The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-05-11
,ne T,wo.Thirds Rule

An Illinois paper suggests that inasmuch
- tbo .wo-thirds rule defeated in 1850 the
nomination OF the iavorite son OF that State,
the proposition 10 repeal that rule, or rather
TO refuse to adopt IT. would come with q
neeuliar grace from member Of the I'LL.
no;s delegation to the Democratic National
Convention at st. Louis. What suggestive
remark, Mr.. DOUGLAS was defeated OF the
nomination though he was the choice OF
majority of the delegates 10 the National
Convention OF 1860. For days and weeks
the Convention bslloted without result.
The event was the withdrawal OF the south
ern delegates, the nomination OF BEEcEN--
RIDGE, the attempt to dissolve the Union,
the secession OF the southern States, che
war, and finally reconstruction All THESE
results followed as natural consequence OF
the adoption OF the two-thirds rule in that
National Democratic Convention. And it
NAV be worth mentioning that BEAST
BUTLER not only voted fifty times
in the regular Convention for UPPER
SON DAVIS, rs he might very well
have done and not been guilty OF any in
consistency il he had refused to secede from
that Convention, but he withdrew from
that body, went into the Convention Win
the rest Of the seceders, voted for BaEcKIS-
Ridge, and supported him at the election In
November, The associations connected
with the two-thirds rule are by no means
agreeable to the feelings Of any southern
man, and there is nothing connected with
its history which should commend it to the
favor OF either northern or southern men.
II il q rule which has no foundation in M
tural law, nor in the state OF comfy ana
reciprocal confidence which is supposed TO
exist between the parties to the social COM
pact. It's unhappy results are just such rs
might have been expected from the opera
ton OF an unnatural rule OF conduct. Let
lis study the question well, and sec whether
we can afford to continue in operation such
rule.
AS connected with this view OF the SUBJ
iect, VIC present the following paragraph
from the Petersburg Post, edited By Il. II.
GLASS, Esq, an old and experienced poilti-
clan. After quoting our argument as to
the availability OF TILDES, it adds:
"Now. il this be correct view Of the
question of availability on which ASST
redly hinges our success in the next presl-
dental race, then the Post is for Governor
Tilden as the Democratic candidate against
all other aspirants, for we have maintained
and shown by actual figures that the Demo
cracy cannot succeed without the electoral
vote of New York, New Jersey, and Con-
necticut, even though We win Ohio and In
diana.
"Rut, then, more is to be SAID"
The bearing Of this paragraph upon the
two-thirds rule may be found in the TACT
that il the two-thirtis rule be adopted by
the National Convention to meet at st.
Louis in June the defeat Of the most araila-
bic candidate for the presidency will be
thereby rendered almost certain. This Is
matter of the last importance to the South.
or that rule it may be said with almost abb
solute truth that it has ''brought death into
our southern world and all our Woe" Shall
we not discard it +:
And il Virginia shall decide that that
ought no longer to be one OF the rules Oh
the Democratic National Convention, then
her State Convention should instruct her
delegates to st. Louis to vote accordingly.
This is matter that will not Jose in magnl-
tude by being pondered. 1t involves ques-
ton that is big with the fate OF the poor,
unfortunate, friends-seeking South.