Daily national Democrat., 1860-09-19
Conclusive Proof-No Dodsins the Facts,

We perhaps have sufficiently elucidated
the point, heretofore, that Douglas received
two,third vote at Baltimore, and was there
fore regularly nominated, according TO Dem
oeratic usage, to the Presidency. But, the
Breekinridso speakers, and particularly
Zack. Montgomery and his coufreres, SO per-
sisteatly endeavor to make it appear that the
nomination was not regular, that we may
be excused for laying a few additional facts
in ceanectiea--with this subject before the
public And in doing so, we acknowledge
our indebtedness in part to researches made
10y "a correspondent Of the Missouri Republi-
can
In The first place, it is admitted on all
hands that Judge Douglas received two
thirds of all the votes girsn in the Conven
tion. We shall, therefore, conine ourselves
to the single proposition that he did receive
two-thirds of all the votes givcn and tha,
this was sufficient
In 1882, this rule was first adopted, and
read as follows:
"REsoLvED, That each State be entitled in the
nomination TO be made OF candidate for the
Vice Presidency, to number of votes equal ro
the number to which, they will be entitled in the
/ electoral lege under the new appoItlonment -iR
voting for President ard Vice Pftsldent and that
two-thrds of the whole number of votes IN tie
Contention shall be necessary TO constitute =
choice."
The rule was made in reference TO nomi
nation for Vice President, because already
the nomination for President had been made
by acclamution. But the rule was subse-
quently applied to nominations for President
as well as Vice President, and it therefore
becomes important to see how it was con
strued in its original application. Very well,
under the rule, ballot was had for Vice
Preeident with the following result: Van
Buren 2O8. johnson 90, Barbour 40. Where
upon Mr. Phelps offered the following resolu-
tion:
"WnEREAs, Martin Van Buren, of New York,
has received upon the first ballot more than two
thirds of all the votes giren for the purpose OF Sc
lectug candidate for the Vice Presidency OF
the United States therefore,
RESOLVED, That this Convention unanimously
concurs in recommend ng him to the people "f the
United States for their support for that Office at
the ensuing election
Which preamble and resolution were
adopted, thus interpreting the rule to mean
that two-thirds of the votes giren, and not
two-thirds Of the Electoral College, should
nominate
In the Democratic National Convention of
1885, a resolution was adopted, and remained
in force that "two-thnds of the whole num-
Der of votes giren be required for a nomina-
ton" for President and Vice President See
Niles Register, vol. As, PIP. 227,228.
In the Convention of 1910. no reference
was had to the two-thirds rule at all, but a
Committee reported resolution, that this
Convention do present the name of Martin
Van Buren, to the-people as-the Democratic
candidate for the Office of President Of the
United States" &c, and it was unanimously
adopted.
In the Convention of 1874, the same con.
struction OF the two thirds rule was observed,
as before.
In the Convention of lS4s. New York,
with thirty-six votes, did not vote at all, and
consequently only 254 votes were cast, the
full Convention numbering 300. OF this
number Lewis Cass received l79, which was
over two-thirds of the votes gicen, but was
, mol two thirds of the full vote OF the Con-
yenton Nevertheless he was declared duly
nominated by two thirds vote
The Convention of 1852 reiterated the
same rule with the same construction.
SO also did the Convention of 1856.
By all precedent, therefore, Mr. Douglas,
in receiving two-thirds of the votes giyen,
was duly nominated as the Democratic can
didate for the Presidency, and there is no
/ gansaying the fact
| 1t will be seen that we have not touched upon
the fact that Mr.. Douglas actually received
two-thirds of the vote of the fidL Convention,
but we have taken the very ground Of the
Seceders Themselves who say that he only
received two thirds Tor over) of the vote
cast, and have proved that he was even then
regularly nominated, in accordance with
| Democratic usage.