The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-20


caucus in 1924, the application 10 national politics
OF tho convention system which had worked sue
cessfuly in State elections, was suggested by a
Pennsylvania member Of Congress- The first call
for national nominating convention wns issued
in September, 1880, by preliminary conference
oil the Anti Masonic party. The asSemblago OF
delegates which met in pursuance OF II at Bnlti-
more on Sept 90 1891, was, II we overlook tho
small and more or less secret Fcdernlist conference
OF 1912, the first national convention for the nom
ination OF President and Nice-Tresi6cnt There
were present liz delegates representing Is States.
The main feature OF this convention. which sat for
three days was the adoption Of what is now called
a platform, that Ia to say long address 10 the
people Of the United States" In February, 1881
a caucus of the National Republican or Wing
members, Of the Maryland Legislature, issued a
call for national convention 10 be held at Halt-
more in December OF that year. 10 which the oppon-
ents Of the jackson administration in the several
States were invited 10 send delegates The con-
vention which met In accordance with this call
was attended by 1877 delegates from II different
States The record Of this meeting shows that
there has been very little change in procedure
from that day 10 this At the suggestion Of this
meeting, a National Republican Convention Of
young men was held at Washington. ID. G., May
2, 1882, by which the nominees Of the regular
convention Of the party were endorsed. This
assembly is chiefly noteworthy for its adoption
Of series Of resolutions In place Of IAN address 10
the people" thus making the party platform moro
nearly like that Of the present day. Tho third
regular party convention to be held was that Of
the Democracy for tho purpose Of uniting ON q
candidate for the Vice Presidency. There was
no opposition within the party TO jackson for
President This convention met at baltimore on
May 81, 1882. It's proceedings were similar 10
those of the Wing Convention. -Four years later.
however, there was considerable resistance TO the
holding Of convention, especially among some
OF the Southern Democrats The reason for the
opposition was the fact that President jackson
was determined that Van Burcn should be his
successor, and recommended n convention with
that end in view; whereupon the Legislatures OF
Alabama and Tennessee nominated Judge White
Of the latter State as Democratic candidate for
President A national convention was, never
theless held at Baltimore in May, 1885, at which
Van Buren, was nominated as the party standard
bearer. The irregular character of this conven-
ton Is exempfed in the case of the vote of Ten
nessce. No delegates were elected TO the con-
vention from that State, yet the whole vote Of
Tennessee was cast for Van Buren, by Mr.. Ed
ward Russell, who happened 10 be in Baltimore
at the time. The Wing party held no national
convention in 1886, but in ls40 national conven-
tons were held by both party organizations and,
from that time to this, the convention system has
been the accepted method Of nomination for the
Presidency and Vice Presidency
There is a mistaken notion current that the rule
requiring two thirds Of the votes for nomination
in a Democratic national convention was first
adopted In 1874, and for the specific purpose OF
defeating Van Duren's candidacy. The truth is
that, in the very first Democratic national conven
ed at palti Max, the
following resolution was adopted: "Resolred; That
each State be entitled in the nomination to be made
OF candidate to q number Of votes equal to tho
number TO which II will be entitled in the electoral
colleges 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
a choice" This famous two-thirds rule has been
adopted by every subsequent convention OF the
Democratic party. In 1895. strong effort was
made 10 substitute majority for two thirds vote;
but the two thirds rule was finally adopted by q
vote Of PSI to 2lO and has ever since remained in
force. Another resolution passed by the Demo
cratic National Convention of 1882 was TO the
effect that The majority Of the delegates from
each State shall designate the person for whom
tho votes of the State shall be given" This was
the origin Of the unit rule" which, in 1899, was
adopted by tho Wing party also. Either in the
or in the form OF instructions by the State conven
tons, the practice Of having majority OF each
State dcegat cast the entire vote of the State
became firmly fixed in the procedure of both OF tho
leading political parties, The first successful
revolt against this disregard OF the rights Of the
minority Of State delegation occurred in the ma
tional convention of the Republican party in 1876
The President ruled that the votes of four of the
delegates from Pennsyiva nia might be recorded
separately. in spite Of the fact that the delegation
had been instructed by the State Convention 10
vote as unit The decision of the Chair was s,is-
tanned by a vote of 395 to 353. In $780, the unit
rule, so far the Republican party was concerned
was definitely abandoned. In Democratic ma
tional conventions on the other hand, tho unit
rule is still enforced in regard to any State dele
cation which has been SO instructed by its State
Convention, which Itself adopts the rule. The
question OF the right of individual delegates TO
have their votes recorded separately was decided
in the negative at the Democratic National Con-
vcntion of 1892.
We have here confined ourselves strictly TO Mr..
Dallingcr's historical sketch OF our nomination
machinery. Those sections of his work which
set forth the abuses Of the system and the possible
remedies for them will be found no less worthy Of
perussL For his book there is in truth sub
stitutc 1t may be fairly described az indispcnsa-
bic 10 public men and 10 oil students OF American
political institutions