The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-06-13
THE TW0-THlRDS RULE.

=
reason why the celebrated two-thlrds
rule in Democratic National Conven-
tons, were adopted.
The First Democratic National Con
ycntion ever held in the United States
was held in Baltimore, in May, 1857.
Previous to that time candidates were
brought out by u Democratic Congress
sional caucus. And even in S32 there
would have been no National Conycn-
ton. but for the necessity Of deciding
who should be the candidate for Vice
President There was no opposition IN
the party to jackson fora second term,
but in order to decide between Calhoun
and Van Buren, a convention was called.
Calhoun was then Vice President, but
the North wanted Van Buren, in his
place
General Robert Lucas, Of Ohio pre-
sided, and the regular proceedings com
mcnced by the passage of the following
resolution
Resoiued, That each State be entitled
in the nomination to be made for the
Vicc-Prcsidency, to II number Of votes
equal to the number TO which they will
he entitled in the Electoral College,
under the new apportionmcnt, in voting
for President and Nice-Presdcnt; and
that two-thirds of the whole number oil
lyOtcs in the Convention shall he nGces-
snry to constitute n choice.
This was the origin of the famous
"woihrds' rule which has prevailed
since that time in all Democratic Ma
tonal Conventions, The Convention
proceeded TO ballot for candidate for
Nice-president with the following re-
suit:
For Martin Van Bwcn--Connccticut
IL; Illinois, Q Ohio,2l; Tennessee, 10,
North Carolina, 9; Georgia, 1t; l.ouisia'
ma, D. Pennsylvania 80; Maryland 4
New Jersey, s. Mississippi, i Rhode Is
land, Il Maine, 10; Massachusetts,, A.
Delaware, 3; New Hampshire, 7; New
York, ~; Vermont, I Alabama, l.
Total POS.
For Richard NJ. Johnson Illinois, 2
Indiana, 8, Kentucky, Is. Total, 26.
For Philip F. Barbour-North Caro-
lima, 6; Virginia, % Maryland, B. Soutl
Carolina, H. Alabama Q. Total, 10.
Mr. Van Buren, having received more
than two-thirds Of the votes cast, wa
declared duly nominated us the candi
date for Nicc-Prcsident
This two.thirds rule has been re
adopted by every Democratic Nationn
! Convention from that day to this, an,
it has produced nothing but evil whel
over it has been enforced. ..
\ II defeated Cass in 1874, and nom
mated Polk.
1t gave us Cass in lS4S, and gave II
defeat
II defeated Douglas in 1856 and ha,
| Douglas insisted upon its enforcement
| it would have defeated the party
| Douglas showed his contempt for tn
| rule, and his reverence for the majority
| by telcgraphing, AS soon as he learne,
that Buchanan had received maiori
| ty, to withdraw his name and supper
4 Buchanan, because he had received
a majority. WHl do we remcn
4 Der the excitement in tn
rooms of the Illinois delegation in tn
Burnett House, when old Dick Rich
ardson read the telegram from Dougla,
\ Judge Douglas said, Mr.. Buchana,
/ having received n majority is entitled L
\ the nomination.
The rule defeated Douglas four year
later ut Charleston, and helped bring OF
u war of sections and break down tn
4 party, .t..l. .......... .t...t 49,.
II If the ST. Louis convention is wise it
first act will be to repeal it. Unless i
shall be Immediately repealed there j
great danger that it viii produce feel
ings and results which will lead to de
feat, 1t is not Democratic, 1t is con
trary to the spirit and principles Of on
Government, and we call upon the 81
Louis convention to bury II with tn,
dead rubbish of the buried past.
Many papers are outspolien in thei
demand for an abrogation of this rule
which they allego was originated b,
domagogues at remote period for al
evil purpose, and has been u fruitful
source of mischief since The New
York SIN favors the abrogation of tn
rule and uses these words; The Dem
ocrats have had one or two good candi
dates for President since the adoption
OF this rule, but this fact was not due a
all to the rule while ON the othe
hand it has forced upon the party fou
or 6yevery poor candidates, whose tri
I,umph, whether in the conventions o
the elections, SO far from producing
harmony rent the party with bite
feuds The legitimate effect of thi
bmede of defeating the wilBof the ma
jority in the Convention is to proven
the nomination of any eminent states
man, and to prepare the weary and dis
gdsted delegates for alcompromise OF
some obscure person, who will be yer,
apt to turn out an imbecile or fraud.
The question will certainly be sprun,
before the st, Louis Convention anc
Twill in all probability provoke a tierc,
and exciting debategal Ola q aoluiu
-
Centennial Cards.