The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-09-20
THE Two-FHIRDs RULE.
Its Adoption and History in the
Democratic Party.
AtIanta speeeh Of 4. II. stephens.

Democratic Party.
! Atlanta Speech of a. IL Stephens
It Is said that l was not fairly nominated
that "the time-honoFed two-thirds rule
was violated. The "tine-honorea u What
sacrilege! Now, I will give y0n a brief his
tory Of the two-thirds rule. It never was
heard ofin the days of our fathers. In the
days Of Jefferson. Madison. Monroe and
Crawford it was never heard of-for thirty
odd years after Jefferson came into power.
How did il come about / will tell you.
In 1882 Mr. Calhoun and Gen. jackson
had quarreled. 4 Eice-Presdent had to
be nominated to run on the Jackson ticket
They called National Convention to NOM
mate him-the first that ever assembled on
this continent. Now. / am giving you his
tory, and / want you to understand it, rs
| there is more mistake on the subject of this
two-thirds rule than on any other subject,
except that Henry Clay was the author of
| the Missouri restriction. ] suppose half of
| this audience thinks he was notwithstanding
| he openly disavowed it in the Unitel States
Senate in 1850, and the record proved the
correctness of his disavowal. This National
Convention was called. and all the States
sent up delegates, and they met at Balti-
1 nc INST taiH2 WAS HOW SuAlI We
vote?" 1t was the Democratic Republican,
old Jefersonian party. They said TO pre-
serve the symmetry of the Government
there shall be one delegate for each Senator
and one for each member Of the House. In
| this way the composite nature of the federal
system was thought TO be maintained.
That was all right. The next question
was Glow many votes shall be necessary
| to decide ?' because in this system it is
union of States, and as a last resort the
election may go into the House. Now,
Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky aud
few other large States may combine and
nominate President against tue choice of
large majority of the States, and that would
not be right Give US such a count as will
assure majority of the States. They
thought that right, and under the two Thirds |
rule YOU could not make a count which |
would not give majority of the States. That |
was the origin of the rule, and it was adj |
hered to in Federal Democratic Conventions !
ever since because it relates exclusively to |
Federal Conventions.
But never has it been adopted by State |
Conventions at the North, except one-New |
Jersey-and | was Informed she would |
abandon it this year, because it has nothing
to do with State measures. "Time-honored"
been rescrted to in few nominations in
the State on particular occasions but it has
certainly not been uniformly adopted since
| have been on the stage. Any Convention
can adopt whatever rule il pleases, but
never thought there was any sacredness
about this particular rule. 1t is utterly
wrong to suppose it is time-honored in
any State, North or South. Was it ever
resorted to in Georgia except once or
twice / do not think when Gen. Gordon
was nominated in 1868 it was adopted,
nor in 1871 and 1872 when Governor
Smith was nominated, nor in the nomina-
nation of any of our Senators. The only
time the two-thirds rule was adopted Ia
Georgia since the war in a nomination for
Governor was in 1880, which resulted in
lame ntable dissension in the party. But if
it is right in governors nominations, why
not in senator's nominations? II it is right
in one case it is right in all Why" y"time-hon-
ored?" l have warred against it for
wears, even in Federal conventions II will
burst up any party in the world, in
twelve years, because under that system
there will alwbys be tired-out horses. What
is the effect of it2 The leading public men
who are the choice of the people will be |
beaten, and the tired-out third rate horses
will be brought in. And that is what Grip :
pied the Democratic party in the beginning
and burst it up in 1860 at Charleston. If !
the majority rule had been adopted then :
here never would have been a disruption I
1f the Democratic party, there never would !
nave been this war, there never would have !
oeen any secession, and the good old ship of +
State would have sailed on under the guild s
lnce of the gallant and noble Douglas, for l +
will maintain his honor and craftsmanship, Z
Al. |, = I 4 L
living. Applause. II
If the people of Georgia had followed my !;
opinion as gave it at the City Hail. here i
n introducing Mr.. Douglas, you never 8
would have had any war. | give it again f
With some assurance that it is worth some
hing now. AS stated, the first fruit OF
he two-thirds rule was the ruling out Of .
Barbour aud Dick johnson, AID the putting 8
n of Martin Van BHren. He was great 7
nan in some respects, but | do not think /
he people of Georgia estimated him very q
lighly. The leading men in those days +
we're ruled out, and then in 1856 we were .
IL at Cincinnati. There were Pierce, the :
President; Buchanan and Douglas, state s f
nen of high order and there were the
neaks or tied-out horses, thinking they u
Eould finally come in when neither of these d
minent men could get two thirds. Douglas n
/ n
d him: buchanan has got majority of /
he convention" He asked me what be \
ought to do. / said Telegraph Richard :
on, I" Mr.. Buchanan having majority Of 4
he Convention, withdraw my name and let h
he majority prevail" He did SO, and the !
ext morning Mr.. Buchanan was nominal
ed. l told him Buchanan nor you, nor 4
Pierce can ever get two thirds; the others, the !
led out horses, viii get it. We cannot elect :
hem and Buchanan we can" The tele- :
ram went the next morning, and Bu-
hanan was nominated aad Breckenridge q
Tas taken up and the Convention adjourned {
n jubilee And that is the history of the \
wo-thirds rule, and the only President we 4
ould have elected then was nominated un- .
Ter the majority rule. Incur state have !
lways been as two years ago, and now in fa /
'or of the majority rule. In my judgment the q
Convention did right. was perfectly in {
ifferent SO far as I was individually con- !
erned, as my friends knew. In all such i
matters conform to the expressed viii of I
he majority of my party; just as Je fferson
aid The vital principle of democracy s
5 absolute acquiescence in the will Of the 4
majority. lApplause.l
How Protection Cheapens. 9