Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-06-06
The Democratic Convention
Greeley and the TwoIFhirds
Rule.

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The politicians at Washington and
elsewhere are making their calculations
upon the probable action of the Demo-
cratic National Convention, and the
chances of its Endorsement or rejection
of the Cincinnati nominees. The Her
aid says, that while it seems to be con-
ceded that Greeley will find many adj
vocates among the unterrified and un-
reconstructed, it is supposed that the
''twO-thirls rule - as it is called, which
requires two-thirds vote to nominate
a candidate, and which has generally
prevailed in the Presidential COnven-
tions of the Democratic party, will be
fatal to his chances. The twO-thirds
rule was first adopted by the DemOcra-
cy in 1882. 1t was adhered to in the
Convention of 1886, but was dropped in
1910. In 1914 Martin Van Buren, had a
majority of the delegates pledged to
him, although some Of them were sup
posed to be secretly not unwilling to
defeat his nomination. When the Con-
ventiOn assembled, bis opponents, of
whom Lewis Cass was the most power
full, succeeded in carrying the adoption
of the rule of the Conventions of 1882
and 1896, making two-thirls of the votes |
cast necessary to the choice of candi-
date. On the first ballot Van Buren, |
was far ahead of all others, and lacked
only twenty votes of the requisite num-
ber. Cass was the next highest, but |
much behind Van Buren,. On the e'suc-
ceeding five ballots Van Buren, contin-
ued to lead, but with gradually de-
creasing majority, Cass gradually creep
ing up to him and balance-of-power
party of delegates scattering their votes.
On the seventh ballot, the respective
positions of the highest candidates were
reversed, Cass leading Van Buren, at its
close by twenty-four or twenty-five
votes. The eighth ballot was taken
amid much excitement, with nearly
similar result, when the Van Buren men
became alarmed, and resolved to defeat
Cass at any hazard, withdrew their can
didate and concentrated on James X.
Polk, who was nominated on the ninth
ballot.
Four years afterwards, 1913, great
again took place for the NOM
ination between Van Buren, and Cass,
but the latter distanced his competitor,
who had been coquetting with the Will
mot ProvisO party, and was nominated
on the fourth ballot, receiving the ne
cessary two-thirds vote. The two-thirds
rule was adopted mainly through the
efforts of the Van Burenites, who, be-
lieving that Cass could not control the
requisite number of votes, although he
clearly had majority from the start,
resolved to Use against him the same
policy he had successfully employed
against Van Buren, four years previous
ly. Finding their hopes disappointed,
the Van Buren, delegates Withdrew from
the Convention and refused to support
its candidate. Van Buren, accepted the
Wilmot Proviso or Free Soil nomination
and the results were the election OF
Gen. Taylor, the subsequent accession
of Fillmore, the temporary disruption
OF the Democratic party, and the final
dissolution Of the Wing organization.
The question as to the vote requisite
to abrogate the twO-thirds rule has be-
fore now been argued among the De-
mocracy. Some hold that it has grown
into a standing rule by its general use
in the nominating conventions Of the
party and that it requires two-thirds
vote to set it aside. Others argue that
each national nominating convention is |
an entirely new and Independent body,
authorized to adopt its own rules,
which require only majority vote, and
that they can do as they please with re-
gard to the insertion of two-thirds
rule. The latter have undoubtedly the
right of the argument. But in the
case of the proposed Endorsement of
Greeley, the twO-thirds rule would un-
der no circumstances be operative. He
would not receive the nomination of
the Baltimore Convention, as he is al
ready in the field; and the resolution
to make no nomination or to indorse
the action of the Cincinnati Conven-
ton would, like any other resolution,
require only 4 majority vote for its
adoption. So that the calculations of
the wise Washington politicians, who
are employing their time in canvassing
States and grouping together figures in
order to show that Greeley cannot OBJ
tain two-thirds vote in the Baltimore
Convention, and hence cannot be made
its candidate, are wholly erroneous.
How a Person Lost His Valise