Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-19
TIE rwO-THERDs RULE.

a
ton we have new discussion of the two
thirds rule. We understand that another
effort Will be made to abolish this
time-honored rule Those who oppose II
are fortified by the action of the last
National Democratic convention, which re-
commended that in selecting delegates to the
next convention for nominating candidate
for the Presidency, the State conventions
take into consideration the propriety of re-
pealing the two-thirds rule. Notwithstand-
ing this indication against the two thirds
rule, it is to be hoped that the Democratic
executive committee for Shelby county will
recommend its adoption in our county con-
yention on the thirteenth of June. Alabama
is about to appoint delegates to the State
convention, and the two thirds rule is strongly
urged by the press and by leading Democrats
in all parts of the State, upon the ground
that the voice of the convention cannot lie
declared, nor the satisfaction of the people
obtained by the majority rule. On the first
ballot the votes are generally scattering,
courtesies and compliments being rendered to
the different candidates in this way. If a
person should receive a majority vote under
these circumstances, Is he the nominee of the
partyP The two-thirds rule has been adopted
by the Democrats Of Shelby county since
1874, thirty-four years ago, and it has
always given satisfaction. 1t secures the
real sentiment of the party, and it is hoped
our county Convention will not discard rule
which has been ingrafted into the Democracy
of Shelby. Any innovation upon the long
established custom of the party in this coun-
ty, in all the States and by the national
Democratic convention would furnish an ex-
cuse for dissatisfaction and boiling. A de-
Lucrative body is the only judge of its own
rules, and we believe It is the general desire
of the party to cling to the two-thirds rule,
which is regarded as securing the nominal
ton of good men and the defeat of aspirants
against whom there are insuperable obiec-
tons. A candidate unable to command a
two-thirds vote in a convention would not be
able to concentrate his party. In the ma
tional Democratic convention Of 1874, a ma
jority of delegates were instructed to vote for
the nomination of Martin Van Buren,. But
few DAYS before the convention met in Balti-
more Mr. Van Buren announced his hostility
to the annexation of Texas. The two-thirds
T. rule was adopted to defeat his nomination,
which it did, and gave to the country one of
its purest and wisest observation-disclosures h.
Polk. There Is 70 necessity for unsettlinR
this time-honored usage. Aspirants some
times oppose the two-thirds rule because 1t
often forces the nomination of an Outsider. ="
The simple announcement of a candidate for
an office does not make him an ''insider, I"
and all others outsiders - The Offices be-
long to the people, and they have a right to
nominate and elect whoever they please,
without knowing or caring anything about
Outsiders" or insiders" If the two-thnds
rule brings in an "oussider" the people will
support the outsider Just as they did Polk
and Pierce, aud Just as they have supported
and elected outsiders" In Shelby county
heretofore. Under the operation of the two
thirds rule, the outsider" Is a compromise
candidate, nominated because the insi6er"
cannot produce the harmony so essential to
success. The rejection of the two-thirds
rule would be direct censure on all former
nominating conventions in this county. 1t
would be dangerous innovation upon long
established usages. Heretofore the two
thirds rule has never resulted in the nomi-
nation Of men unworthy of support. Indeed;
it has brought forward the very men which
the emergency required. We have full
faith in the convention believing, nay know
ing, it will nominate no man, whether he be
an ''outsider" or an ''insider, who viii not
be fairly entitled to the suffrages Of
the honest people of Shelby county. We do
not consider this question an open one. The
two-thirds rule is settled rule in this coun-
ty. There is more danger in changing a
fixed rule of action, long observed and al
ways securing the nomination of strong men,
than in adopting new, unknown and un-
tined experiments. Let Us continue the two
thirds rule. There has been no objection to