Daily Republican., 1880-03-02
Tho TNO-Ehird RuIe.

The TW -rhird Rule.
The First National Democratic Con
vention was held in Baltimore, 1882
and was more q mass Convention thar
. Convention Of Delegates from the re
spective States. 1t is said to have beer
called by the Democratic members O.
the New Hampshire Legislature. When
the multitude came together, each State
sending as many Representatives as she
choose to, the initial point to be settled
10 the organisation Of the body was the
adoption Of a basis for voting, which
: gave no State an undue preponder-
ance BY reason Of the greater number
Of Fsr citizens, who might be in at
tenda aceA For instance it was to be
presui ned that the small State of New
Hampshire, having moved first in the
matter Of calling Convention, had a
larger number Of citizens present than
t. large States Of New York, Pennsyl-
vania and Virginia. At that day sla,
very existed in all the States south of
Mason and Dixon's line and In Del
aware, and even had a slight foothold
in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New
York. All the legislation Of that day was
to protect the institution Of slavery,
though there were bold spirits here and
there from the North in Congress, who
lost opportunity for opposing the spread
OF slavery into the territories, and even
went 30 far at times as to gently inti-
mate that IL was q God-cursed institu-,
tion. The movement for q National
Democratic Convention originating in
the North, was sufficient at that time to
aronse the South to realization OF the
Importance Of her position in the Union,
and at this Convention gained victory
which has given her the complete con-
rol Of the Democratic party ever since.
While celebrating upon some plan
Of equitable representation, Mr.. Romu-
lus M. Sanders, Of North Carolina, hit
rpon an expedient which placed the
Democratic party completely under the
domination Of Southern leaders. He
offered resolution which was adopted,
and which provided that each
State should cast a vote equal
to that Of its Electoral Congress,
and that "two- thirds of the whole mum.
Der Of votes in the Convention should
be necessary to constitute q choice"
This was the action which bound the
Democratic party of the north and
handed it in body over to the slave
oligarOhy which has always controlled
1t. This two-third rule has always
enabled the South to nominate candi- |
dates from the South when desirable 10 |
do 60, and when the North was allowed
to have one it enabled the South to
nominate Northern men with Southern
principles. 1t was this two third rule
that prevented the nomination of Ste
phen N. Douglas at Charleston, in
1850, and by such action opened wide
the gates of dissolution and subsequent
civil war. This two-third rule enabled
the hot spurs Of the South to break up
the Charleston Convention, and after
wards to call another at Baltimore,
which nominated Breckenridge, Be it
remembered that James A. Bayard,
father Of the present Senator, and at
that time Senator ip Congress, was a
member Of the Charleston Convention,
and Joined the Southern extremists in
calling another Convention in Balti-
more, over which he presided and nom
mated John c. Breckenridge for Presi-
dent. II will be seen from this that it
was this two-third rule that enabled
the Democracy Of the South to bring :,
about the disastrous attempt to break
mp the Union. Had the majority rule :
prevailed, Stephen N. Douglas would
have been the candidate of q united
Democracy, and would no doubt have
bsen elected, and civil war would have
been postponed several years longer at
least. This wo-third rule of the Dem
ocratic party still prevails and holds =
the Northern Democracy fast ia its
slut,hes. By it the South is still en-
abled to dictate Democratic candidate,
and it is for the Northern Democracy Y
TO bow in the most humble sub
mission to its impelious dictates. :,
the South is weaker in the
number of its representatives to the :,
Democratic National Convention than
the North is, 1t can dictate wko shall
be the Democratic nominee, at the an "
Cincinnati Convention. 1t L
may not have the power to nominate it
BY two third vote, but i: always has
he power 10 prevent a nomination by
Two third vote. The solid South with
ler one hundred and thirty-sight elcc-
oral votes, within forty-seven of enough 4
% elect q Democratic candidate will
,ome to Cincinnati and with q solid t.
delegation welded by Southern interests o o
'an demand that the msager forfy.teven Y