To bolt a nomination or a ticket is to desert one’s party by opposing it.
1812.
| Should an Albany Caucus take our kingship in hand, | |
| Our veto would addle Dewitt’s nomination; | |
| For unmov’d on the back stairs D. Tompkins would stand, | |
| And send home the bolters by new prorogation. | |
Salem Gazette, July 10, 4/1. |
1813. Some respectable members [of the N.H. Leg.], who voted against the judiciary law in June, now voted in favour of it. Others, ashamed to make further opposition, to so excellent a system, but without sufficient courage to do their duty, bolted the question.—Portsmouth (N.H.) Oracle, Nov. 20, 2/3.
1847. [I said] that I had never bolted a regular nomination of the Democratic party, from President to constable.—Mr. Wentworth of Ill., House of Repr., Feb. 4: Cong. Globe, p. 322.
1854. ‘Uncle Reuben’ was not much of a politician, although he generally voted with the Federalists; but he would often ‘bolt,’ and carry the town with him.—Knick. Mag., xliii. 522 (May).
1855. We met from 50 to 100 emigrants yesterday, going up the river to vote. One man has returned, saying that they passed the vote to kill Gov. Reeder [of Kansas], for which he bolted and returned.—Kansas Herald of Freedom, Oct. 6, 3/4.
1858. It is known that there would have been some such a bolt from the nominations, had the nominations been made.—N.Y. Tribune, Jan. 8, 2/3.
1858. The Delegate Convention determined not to vote. A few disaffected got up a bolting ticket…. An attempt was made by several persons to make the people go into the election and harmonize the bolters.—Id., Jan. 12, 2/3.
1858. Some of the Free-State bolters had got out one of these nominally Free-State “Democrats,” who are qualified for either side, and the Lecomptonists and the “anti-Lecompton” Democracy of Lecompton went off on this bolt, doing it secretly. [Refers to Kansas.]—Id., April 1, 3/3.
1858. This convention of bolters and office-holders could not find one man in the State for them to run for a State officer who was not an anti-Nebraska man.—Mr. Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, U.S. Senate, June 15: Cong. Globe, p. 3058.
1858. Mr. Elmore [A. E. Elmore of 1st District, Wisconsin] is personally very popular, but has strong enemies in the ranks of the Democracy, he having “bolted” party nominations at pleasure, and just as often as they did not suit, of late.—N.Y. Tribune, Aug. 3, 5/5.
1858. Carrying the boys of the machine shops with him, he [Dexter F. Parker of Worcester, Mass.] got nominated for the Senate. At this the respectability and Anti-Slavery of Worcester, which endured Mr. Thayer’s greater offense with the utmost quietness, bolted, and a new candidate has been nominated.—Id., Oct. 23, 6/5.
1858. You [Robert C. Winthrop] bolted when you thought it best to bolt, just as you stuck by Freedom and Massachusetts opinion when you thought it best to stick by them.—Id., Nov. 3, 4/4.
1860. Remember that Stephen A. Douglas is a bolter from the party, is a bogus Democrat, &c.—Richmond Enquirer, Nov. 2, p. 1/8.
1861. Bolt a fraudulent nomination, scratch every unworthy candidate.—N.Y. Tribune, Oct. 3 (Bartlett).
1862. He was, like his opponent, a bolter candidate, a man who bolted from his own convention.—Rocky Mountain News (Denver), Sept. 11.
1883. To whom a “scratcher” or a “bolter” is more hateful than the Beast.—Atlantic Monthly, lii. 327.
1909.
| “What was the first attack?” | |
| “Carmack called me a bolter.” | |
| “Didn’t you bolt the ticket and vote for Gen. Fussell?… | |
| Didn’t you bolt the regular ticket?” | |
| “No, sir, I did not, There were two regular Democratic tickets.” | |
—Cooper trial at Nashville, Tenn., N.Y. Evening Post, Feb. 25. |
