Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-17
THE TWO-THIRDS RULE.
Its Origin and History.

the maintenance of the two-thirdS rule, and
calling upon states to instruct their delegations
to the convention OF 1880 as to whether they
should vote for the repeal of the rule or not.
This will bring the question prominently before
the Cincinnati convention, but the indications
point clearly to maintenance OF the rule. since
the adjournment OF the st. Louis convention the
democratic mind seems to have experienced quite
change upon the expediency Of this rule. This
didacy Of Mr.. T1lden. The powerful opposition
to him Is bent upon maintaining the rule
as means OF preventing his nomination. So
far this opposition has been successful, as
every state that has chosen its delegation to
CINCINNATI has Instructed against repeal of
the two-thtrds rule. Had Tilden's friends elect
ed to make distinctive fight for the repeal of
the rule, this unanimity in favor OF continuing
1t would not have obtained perhaps; but they
have evidently concluded that 1t would not be
wise for him to put himself in the position of
the charge that he feft his weakness and dared
not trust himself before convention operating
under the old rule. Therefore, the move to re-
plain that the convention will be nearly unanl
nous for its retention, and that the next demo-
cratic presidential ticket must be nominated by
tWo-thirdS majority.
WHY THE RULE WAS ADOPTED.
There is nothing in the history Of the demo-
cratic party to show why it originally adopted
the two-thrds rule, but the belief is that 1t
requiring two-thirds vote to overcome a veto
a twO-thirds vote to expel member of Con-
gress or to suspend a rule OF the House, etc.
TIE supposition is that this suggested the
idea OF two-thirds rule to govern a domination
for President and Vice President, as it would
eV1nce decided preference OF the party for the
nominees and leave no room to question or
cavil at the choice OF the ticket or charge that
it was the result OF Illicit influences. The rule
was adopted by the first national convention
ever held by the democrats. and it has been
continued in force ever since. In 1882 the de-
mocrats OF New Hampshire proposed to their
political brethren of the Union the holding Of a
national convention for the nomination of
candidate for Vice President. The state conven-
t1onS had already uniformly declared for Gen
eral jackson as the candidate for President
and he was unanimously accepted by the party.
Therefore 1t only remained to nominate candi-
date for Vice President. Up to that time the
custom of nominating the national ticket by
state conventions had prevailed. In that year.
however, different state conventions declared
for different persons for the second place on the
ticket and there was danger of the party going
into the contest with several different men
running upon the ticket with Jackson for the
vice presidency. Hence the suggestion OF the
New Hampshire democrats ard it was adopted.
THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
The convention assembled In Baltimore on
The 21st OF June, 1882. Mr.. Sumner, of New
Hampshire, in an opening address, explained
why his state had proposed a convention, and
congratulated The party upon being represented
by "a greater and more general delegation from
the people than was ever before assembled upon
an occasion of the Sort The committee on
rules reported the following, which was agreed
to:
Resolred, That each state be entitled In the
nomination to be made OF a candidate for the
vice presidency to number of votes equal to
the number to which they will be entitled in the
electoral colleges under the new apportion-
ment, in voting for President and Vice Presi-
dent; and that two-rhirds OF the whole number
OF the votes in the convention shall be necessary
TO constitute choice.
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DENIED VOTE
Mr.. Van Ness protested against the exclusion
Of the District Of Columbia as to participation
in the nomination. He said that delegates had
been admitted from states. which would not, in
all probability, give their support to the ticket
of the party, and he thought it due to the zeal
OF the citizens OF the District that they should
not be excluded Mr.. Laussat explained the
grounds upon which the rule had been adopted.
OF the District, but could not consent to give up
a correct principle because it might appear to
operate oppress1vely in some instances The
question was taken and the right OF voting re-
lumbia-126 for and 153 against the proposition
This is all that can be found upon the
subject OF the two thirds rule, In its
a. and as9 In regard to the
from the right to vote. Both rules have since
been maintained in the party But at the con-
VentlOn In 1892. alter the nomination of Martin
Van Buren for Vice President had been made by
two-thirds vote and declared, resolution
was adopted giving the District delegates the
right to record their votes for Vice President
SUBSEQUENT CONVENTIONS.
At the next national convention in Baltimore
in May, 1885, Van Buren was nominated for
President, and the same resolution In regard to
the two-thirds rule was adopted. In 1910. Van
Buren was unanimously nominated and moth.
Ing was said about the two-thirdS rule. In 1874.
at the convention in Baltimore, a clear maiori-
~ or the delegates were instructed to support
van Buren. His friends counted confidently
upon his nomination, but his opponents insisted
upon the enforcement of the tWO-thirGis rule on
the ground OF precedent. They said il had pre-.
vailed In past conventions and II was the duty
OF the then sitting convention to act under it.
Ihe Van Buren men insisted that there was nc
force OF precedent; that each convention
was at liberty to adopt rules for ITSELF
Some or the delegates who were in
structed for Van Buren, however took the
their votes 1t was again adopted. Van Buren
could not get two-thirds vote and Polk was
hnally nominated. The delegates who though
under instructions, voted for the two-thirds
rule. were bitterly aSSaled and criticised it be-
Ing charged that they had taken that method to
evade instructions. From that time on the rule
mas been enforced, each convention tacitly Ii
would appear, accepting the view that prece-
dent had made the rule one of the fixtures.
The Second Place on the Republican
Ticket
SIGNS OF BOOM FOR JUDGE KEY