 
and respected body of mechanics” 27 was named in his stead. 
The ticket then stood Ogden, a counsellor at law,, White, a mer¬ 
chant, and Taylor, a mechanic. 
A committee 28 of fifty 29 was appointed for the purpose of 
circulating memorials and getting signatures. All of the mem¬ 
orials asked for a ten per cent tax on auction sales. “Your 
memorialists persuade themselves that your Honorable Bodies 
will interfere to correct the evils resulting from the system— 
a system which in its more immediate effects, encourages fraud 
on the revenue, depresses domestic manufacture, facilitates im¬ 
positions on the public, destroys the mercantile character, and 
is ruinous to that class of citizens to which your memorialists 
belong, and the injurious results of which ultimately fall upon 
the agricultural and the laboring part of the population. They 
therefore respectfully pray your Honorable Bodies to impose a 
duty of ten per centum on sales by auction, excepting the effects 
of bankruptcies, and of deceased persons, goods sold for the ben¬ 
efit of underwriters, shipping and real estate.” 30 
25 New York Even. Post Oct. 17, 1828, p. 1, col. 1—“as members of the 
Republican family, and supporters of its usuages and systems,, we can 
accept of no nomination, unless made in the usual and regular man¬ 
ner.” 
26 This is pretty clear evidence that Brown was a merchant. 
27 N. Y. Evening Post, Oct. 31, 1828, p. 2, col. 4. 
28 This committee was not to supplement the Anti-Auction Committee. 
29 Of this committee thirty are known to have been merchants, and 
manufacturers, chiefly merchants. There were two mechanics. Of the 
others, I cannot say. 
so N. Y. Even. Post Nov. 4, 1828, p. 4, col. 1. On Dec. 10, 1828, a 
memorial, signed by 10,000 citizens of N. Y. was presented to congress 
and asked for the 10 per cent tax. On Dec. 15, 1828, one was pre¬ 
sented which carried 7,600 signatures. Niles Reg. Vol. 35, p. 255, 271. 
