American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-05-15
The TWO.Thirds Rule.

| As the Convention at Cincinnati viii
| be called on to take action on this
subject, brief history of the rule may
be of some interest. 1t was first
adopted in 1882 at the Convention in
Baltimore held to nominate q candidate
for Vice-President. General Jackson
had already been put in nomination for
President, not by National Conven-
ton of delegates, but by the Democrats
of State Legislatures. With respect
to him the sentiment of the party was
confessedly SO srrong that no COnven-
ton was deemed necessary. But there
was diversity of opinion as to the
Vice-Presidency, and New Hampshire
had the honor to lead off.fOr solving the
difficulty by a proposition for a
adopted. The author of the rule was
Romulus NJ. Saunders, of North
Carolina, on whose motion the follow
ing resolution was adopted; "Resolved.
That each State identified, in the nom-
ination to be made of candidate for
the Vice-Presidency, to a number of
votes equal to the number that they
will be entitled to in thh Electoral Col
leges under the new apportionment in
voting for President and Vice-President,
and that two-thirds of the whole num-
Der of votes in the Convention shall be
necessary to constitute q choice" Mr..
Van Buren, received the nomination
under this rule. In 1885, Mt the
National Convention held also in
Baltimore. he received unanimous
nomination for the Presidency, and
was elected. In 1910 he was again
nominated. but was defeated at the
polls by General Harrison. In 1874
the friends of Mr.. Van Buren, again
urged his nomination, but there was
serious opposition to it. Mr.. Saunders
was present, and at his instance the
Convention adopted the two-thirds
rule by a vote of 14S to 11S. On the
first ballot Van Buren, received 146
votes, a majority, but he was unable
to obtain the requisite two-thirds.
His friends then made an Intellectual
effort to repeal the rule. The result
was his defeat, and the nomination of
Mr.. Polk, which on the ninth ballot was
made unanimous. At the Baltimore
Convention of 1848 this rule was again
adopted, and Mr.. Cass received the
nomination under it. In 1852 Mr..
Pierce was nominated under the same
rule. In 1856, at Cincinnati, Mr..
Buchanan received the nomination in
ike HltuueT. IN loOU the CndrleStOn
Convention adopted the same rule.
Fifty-seven ballotings were had, and no
choice was effected Mr.. Douglas re-
ceived Isl 1-2 votes. 202 being the req
uisite for choice. The Convention
and subsequently Mr.. Douglas
was nominated by one branch, and Mr..
Breckenridge by the other. In 1864,
ut Chicago, General Mcclellan received
202 ?, the remaining % IL being for
MIR. Seymour, of Connecticut. In 1868,
at New York. Mr.. Seymour. of that
State, received 317 on the twenty
second ballot, 212 being necessary for
a choice. At Baltimore, in 1872, Mr..
Greeley received CSC out 1872. At st.
Louis. in 1876, 492 was the number
requisite for a choice, and on
the second ballot Mr.. Tilden re-
&c we'd 535, on roll call, and his
was then made unani-
nous. At this Convention, on motion of
Mr.. Webber, of Michigan, the States /
we're requested to instruct their dele |
gates to the next Convention whether
1 be desirable to continue the two-thirds
.ule longer in force, and that the re-
quest should be inserted in the call, as
las been done. The usual practice
las been to agree upon the rules at the
opening of the Convention. This was
lone at st. Louis on motion of Judge
Post