The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-02

positive change in their personal and polit
cnl relations so that when Gen. JACKso
became the accepted candidate for n sccon
term. Mr.. CALHOUN was dropped and tn
e-Presidcncy was left open for compel
ing nominations.
Tho Legislature Of New Hampshire issue'
q call for Democratic National Conven
tlon to meet at Baltimore. May q. 1882. thu
object being to nominate candidate 70
Vicc-Prcsident. The number o; delegates
and the mode OF choosing them, were re
ferred to the different States.
A large attendance bore witness to thu
popularity of the experiment, as II decided
improvement on the former caucus anc
other systems. At that time the electora
votes aggregated 2ss. Of which 2S3 had rep
resentation. and Mr.. VAN buren, received
2O3 votes, which made him the Democrat,
candidate for President, and he was
elected with Gen. JACKSON.
The most remarkable incident OF that
Convention was tho adoption Of the cele.
brated two-thrds rule. which has been con
tinuously recognized as ono Of the pillars OF
tho Democratic faith for sixty years. II
was introduced by Mr.. SAUNDERS Of North
Carolina in the following terms:
R,-,r.i That each State be entitled In the nomina
tion to be made OF candidate for the Vice
a number OF votes equal to the number that they
will BIO entitled to In the Electoral Colleges under tho
apportionment in voting for President and Vice
President and that two thirds OF the whole number of
votes in the Convention shall be necessary to constitute
. choice"
Democratic leaders in several States did
not like tho New Hampshire innovation.
nor tho SAUNDERS rule, which imposed n
severe test on the ambition Of asprnnts for
the Presidency. Gen. JACKSON wrote q
letter in February. 1885, favoring n National
Convention. and tho friends of Mr.. VAN
BUREN were urgent in their advocacy OF
tho new eXpedicrt as being most repre-
sentative Of tho popular sentiment. The
Convention met at Baltimore May 90. 1885.
and Mr.. VAN buren, was nominated for
President without opposition. Four candi-
dates. w. II. HARRISON. HUGH l.. WHITE.
DANIEL WEBSTER, and WILLIE P. MANGUM,
contested the election. and they received 124
electoral votes against ITO for MARTIN VAN
buren,.
The next Democratic National Convention
met at Baltimore May s. 1910. and Mr.. VAN
BURENs nomination for a second term was
foregone conclusion. His Administration
had Ind to contend with tho financial crash
Of 1887. which confronted him on entering
the White House. and with embarassments
attending the Florida war with tho Indians
These and other causes led to political up
heaval. and Gen. HARRISON was clccted as
President.
Tho fourth National Convention met at
Baltimore. May 81, 1874. Mr. VAN buren,
entered it backed by a clear majority of tho
delegates. But he had previously COM
mittcd himself in regard to the annexation
OF Texas. and had to carry the load Of de-
feat by Gen. HARRISON. The wise and con-
sentative leaders of the Democracy, with
the best feeling toward Mr.. VAN buren,,
thought his nomination for third time
would imperil tho success OF the party,
which was more important than any or all
candidates.
Mr.. SAUNDERS was there and renewed
the two-thirds rule. which in fact became
the test OF the divided. opinions OF the Con-
vention. 1t was reaffirmcd by vote of 14s
to 1ls; and Mr.. POLK.who had been Speaker
OF the House of Representatives.. was nomi-
mated and elected over HENRY CLAY.
From that time forward until 1888. ono
term became the unwritten law of the DEM
ocratic party. POLK. PIERCE. and BUCHAN-
AN never encouraged any departure from
the restriction. They stood by 1t in good
faith without sign OF selfish aspiration.
Five ex-mcmbers OF Mr.. GROVER CLEyE-
LANDS Cabinet and large body of other
who sock restoration to
power and place. have been long engaged
In organizing q scheme for his third nomi-
nation at Chicago. They trample down
all experience and presidents. beginning
with WASHINGTON. who put his foot on the
attempt to prolong his tenure as President.
They know that when the effort was made,
headed by ROSCOE CoNKL1NG and other
leading Republicans. to depart from the
accepted usage and to give GEN. GRANT
third nomination. with all the mighty In
6usnces exerted on that occasion 1t signally
Jailed. The Convention did not venture to
lfrtont public opinion by such defiance Of
D settled policy.
The managers Of tho CLEVELAND third
campaign. who care nothing for
The Democratic party except as IN instru-
ment OF their project. now propose to repeal
The two-thirds rule by insldious attacks.
IS step toward the desired object OF self
sh scheming.
They succeeded at st. Louis. with the pat |
(onage OF the Administration. in breaking |
Down the one-term rule. That departure
resulted In deserved defeat at tho polls. But |
these guerrilla politicians who masquerade
IS Democrats learn nothing from such les
Sons. They require sterner instruction. and
they will got 1t at the Chicago Convention.
There never was time In the history Of
the Democratic party when it was more i'm
portant than now that the two-thirds rule
should be enforced rigidly. 1t applies to all
candidates alike. and gives abundant oppor.
tunity for conference among delegates In