The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-29
THE TWO.THIRDS RULE.
can Original, Traditional and Funda-
mental Democratic Principle."
Rooer 4. Py.vor in The New York Sun.


The action of the Maine Democracy
foreshadows an attempt, in the st. Louis
Convention, to abrogate the. two-thirds
rule. In view of the discussion which
the effort will occasion, and particularly
since some misapprehension seems to pre-
vail as to the origin and policy of this
famous regulation, q brief review of its
history may not be without interest and
instruction.
The Congressional caucus, itself bor-
rowed from the politics of England, was
the original of the National Convention.
In 1900, at Philadelphia, caucus COM
posed of Representatives and Senators
nominated Jefferson and Burr for Presi-
dent and Vicc-President of the United
States.
At Washington on the 10Th of January,
1903, similar caucus nominated Madi-
son for the Presidency; and in 1872 a
caucus presented him for reelection
Meanwhile much discomfort with this
method of selecting candidates had spread
among the Republicans; so that on the
18th Of March, 1916, when Congression-
al caucus met in Washington to choose
successor to Mr.. Madison, nineteen mem
bers of the party refused to attend. After
a severe struggle between Monroe and
Crawford, the former was nominated by
a vote of sixty-fve to thirty.four. Mon
roe was reelected without opposition.
In 1924, Notwithstanding the popular
clamor against the system, caucus of
Republican Congressmen presented Craw-
ford for the Presidency; but his nomina-
ton was largely repudiated by the party;
and in default of a majority vote in the
college of electors, Adams was elected by
the House of Representatives over jack
son.
The result was to the last degree odious
and disappointing to the country, and
being imputed to the operation of the
method of nomination, as well as to the
shameful intrigue between Clay and
Adams, king Caucus" as it was called
in the slang Of the day, was abjured for
ever, and its memory exists only for "ad
monition and reproof."
Gen. Jackson was nominated, both for
his first and second term, by the Legisla-
lures of the States. The first National
Convention for the nomination of candi-
dates was held in Baltimore in September
1881, by the Anti Masonic party; and
they presented William Writ for Presi-
dent, and Amos Ellmaker for Vice-Pres-
ident. (If more information of this party
and convention be desired, reference may
be had to the venerable Thurlow Weed. J
In December of the same year party
styling itself National Republican met at
Baltimore and nominated Henry Clay
and John Sergeant for President and
Vice President.
The Democrats, as they now began to
distinguish themselves, had already, by
the State Legislatures, presented jack
son for second term but controversy
existing in the choice of a candidate fol
Vice-President, orsolution of the difficul.
ty New Hampshire proposed the expo
dent of a National Convention.
The first Democratic National Conven-
ton was called to nominate Vice -Presi-
dent only and it met in Baltimore on
the 2lst of May, 1882. Robert Lucas Of
Ohio was chosen President of the body.
In determining the selection Of a candi-
date the convention, on motion of Romu-
lus M. Saunders of North Carolina,
adopted the following resolution: :.
ResoEved, That each State be entitled,
in the nomination to be made of a candi-
date for the Vice-Presidency, to num-
Der of votes equal to the number that
they will be entitled to in the Electoral
Colleges under the new apportionment in
voting for President and Vice-President,
and that two-thirds of the whole number
of votes in the convention shall be
necessary to constitute choice.
This is the origin of the now famous
two-thirds rule. Martin Van Buren re-
ceived the requisite vote for the nomina-
tion, and was elected on the ticket with
Andrew Jackson.
The next Democratic National Con-
vention met in Baltimore, May 20, 1885,
and by unanimous vote nominated Van
Buren, to succeed Jackson in the Presi-
dency. In 1840 Van Buren was present.
ed by another Convention at Baltimore
for a second term; but was defeated by
General Harrison, whom the Wings had
nominated in Convention at Harrisburg.
The ambition of the "Sage of Kinder
hook" was not to be appeased without
another incumbency of the Presidency ;
and accordingly his friends urged him
for nomination by the Democratic Con-
vention which met at Baltimore on the
9th of May, 1874. But MIR. Romulus
NJ. Saunders was again present with his
two-t thirds rule; and on his motion the
Convention adopted it by a vote OF l48
to 118. On the first ballot Van Buren,
received 146 votes, a majority, but not
two thirds of the convention. After the
seventh ballot an attempt was made to
repeal the two-thirds rule, but was de-
feated by the same vote by which it was
adopted, namely, 1lS for and LAB against
its repeal. On the ninth ballot James
K. Polk was nominated by unanimous
vote.
In the Democratic Convention which
met at Baltimore on the 22d of May,
1S4S, the thirds rule was again adopt
ed, and under its operation Lewis Cass
was nominated for the Presidency.
The same rule was re-enacted at Baltl.-
more in 1852, and has been retained by
every succeeding Democratic conven-
ton.
It is not true, then, as popularly repor-
ted, that the two-thirds rule originated in
the convention of 1874, and was devised
to prevent the nomination of Mr.. Van
| Buren. 1t was adopted in 1882 by the
first Democratic National Convention
ever held, and is, in truth, an original,
traditional and fundamental principle OF
the Democratic constitution.
The policy of the rule consists in its
efficacy as safeguard against the nomi-
nation of candidate by States which
cannnot contribute to his election.
But this original argument for its ado}p-
ton is indefinitely strengthened by the
modern practice of unit vote in con-
vention. A large number of States now
cast their vote as whole, without refer
ence to the will of the minority. 1t is
obvious that if all the States were to
adopt this expedient, candidate might
i L l.. Al f,y of tho poOCnO.