Charles Matchett
Encyclopedia
Charles Horatio Matchett (May 15, 1843 - October 23, 1919) was an American socialist politician. He is best remembered as the first candidate of the Socialist Labor Party of America
for Vice President of the United States
in the election of 1892 and as the party's candidate for President in the election of 1896.
. He was the descendant of New Englanders dating their presence in America to the 1630s.
At the age of 16, Matchett went to sea and circumnavigated Cape Horn
aboard a windjammer
. He worked at various times in his earlier years as a United States Navy
sailor, a clerk, carpenter, and beer bottler.
In the middle 1880s, Matchett moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he worked as an electrician
.
as Mayor of New York.
In 1890, Matchett was the organizer of American Branch No. 1 of Section New York of the Socialist Labor Party of America
(SLP). Matchett was influential in bringing many of the New York Nationalists into the ranks of the party.
In 1892, Machett ran on a ticket headed by Massachusetts
camera manufacturer Simon Wing
as the Vice Presidential nominee of the SLP. It was the first time that the party ran a national ticket. Wing and Machett appeared on the ballot in six states and received a total of 21,512 votes. Of this total, New York City alone provided 6,100 votes. The platform of the party in 1892 committed to abolishing the offices of President and Vice President as soon as they came to power. According to one historian of the election, most of the SLP ticket's support in 1892 came not from labor, but from the "Bellamyites
," middle-class intellectuals and reformers.
In the New York election of 1894, Matchett ran for Governor
on the Socialist Labor Party ticket.
In 1896, Matchett headed the Socialist Labor Party ticket as its candidate for President of the United States. About one half of the 36,359 votes received by Matchett and his running mate Matthew Maguire of New Jersey, came from New York state. When Matchett ran in 1896 he was the foreman for the telephone company in New York making $18 per week. The SLP's platform in 1896 called for government assumption of all means of production and distribution.
Matchett left the Socialist Labor Party during the organization's bitter 1899 split and joined the organization headed by Henry Slobodin and Morris Hillquit
which merged with the Chicago-based Social Democratic Party of America in the summer of 1901 to form the Socialist Party of America
(SPA).
In 1903
, Matchett ran for the New York Court of Appeals
on the ticket of the SPA, receiving 33,339 votes. He was also a candidate for New York State Assembly
and New York City Council
at various times.
Socialist Labor Party of America
The Socialist Labor Party of America , established in 1876 as the Workingmen's Party, is the oldest socialist political party in the United States and the second oldest socialist party in the world. Originally known as the Workingmen's Party of America, the party changed its name in 1877 and has...
for Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
in the election of 1892 and as the party's candidate for President in the election of 1896.
Early years
Machett was born May 15, 1843, hailing originally from the Brighton-Allston area in MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He was the descendant of New Englanders dating their presence in America to the 1630s.
At the age of 16, Matchett went to sea and circumnavigated Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
aboard a windjammer
Windjammer
A windjammer is the ultimate type of large sailing ship with an iron or for the most part steel hull, built to carry cargo in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century...
. He worked at various times in his earlier years as a United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
sailor, a clerk, carpenter, and beer bottler.
In the middle 1880s, Matchett moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he worked as an electrician
Electrician
An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...
.
Political career
Matchett served as a charter member of the Brooklyn Nationalist Club and was active in the campaign to elect Henry GeorgeHenry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
as Mayor of New York.
In 1890, Matchett was the organizer of American Branch No. 1 of Section New York of the Socialist Labor Party of America
Socialist Labor Party of America
The Socialist Labor Party of America , established in 1876 as the Workingmen's Party, is the oldest socialist political party in the United States and the second oldest socialist party in the world. Originally known as the Workingmen's Party of America, the party changed its name in 1877 and has...
(SLP). Matchett was influential in bringing many of the New York Nationalists into the ranks of the party.
In 1892, Machett ran on a ticket headed by Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
camera manufacturer Simon Wing
Simon Wing
Simon Wing was a daguerrotypist and camera inventor and socialist politician. He is best remembered as the first candidate of the Socialist Labor Party of America for President of the United States, running for that office in 1892.-Early years:...
as the Vice Presidential nominee of the SLP. It was the first time that the party ran a national ticket. Wing and Machett appeared on the ballot in six states and received a total of 21,512 votes. Of this total, New York City alone provided 6,100 votes. The platform of the party in 1892 committed to abolishing the offices of President and Vice President as soon as they came to power. According to one historian of the election, most of the SLP ticket's support in 1892 came not from labor, but from the "Bellamyites
Edward Bellamy
Edward Bellamy was an American author and socialist, most famous for his utopian novel, Looking Backward, set in the year 2000. He was a very influential writer during the Gilded Age of United States history.-Early life:...
," middle-class intellectuals and reformers.
In the New York election of 1894, Matchett ran for Governor
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
on the Socialist Labor Party ticket.
In 1896, Matchett headed the Socialist Labor Party ticket as its candidate for President of the United States. About one half of the 36,359 votes received by Matchett and his running mate Matthew Maguire of New Jersey, came from New York state. When Matchett ran in 1896 he was the foreman for the telephone company in New York making $18 per week. The SLP's platform in 1896 called for government assumption of all means of production and distribution.
Matchett left the Socialist Labor Party during the organization's bitter 1899 split and joined the organization headed by Henry Slobodin and Morris Hillquit
Morris Hillquit
Morris Hillquit was a founder and leader of the Socialist Party of America and prominent labor lawyer in New York City's Lower East Side during the early 20th century.-Early years:...
which merged with the Chicago-based Social Democratic Party of America in the summer of 1901 to form the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
(SPA).
In 1903
New York state election, 1903
The 1903 New York state election was held on November 3, 1903, to elect a judge of the New York Court of Appeals, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and one member of the New York State Senate.-Background:...
, Matchett ran for the New York Court of Appeals
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
on the ticket of the SPA, receiving 33,339 votes. He was also a candidate for New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
and New York City Council
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
at various times.