The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-12-02

TIES nad not sent delegatesf he was not familiar
with the ussses of csucuses Ia the House of DELE
estes but he was informed BY gentleman near him
that the rule required that majority OF the par
present should make rominaions This va, liz rus
both of constitutions and common senss
Mr.. McMulen would give case 20 sustain the de.
elsration Of Mr. shscke ford TO the custom AZ Ie
eislstve csucuses-viz: the case OF caucus SO
eed to nominate candidate for the o. s. Senate
Aproposition was unlimited that the nominee should
reeeiy majority OF the votes Of all present and OF
all absent. Gov. smith received the NOMINATION nm
der this rn'e, aud when HE wss brought be fare
rns Legssaa'nte' another distinguished Democrat was
Mr.. kenna called Mr.. 81. to order. "a voice: Ger.
tainiy the gentleman Is moi hirnseli and the voice
seemed to come from some one himself a little out
The Chair decided Mr.. Mem. to be In order.
Mr. MeMallen would name the gentleman who
was taken TO beat Governor Smith, Ii was our die
tinguished friend, Mr.. r NJ T. Hunter He was
brought out by the chivalry of the Democracy
against the regular nominee. aud. aided by the
Wings, he beat that nominee. He was not sure but
the occupant OF the Chair helped to beat him. {Mr
Crutchfeld replied he did not) Mr.. Mem. merely
wished 10 refer to this case aud considered himself
perfectly In order lie trusted. if he to be In.
terruptad gentlemen would state their point of or.
der. and not call him 10 order like school-boys-
Laughter
Mr. Garnet said the case alleged was an excep.
tions onf and only proved the general rule as op.
posed to IT, Moreover on that occasion, the caucus
nominee was beaten; and, therefore, the precedent
was one to be avoided. Laughter The custom
OF the Democratic party was for the majority to
rule. Since when did Scot; county Mr.. McMullen)
become the advocate of the two-thirds ruler In
1850, not the great struggle, that the majority
should govern? IAuding to the contest in the
Convention between the East and West upon the
minority shall rule. Mr.. G. repeated his argument.
that while In cases where there were sectional is
and the rights Of mino rites In question: it was
propert to require the twothirds rule, here there
was no necessity for it. They were band of broth
ers, and were there to make nomination for an
office of honor, but not of profit Why should
two-thirds rule be pressed In such a case the
minority ought to be willing to yield to the maiori-
IT, The Democratic party ought to abide by its
own usages, and trust to the voice of the majority
He appealed to members to heat their bloods by
useless and bitter hostilities; they should rather
preserve and cherish those harmonious feelings
tina. were indispensable to victory.
Mr.. G. moved as a substitute for the resolution of
Mr.. Shackleford, the following:
Resolved, That 1t shall require a majority of the
Dotes cast to nominate candidates for Governor
Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General
Mr. McMuln opposed the substitute He con-
tended that ewing to the late period at which the
notice of the time of the Convention was sent out
many counties could not appoint delegates in time
to reach here. He instsnced Lee county az one
1t was not their fault but their misfortune. The
two thirds rule was no new principle with him. 1t
was the rule in the Baltimore Convention The
twothirds rule had saved his political bacon in a
memorable campaign in which he was elected to
the State Senate Laughter 1t saved the politi.
Cal bacon of J. X Polk, and where did it put Mar.
tin Van Buren,? 1t also saved DR.. Graham. laugh.
ter) He {Mr. McM) was no new convert to the
policy.
Mr.. Fauntleroy, OF Frederick, was in favor of
the two'thlrds rule. He admitted the great cardi-
nal principle that the majority should rule; but he
contended that 1t was strictly applicable only to
the people voting primarily, where majority of
one was as decisive as millions. In convention
~oAn
constituents; and the they came to an unani.
nous vote the nearer they came to rejecting the
wishes ofthe people ofVirginia If they fixed the
standard at two-thirds they would 60 before the
people with that much more force than if sustained
by mere majority They would thus conserve
the real wishes OF the majority How was that
bright example, the nomination of Mr. Polk
achievedl The two.thirds rule in that case had
saved the Democratic party; he might say from the
disgrace OF Martin Van Buren,, and given to us the
most brilliant Administrations, save Washingtons,
that ever adorned the history of the Country
(Great applause) He desired to propose that two
thirds rule. He would not compIicare the question
by bringing In the counties, who after due notice.
were not represented here.
Mr.. Grattan of Rockingham, remarked that The
great difficulty was that conventions generally
stood on too narrow basis Little countyfmeet-
ings called with partial notices appointed delegates
and they came TO nominate Governor. 1t was
the policy of the country to enlarge the basis at
least to two-thirds (Applause.) Gentlemen who
were not capable OF bringing in twothirds of this
convention to their support did not deserve to be
nominsted. If they could not rein up gentleman in
that body to the two thirds vote, they could not
rein up the people to support their nominee
daughter and applause)
MIR. Newman of Mason, rose amidst perfect
storm of Question question:" order &c One
gentleman urged him TO allow him to move the
prerious question He declined, and at last order
being restored, he proceeded.
Mr.. N said, delegates were presumed to reflect
6arrrftt nj hnIr 0rafG-
they were appointed by little Court House meetings
or not. We are told that if the people assembled
themselves, q majority however small shall deter.
mine & question, and upon what principle of justice
can it be demanded that their agents shall be re.
quired to pass their acts by twothird vote
Whenever and wherever the twothirds rule had
been adopted, il had resulted in excluding the most
prominent and able men from office and foisting
upon the country and the people of little fame
and inferior capacity. CHEERS, and cries of ''no y
'not SOY Where and when had not such been the
result. (Response, by several. sat Baltimore
James h. Polk and Franklin PiercerD Would
any one persist In saying that they the choice
OF the States or any one State? (Cries of "yes'
aud "no y Mr.. Newman affirmed that whenever
the two thirds rule adopted it sapped and
destroyed the very basis of representative nstruc
tons. 1t gave 10 a minority-a factious minority
the power to defeat the will of the Democratic
party and to foist upon it man whom they were
yet forced support from dire necessity, and moi
from choice. Would it nominate Wise or Leake, or
nomnatedt No! 1t would foist upon them some man
of inferior intellect who has nothing to recommend
him save and except his totaliobscurity. Frequent
signs of disapprobation, with occasional cheers
interrupted Mr.. Newman during his speech)
Mr.. Massie OF Rockbridge, might be ranked with
those in minority 10 the Convention, yet he was
opposed to the resolution of Mr.. Shackleford, be.
cause 1t would end In the selection of a man not
prominently before the party. He admitted the
necessity of the two thirds rule in Federal politics
but in Virginia there was no necessity for it. Here
we were harmonious, and should be one and indi
visible-and here majority Of the counties repre-
scented was sufficient. He was in favor of nomina
ting one of the prominent men. He deemed il ne
cessary to have a strong and able man who could
excite enthusiasm, and rely upon the mere par
~ organization for success. 1t was more necessary
now than ever that they should have such man
Wehad no open and undisguised enemy In the field
There was not the first semblanee of Wing party.
yetthey had Temperance Societies, and Know No
things and every damnable ism to fight They
must present man who is true Democrat and a
man of power. He called upon all to make every
sacrifice for this grand object. He didn't want any
third man. Virginia was threatened with isms
OF northern origin, ana he wanted to see them de-
fest I'd and tramp.ed under foot by the Democratic
party and thus the State from the reproach OF
having given away to any ism whatever.
Vocferous cries of question" "questfon -
amidst which Mr. Meade got the floor
Dir. NJ went on to respond to and concur very
warmly in he eeptnpnts md faclinca oynraenoI