The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-18
The "Unit Rule" in National Com
ventions.

One OF the most excited and interesting
debates at Cincinnati was that which took
place on the last day, when some Of the
Pennsylvania delegates mutinied against the
unit rule and claimed the right TO vote ac-
cording to their individual preferences. 1t
was decided by the Convention, after full
discussion, that the instruction given by
the Pennsylvania Convention to its delegates
to vote as a unit under the direction of the
majority was not binding. As the same
| question may come up in the St. Louis Con-
vention it is worth considering or its merits.
The New York delegation to st. Louis is in
structed to vote as n unit, and if the instruc-
ton is obeyed Governor Tilden will have the
whole seventy votes of the delegates counted
as for him so long rs his friends can control
thirty-six of them. If it should happen in the
progress of the proceedings that the dissent
ing minority of the delegation could defeat
Tilden by voting as individuals they may
pursue the same course that was adopted at
Cincinnati by tho Pennsylvania dissenters
and compel the Convention to decide
whether they are entitled to exercise their
own Judgment. Governor Tilden's ultimate
success or defeat may depend on the decision
of this question.
1t was ably argued on both sides at Gin
cinnati, the defenders of the unit rule main
tanning that delegates who accepted an cleo
ton after the State Convention had adopted
this rule were bound in honor to submit to
it, but the opponents Of the rule contended,
on the ether hand, that the National Conven-
ton has supreme authority to determine the
rules Of its own proceedings, including the
method of voting, and that no resolution of
State Convention can prevail against the
decision Of the National Convention. This
last would seem to be the sounder view at
all events, it was deliberately Endorsed by
the Cincinnati Convention after full argu-
ment and debate. If it should be also
adopted at st. Louis it would make very
material change in tho action and methods
of national nominating conventions.
1t is a strong presumption against the
unit rule that nothing resembling it obtains
in the nominating conventions held by
either party in the separate States. In every
State convention each delegate votes with
and an attempt to have votes against q can
didate recorded as if for him would be
hooted down as the height of absurdity. No
such mode Of voting is tolerated in Con-
gress. 1t would be fragrant violation of
legislative independence for the majority of
the members from any State to assume to
cast all the votes of the State, and to defeat
or pass bills by arbitrarily counting votes as
for measure which were really against it,
and rice versa Fortunately the constitution
does not permit in Congress this kind of
tyranny and this subjugation of indi-
vidual judgment. It degrades large por-
ton of the members Of q nominating
used by schemers and tricksters as if they
were voting cattle. The minority of dele
CATION might as we'll be SO many oxen when
they are deprived of all choice and are
counted as being on different side from
that which they approve. Under the opera
ton of the unit rule a candidate might be
nominated by the minority of a convention.
This would always happen when he received
only bare majority Of the recorded votes,
if that majority included any that were
counted for him under the compulsion Of
the unit rule. If the part so counted
against the real choice of delegates should
happen to be large candidate might be
nominated by less than one-third Of the
members of the Convention.
If it be said that the unit rule, so absurd
on its face, is conformable to the democratic
theory of State rights, it may be replied that
the foremost champions of State rights have
held the rule in utter detestation. Here is
q short extract of what Mr.. Calhoun said in
denunciation Of it 20 hold it indispensa-
BILE that the delegates should be appointed
directly by the people, or, to use the Ian
guage of General jackson, should be fresh
from the people. l also hold that the only
possible mode to effect this is for the people
to choose the delegates by districts, and that
they should vote per capita. Every other
mode would be controlled by political mo
chinery and place the appointments in the
hands Of the few who work it."
Money and Bliss.
There is slight ripple Of excitement just
now among those who happen to have
Turney or Stewart for last name. The
faintest prospect of getting ones fingers into
the ample cash box Of the great merchant is
piece of rare good fortune in these hard
times, and sanguine and imaginative people
are building air castles at whose door
stand richly caparisoned steeds, curbed by
servants in gaudy livery. Tho fly leaf in
hat ~
value whatever is read with studious care in
the hope that some distant relationship may
be proven thereby. The one cry Of the i'm
pecunious heart-and its name is Legion-is
that it may discover one drop of that
precious blood which flowed in the veins of
Alexander the Great who founded the down.
town wholesale and the uptown retail store.