Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-19
The Atlanta Convention.


To-day delegations from the various
counties of the State will assemble in
convention in Atlanta, for the purpose
of selecting a Democratic State ticket.
But little interest has been felt regarding
this ticket beyond the Gubernatorial
nomination. Two candidates only have
been spoken of in connection with this
position, Hon. Alexander Fl. Stephens,
of Crawfordville, and Mr.. Augustus o.
Bacon, of Macon. As the convention
now stands, Mr. Stephens has very de-
cided majority of the delegates, though a
fair minority have been instructed for Mr..
Bacon, while there is also a considerable
number to be placed under the head Of
"uninstructed." Mr.. Stephens, how
ever, has a majority Of the whole mum
Der Of delegates instructed for him, and
whether or not his nomination is an as
sured fact on the first ballot to-day rests
entirely upon the condition Of the adop-
ton or rejection of the majority rule.
Should that rule be adopted his nomlna'
ton is already settled. Should it be re-
iected it is probable that two or more
ballots will be taken before the ques-
ton is finally decided.
As 10 the issue, however, there
sbould be no doubt, even should the
twotbirds rule be adopted. Up to the
Dresent moment our estimate OF the
status Of the convention Is that MIR.
Stenbens has 2O64 delegates instructed
for him. which is a clear majority of
143l of the entire convention Of $50.
Such an overwhelming maiOrity-nOt
counting the "uninstructed" delegates
who will vote for him-show beyond
cavil or dispute that it is the VIII OF the
Democracy of Georgia that he should
head their ticket. This will the conven-
ton should respect, and if it Is
nroved that his rivals for the
nomination are in a hopeless minority,
the adherents of such rivals should not
insist upon defeating the wishes of the
party by refusing to cast their votes for
the candidate of the majority and thus
regularly securing him the nomination.
1t was exactly such a course as this
which disrupted the Democratic party of
the State two years ago. and threatened
it with destruction. Then, if the two fac
tons of the party had been anything like
equal in number, there would have been
some reason in opposing the majority
candidate, and defeating his selection.
But even though the two-thirds rule was
then in force, we cOntended, and are now
more than ever convinced of the justice
of our position, that the small minority
which opposed Governor Colquitt
should have recognized the wishes of
the majority and withdrawn their Oppo-
sition, instead of taking advantage of
mere technicality to throw the party into
chaos and decentralization.
We do not recall these unpleasant
"reminiscences to keep up bitterness of
feeling, which is sincerely to be deplored,
and which, we trust, is now forever
buried. But we do allude to them as a
warning to the present convention not
to commit the same blunder We be-
lieve the two-thirds rule should be adopt
ed, for if abandoned now, it must
be abandoned altogether i'll cur fu-
ture conventions, and this will result,
sooner or later. in the disruption, if not
defeat, of the Democratic party in this
State. It's earnestly to be hoped, there
fore, that this safeguard of the unity,
harmony and autonomy of the DemOc-
racy may not be discarded, and that its
adoption may not be taken advantage of
to create deadlock in the convention,
which will result disastrously to the
party. If the Democracy of Georgia
want Mr.. Stephens, as it is evident they
do. then let the convention, while main
tanning Democratic precedent, let them
have him. Any other course would be
both unwise and unpatriotic.