Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-06

present time, have been instructed to
vote for the two-thirds rule. We think
this is wise, and hope the rule may be
maintained.
The majority TEle has many strong
adherents, who give good reasons for
their belief that it should be adopted by
all our State conventions. These con.
tend that the fundamental principle of
our republican system of government
is that msiorities should always rule,
and as msjorities decide the will
of the people at the ballot box, so
should they also decide the action
of nominating conventions This is
sound reasoning, and the principle
upon which it is founded is good.
Nevertheless, we believe the two thirds
rule shOu d be maintained in Democratic
conventions generally, aud in the ap-
preaching Atlanta Convention especially,
for the following reasons:
/ 1t should be maintained in Democratic
conventions generally; first, because ex
perience has shown it to be the greatest
safeguard which has ever been thrown
around the harmony and unity OF lhe
Democratic party In national conven
tions long custom has made it a law,
and &C stated in a communication publish
ed in these columns on Tuesday morning,
it has never been departed from
/ in such conventions but once, and then
the effect was most disastrous to the
party and the country This was in the
Charleston Convention of 1860, and the
result. as we all know, was disruption of
the Union, civil war and the loss of the
government to the Democracy, which
loss has not to this day unfortunately
for the welfare of tine country been re
gained. Surely such a lesson as this
ought to make its lasting impression.
Second. 1t prevents, more effectually
than anything else can possibly do, Jeal-
ousies and heart-burnings, leading to Sc
r,ous internal discussions, When two or
more candidates appear before oonven
ton. each with a strong following,
should a simple majority decide against
one or more of them, there is always left
a large dissatisfied minority, and, how
ever devoted that minority may be to the
Democratic party, a spark of dissen-
sion is started which will take but
very little flaming to excite into
flame. On the other hand, under the
two thirds rule, if none of the candidates
can command a nomination, there is
always fnallY one selected who is &C
ceptab,e to the general sentiment Of the
party, and upon whom all can readily
unite & nomination made under these
circumstances will net only necessarily
be that of a good man, but it can be
made unanimous with much better grace
than if forced down the Threats of an
unwilling minority. In other words,
there will be no ''crow eating" for while
many members of a convention will
prefer their prime faVOrite, it may be
regarded as a settled fact that the choice
finally made will be acceptable to the
party as q whole, and can, therefore,
command sincere and cordial support.
Third. The general sentiment CT tie
country nov is against bossism, "cut
and dried" programmes. and the rule of
rings and cliques. The two thirds rulS
tends effectually TO prevent this.
Under the majority rule THOUSAND
opportunities are offered to political
ringsters and tricksters to pack
convention and secure q nomination;
but this well nigh impossible
under the two-thirds rule, for no
man can be liable to the charge of
having secured a nomination through
/ corrupt means if a clear tWo-thirds of
the representatives of his fellow
citizens, in convention assembled,
declare for him. He must, under
such circumstances, be the undisputed
favOrite of hic party as a whole, and he
must therefore be acceptable to . large
majority of his fellow citizens of that
party. This alone, it seems to us, should
be an overwhelming argument for the
maintenance of the rule.
The reasons, then, to be advanced in
favor Of the twO-thirds rule may be
summed up as follows: 1t tends to pre-
serve the harmony of the party; it as
sures the nomination of good and &C
ceptable men; it is an effectual bar
to bOssism and the schemes of political
rings aud cliques, aud prevents the carry
ing out of cut and dried programmes.
For these reasons we believe the rule
should be the guiding principle of Demo
cratic conventions generally.
Tine reasons why it should be adopted
by the coming Atlanta Convention
specially are equally as potent. On this
occasion only two candidates have, so
far, been mentioned in connection with
the Gubernat0rial nomination.. Should
either simply control a bare majority
of the convention, it may readily be
seen how large an element of dissatis
! faction and disaffection will be created,
and We greatly fear that serious con-
sequences TO tie unlty Of the party would
ensue. But, besides this, it m;sst be re.
membered that il the practice which has
heretofore prevailed in Democratic State
conventions in Georgia is set aside On
this occasion, il must be set aside per
manently. 1t will never do to adopt the
two-thirds rule at one convention and
the majority rule at another. That
would lay the party liable to the charge
of time-serving and staoping to tricke1y
to secure the success of special ia zorites
and the result would assuredly be the
eventual destruction CT the influence and
autonomy of the Democracy OF tie State.
These arc OPT rea- ons, stated as briefly
as may be, for fayoring the adoption and
maintenance of the two.thirds rule by
the Atlanta Convention. Still, ia dis
/ cussing this subject, that body should
regard existing circumstances, and there
should be manifested a spirit of com
| promise. Had this spirit been shown
two years ago, the Democracy of Geor-