The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-24
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
r,.. T,,o-Thirds Principle.

Twas il look the lead of all other questions. While, IN
many instances personal preferences have been express
"A e delegates have been left untrammelled IN the last
1T for free and full consultation. This was as !,
.boud be- Although there are many distinguished IN
5vnas in the democratic party worthy of the highest
bonors of the constitution man can tell who is TO be
mt forth as the special candidate OF the party Tor The en-
suing contest
Among plurality of prominent statesmen, In widely
extended country, local and personal preferences are TIC
IA sypected Other things being equal every man would
r,tnrsly prefer his friend neighbor But as one
or can be selected as the candidate for all, it is of the
highest importance that the standard bearer should be,
IN the MAN, acceptable to all sections of the country,
and especially obnoxious to none. The great problem,
,bsn isfrst what is the most safe best mode Sc
Ieet candidate capable of uniting all sections of the
democratic party; in other words, candidate against
whom no essential objection can be suggested
7, the early periods of the democratic party, there
were few competitors for the presidential Office the selec
op was limited those who had been prominent actors in
the establishment of the government Hence Jefferson,
Madison, and Monroe succeeded each other, it WERE
bv the common consent of the democratic party
gu, in the lapse of time, aud in the absence of
these patriarchs of the constitution, the number Of
councillors has kept pace with the increase of popu-
laton and territory Yet this need be no obstacle
III. permanent triumph of democratic principles and the
continued success of candidates. if but true TO
ourselves and remain firmly united party Casting
behind us all local and personal predictions we must
unite in phaanx the great national democratic party
The delegates have met at Baltimore, free to act for the
Al Ill We
sened ITSELF In nhot shall the convention pro-
coed to select candidate who will carry out the essen
a principles of the party, and be most likely 10 produce
entire union of acon' This an important prelmi
nary question for the elaboration of the convention IT
lay the very foundations and on its proper decision de-
ponds the of all subsequent efforts 1t is ques
ton upon which we may honestly differ.
Should bare majority be sufficient to designate our
candidate for the presidency! Or should we seek some
thing still more imposing than the recommendation of
bare majority of the delegates to bind together party
which is spread far and wide over many degrees of
latitude and ongtude--from the ST. John to the Del
Nore, and from the Atlantic TO the Pacifc This was
one Of the important questions before the convention
As the twohrds rule has been adopted by the conven
tion we assign the reasons which have been given for
It's adoption.
In the memorable convention which assembled at Bal
tnore in lsl4 this same question presented, and
after mature deiberation, it formally decided that
the candidate OF the party should go forth to the people
backed by recommendation of tavo-tirds of the mem
bes present Ii not without earnest resistance bv
the opponents of the measure, yet i finally adopted
But, being once adopted, those who had made manly
frank IN tho fnal
lis expedency, in the manly spirit The candi-
date who then received the twothirds vote was adopted
by all the delegates present He was triumphantly elect
ed President by the people at large.
similar state of things exists but to larger e.
tent and the same question has again been considered
and has been met in the spirit in the present con-
venton 1t is urged that safe precedent was be-
fore With still larger number of competitors,
and wider extent of territory and people, the pre-
eedent is presented with augmented force for the
av.T OF the convention 1t is said to come to
Us ah'o presented with the still stronger consdera.
on tina the wohrds rule of voting has been adopted in
Every COM ested nomination in every previous convention
Theres bes des this strong for its adopon-tha
some of the States represented in the convention can
scarcely be expe cted to give democratic vote for our
nominee, there is the greater probability that the two
thirds vote may be expected to produce in its results
majority OF the votes of the democratic States
That bare majority OF the people themselves is, and
ought be- sufficient to cleo, public officers, an axiom
IN democratic republics But follows by no that
Nominating conventions should VENTURE momentous is
sues on the recommendation of bare maores, even if
Aey could be obtained by majority vote OF the conven
u0n when decisivn n1atin attaina
Die bare majority is one thing, but the Recommended
aOn OF wo-thlrds goes forth with efficacy far more
COMMANDING and impressive majority may be SO near
y offset bya reluctant minority, as to neutralize nearly
all lhe moral effect of conventional nomination. But
majority OF wo-thrds dssipaes all doubts and settles
VIC question as to the proprety of nomination. There
a e" so hardy as TO question such an expression OF
popular favor All sections OF the party would rally to
man. under such nominee, with perfect confidence of
success
II may be urged that such majority is mpracticable
Inc same objection made in 1884, but it was over
'0ne oy The devotion of the convention to principles
instead OF men and the course was justified by the event
"neh II was proclaimed that James X Polk had been
'"a'ed oy the ballots of twothrds of the delegates
'1'ie was no longer doubt that he possessed in ad
''e' Tie confidence of the party and this animated all
A''S by similar devotion to stern principle, similar
'Ou'unauon' 1t is urged may be expected on the pres
'n'emegency
II 'Als be correct, it was incumbent on the con-
V'1oi II was argued, in the first place, to resolve
'Oiemhly that the ballots of two-thirds of the mem
y. present shall be required to designate candi-
'e ms being first settled, the names of the prom
", pi'fios OF the nation will be presented and the