Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-06-06
ID RATIO ITO N
AT BALTIMORE.

which was wholly unrepresen,ed; Louisiana,
deficient by four members New Jersy, one
member less than her complement and
deficiency i'm some other States of one or two
members.
Nearly the whole of the sitting was oc-
cupieG i'll discussing the principle Of recurring
the nominations TO be made by two-thirds
vote. Mr.. WALKER, Of Mississippi, and AIR.
SAUNDERS, Of North Caroliua, both address
ed the Convention in favor of the adoption of
such q rule, while MIR. BUTLER, Of New Y ork,
vehemently opposed it. The arguments on
the one side were, first, The precedents of
former Conventions, aud, secondly, The pre-
sumption 'ha, bare majority of the delegates
would rot express. The wishes of majority
ol the whole democratic party; because, as
rcprese salion according to electoral votes did
~ .scessarlly imply the representation of a
mHority of the party. there was danger of a
mInprts examination being made, which might
eosard It's interests o; even entirely over
'A.ow II. Mr.. BUTLER opposed these views
al a torclole speech, contending that the alb
solu'e rule oil the majority was the true demo-
cratic doctrine as laid down by Mr. Jefferson.
die was satisfied, he said, that none of the gen.
tlemen who were candidates for the honor of
the nomination could receive aiwo- thirds vote,
and argued that, for the Convention. beno
aPprized of this fact, to adopt such rule,
would be an indirect though wilrul disregard
of the instructions they had received from
ther primary Conventions Such a course
would present one of two evils-eiiher to de-
feat nomination altogether. or to coerce the
selection OF candidate Objectionable to a
large majority Of the Convention; and, if a
rule were forced upon them requiring that
which 1t was impossible fairly to obtain. it
might, by destroying it, wholly defeat the
purposes of the Convention The hour
growing late, this discussion was postponed
till tomorrow, i'll order TO permit an orcani-
cation 10 take place before adjournment.
On Tuesday the "Democratic National
Convention" resumed its labors, pursuant to
adjournment, at nine O'Clock, when its bust
hess was opened by brief address from Mr..
wright, who was, on the preceding evening,
chosen President Of the Convention. EXPRESS
I've OF the high sense which he entertained of
the honor conferred upon him by that ap-
pointment.
Al the conclusion Of this ACKNOWLEDGMENT
the proposition of Mr.. Saunders, of North
carolina, TO adopt the two-ihirds principle of
nomination, which was under discussion on
MONDAY night, was again taken up This
proposition consisted of an amendment offer
ed by Mr.. S. to pending resolution which
provided for the appointment Of a committee
TO Graught rules, sc. The motion was. To
strike out the original resolve, and insert
another adopting the rules of the Convcn-
tons of 1882 and 1885, which recognise the
two-thirds principle
The debate was commenced by Mr. Tibba,ts.
OF Kentucky, who took ground in favor of
The amendment, mainly on the ground that
majority vote of the Convention might not
present fair expression of the opinion Of the
entire Democratic party. Mr.. Morton, of
massachusetts, took the other side of the
question, and sustained the majority vote as
the most ancient and safe rule for the preser-
vation OF Democratic principles. This me-
thod was pursued in the State Conventions
and in other bodies, and he deemed it the
safest precedent to be observed bv the BODY
now assembled, and one that would secure
the greatest harmony throughout the entire
Democratic ranks. Mr.. Walker, of Mlssisip
plb enforced the two-thirds principle arguing
that the struggle Of those who resisted it was
TO secure, not success, but the bare honor Of
the selection, 10 particular individual, whose
nomination, under existing circumstances,
would be inevitable defeat. Abiding to the
course OF the New York Delegation on this
subject, he characterized it as an attempt a:
dictalIon, and denounced their policy as I'M
wise and dangerous, especially at The present
moment, when the party was encompassed
with SO much doubt and difficulty that It's
very existence, in the opinion of some, was
III jeopardy. Mr.. Ranoul, OF Massachusetts,.
approved OF the two-thirds rule, and adveued
TO the much greater difficulty of reconciline
the mass OF the party, who were at distance
OF hundreds and thousands of miles apart. to
majority nomination, than it would be to
eject compromise in the Convention by
adopting the amendment before them Mr.
Dickinson, of New York. protested that his
State did not come into the Convention as
suming position either Inconsistent with
herself or with the rights of Others She had
choice, and had expressed it, but if ma
Jotty oil the Convention did not confirm tina,
choice, she would go for any other candidate
who could obtain such majority. He arpued.
OF course, in favor of the majority vote. and
maintained that this was the great rundamen-
tai law of the people, who would themselves
ratry 1T u present, and the Convention had
heretofore improperly departed from it, Mr..
MedaIry, OF Ohio, was opposed TO the amend
ment, as being obnoxious To- true Democratic
principles referring, in the course of his re-
marks to It's having been observed even by
the Wings OF Massachusetts, who, although il
was alleged they had despoiicaIIy ruled that
State Tor number Of years, had resigned all
their power and authority 10 majority of
barely one vote. How much more. he asked.
was it incumbent on the great Democratic
party to- bow in submission 10 the majority /?
lie said, too, that according TO Mr.. George
w. KendalPs narrative of the Texan Santa
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