The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-05
THE HISTORY OF
 PARTY PROCEDURE TWo-thirdS and Unit Rules of
 the Democracy DATE BACK TO JACKSON How They Have Operated In National Conventions for 70 Years-First
 Has Met With Oppo-
 sitlon.

Sitlon.
 A history of the two-thirds rule and the unit rule as applied in democratic na- tlonal conventions, prepared by Mir. Ma thaniel T. Crutchdeld, is of timely in terest on the eve of the assembling of the Denver convention. The paper is as i follows:
 The rule requiring two-thirds to nom- mate was adopted at the first democratic national convention, held in Baltimore in 1882. Prior to 1928 candidates for the presidency and vice presidency were nom- mated by a Congressional caucus. In that year Jackson was placed in nomina- 1 ton by a resolution of the Tennessee leg islature, and with Calhoun as vice presl dent, was elected by a large majority. In 1892 Jackson was again nominated, this time by the legislatures of New York and l Pennsylvania. He had become so identi- fled with his party that the party itself was often referred to as the Jackson party" the deslgnation "democratic' not 1 being as yet fully accepted as the official l title. As to the vice presidency, no such ananlmity existed. Jackson certainly did not desire MT. Calhoun as a companion on the electoral ticket, and the concen- tration of the democratic vote upon an l acceptable candidate for the vice presl- dency appeared to be no easy task.
 For the purpose. therefore, of nominat- ing a candidate for the vice presidency, the legislature of New Hampshire passed a resolution calling for national conven- i nf he Iap meet in the city of Baltimore. This, the first democratic national convention, met on the Fist day of May, 1892. Mir Summer of New Hampshire in calling the body to order, concluded his address as follows: 1 They" referring to the origlnators of 1 the movement, ''believed that the example l of this convention would operate favor ably in future elections; that the people would be disposed, after seeing the good effects of this convention in consolidating the different and distant sections of the country, to continue this mode of nomina- ! tion.'
 First Two-third Rule.
 A resolution submitted by MT. Saun- l ders of North Carolina was reported by committee and adopted apparently without opposition, as follows: 1 Resolved, That each state be en- titled in the nomination to be made 1 votes equal to the number that they will be entitled to in the electoral col l lege under the new apportionment in voting for President and Vice Presi- dent, and that two-thirds of the wh ole number of votes in convention shall be necessary to constitute a choice.
 Van Buren was nominated on the first ballot by much more than two thirds majority, receiving POS votes, | Q oproTra fOr. n ngs non nd
 Opposed In Ensuing Conventions.
 The second national convention Of | the democratic party was held nearly year and a half prior to the presiden- tial election of 1886, 1t being convened at Baltimore May 20. 1885. when the new convention system was extended in it's scope to embrace nominations for the presidency as well as the vice pres idency. The two-thirds rule was again | reported to the convention from tn committee on rules by MT. Saunders Of North Carolina, the author of the rule He urged in its support that the effect of it's adoption would be to render the nominations more imposing, would pro- duce harmony, and avoid embarrass- ments.
 MT. Allen of Massachusetts, in op- posing the rule, contended that 1t was fundamental principle of our govern
 ment that a majority should govern.
 He also suggested the inconvenience
 and delay which might result In tho
 effort to secure a two-thirds majority.
 MT. Saunders, in replying to the ob-
 jection of inconvenience and delay, said
 that if the difficulty contemplated
 should arise it would be competent for
 the convention at any time by vote of the majority to change or set aside the rule.
 An amendment substituting a ma jority for two-thirds was then agreed to by vote of 231 to 21O. The next day. before the balloting commenced, this vote was reconsidered, and the two-thirds rule restored Van Buren was nominated for the presidency and Richard M Johnson for the vice presi- dency, the former unanimously, the lat : ter receiving four votes more than tn 3 required two thirds
 thirds rule was invoked. Van Buren was nominated for reelection unani- mously. No candidate was selected for Vice President, the selection being left to the members of the several electoral colleges. The Democratic candidates were defeated.
 Van Buren Lacked Two-thirds In "A In the convention of 1S44, Mr. B. F. Butler of New York vigorously op- , posed the adoption of the two-thirds rule, and predicted that 1t would result in the defeat of the democratic candi- date and in the dtsmemb erment and breaking up of the democratic party The rule was agreed to by 14S to 11S Van Buren had a large majority of the delegates but failed to receive the vote of two-thirds. Polk and Dallas were the nominees, and were elected.
 The two-thirds rule again met oppo. sition in the convention of 1848 but was carried by vote of 175 to 7S. The democratic nominees were defeated In 1852 the two-thirds rule was adopted with out division. A motion to reconsider this action was tabled by majority of 273 to IS.
 At the Cincinnati convention of 1S5t and at each subsequent convention the rule was adopted without opposition by resolution readopting "the rules oi the last national convention" At Charleston and Baltimore in 1860 At the Charleston convention, held 1T 1S6O the full convention consisted oi 303 delegates. After a number of del | gates, including several entire delega tons, had withdrawn, the membersh i, was reduced to 241. On motion of MT Howard of Tennessee, before the bal loting began, a resolution was adopted that no person should be declared nom mated who did not receive two-third of all the votes the full convention wal entitled to cast The point of orde had been made and overruled by Chair man Cushing that the resolution wa