The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-07-17

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There has not been, as yet, 50 general an
expression on this subject by the democratic
press Of the State as is desirable before the
election Of delegates to the State Conven-
ton, because these should be prepared,
whenever the convention meets, to carry
out fully the sentiments Of the democratic
masses in this regard. All we ask is a
fair consideration Of the question, and no
dodging of It, as it is bound to come up
and be discussed in the convention as one
of the rules by which it is to be governed.
As far as we have Observed, though there is
division Of opinion, majority Of the
democratic papers, so far, are in favor Of
the abolition of the rule. The Houston
press, the Telegraph and Age, favor
its retention. These, and perhaps
some others, do not undertake to an
swer the objections, urged by US against
it, but simply desire to hold on to
it as a long established democratic usage.
1t is true that it dates back to the era Of the
first democratic National Convention, butt
is not by any means coeYal with the demo-
cratic party, and it has always met with de-
termined opposition in every democratic ma
tional convention. It has not met with
general acquiescence, nor have the State
Democratic Conventions generally adopted
it, or district or county conventions. The
first National Convention ever held was an
masonic one, which nominated Will
liam Writ for the Presidency. The next
was democratic one, held for the purpose
of agreeing upon candidate, to run for Wee
President with President Jackson for his
second term. There had been serious OBJ
jections to r. NJ. johnson, especially from
Virginia, on account of some matters con-
nected with his private life, and the idea of
holding a convention, to determine on his
successor, was suggested and carried out at
Baltimore, where the first democratic
National Convention was held. It was
feared that majority of this convention
would still favor the denomination of the
honest old Tecumsey killer, and therefore
the two-thirds rule was brought forward,
by RoSulus Saunders of North Carolina, to
guard against this, and the result was the
nomination of that acute New York politi-
clan, Martin Van Buren, sometimes called
the Fox. Whether the democratic party
gained anything by this, we leave our read
ers to determine. In the end, after being
exalted to the Presidency by the democratic
party, Martin Van Buren finally deserted it,
and went over to the Free Sellers, thus
causing the first split in the party, to its
great injury, while the old hero of the
Thames continued true to the last, dying,
as he had lived, in the democratic faith.
So much for the working of the rule in old
times. 1t is admitted that it worked very
well in the nomination of Polk, and
Martin, the Fox, was killed off by
his own ingenius device, brought for
ward by his friend, Romulus. 1t has
always been the favorite rule of the
adroit managers and wire pullers Of party,
who expect to profit by it, but it generally
results in bringing forward the weakest
men of the party, the least known, and of
no decided opinions or character. Hence
the dissatisfaction that arises, and the COM
plants against conventions. Will any well
informed man undertake to say that Mills
and Wiley were the favorites of the demo-
cratic masses of Texas as their candidates
for Congressi Yet, under the operation of
this rule, they secured the nomination at
Corsicans, and are now our members of
Congress. We have not one word to say
against them-we supported them very cor
dially-but we do say they were not the
choice of majority of their party in
Texas. So in the Second Congressional
District, the two-thirds rule defeated Gull
berson and Maxey and Good, men of su-
perior abilities, and effected the nomination
and election of McLain, who had
scarcely been thought of for such q
position. We voted, too, for him
cordially-we thought him very good
man, but we know he was not the choice of
the democrats of that district. Here we
have the practical working of the rule.
Shall we continue itg Does it work well or
otherwiseG The Telegraph says ''the ma
jority rule makes bitterness"-we deny this
1t is the operation of the two-thirds rule
that creetes the bitterness" and dissatis-
faction. The Telegraph asks ''what would
the editor of the Statesman think of A, B,
and C being up before Convention, if.A
should receive 1O1 votes, 90 votes and c
voteg" We should think that A had re-
ceived a majority of two votes over both
and C, according to our arithmetic, and
not one, according to the Telegraph, and
should be declared the choice Of his party
Would not the two votes or even one ma
jority elect him to office, if bestowed by
the people through the ballot boxi Why
then should it not nominate himg Why
have different rule for nominationsl The
democratic principle is that majoFities
should rule. Let It be carried out in con-
ventions as well as elections. The Tele-
graph is weak in its logic and mistaken in
its facts.
WE are told that President Grant. on re-
turning to Long Branch from the burial of
his father at COvington, showed no out