Weren’t there caucuses in the early days of the republic. I am not sure about this.
Originally, the state legislatures selected presidential electors, who were the best and brightest non-officeholders of a state. They would meet at the state capital, examine their consciences and vote for two men, one of which was not from their state. These electoral votes would be transmitted in closed envelopes to Congress, counted, and the winner would get the presidency, while the second place winner would get the vice presidency. A failure to get enough electoral votes would send the election into the House for decision.
In this era, no man would actually run for president because that would have been considered egotistical and -- even worse -- ungentlemanly.
Actually there were a number of states in the very early days (and a few holdouts for quite a number of years) where the legislature appointed the electors directly vs. delegating this to popular vote.
Do some reading
“Weren’t there caucuses in the early days of the republic. I am not sure about this.”
Since I wasn’t there, I don’t really know but I imagine you’re right since the candidates had to get their positions out to the people and how else could they?
I bet those caucuses were not held in Churches but, instead, in pubs with the candidate footing the bill for pitchers!