The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-29
quoted Is saving

do not know whether tho tso-thirds raiic
wil he enforced. II never has been enforced
tn' once. and that asainst Martin Van
Dursn IN 1874. In ali other cases the man
"h" received majority given the neces-
sary two-tairds majority. hut nevertheless the
tw"-thirds rule may be enforced and may or
may not secure the two-thirds majority.
IN this connection The Baitnore Sua has
most interesting editorial in which it gives the
history of the application Of the rule to prac-
tca) conditions In part. it says:
The sfu2fe ease 10 which Nj Clark refers
is the most striking instances or the wisdom
Of enforcing the rule, That convention of 1s44
was held IN Baltimore. There 266 dele
gates present and Van Buren, on the first ballot
received ti6 votes. clear majority of 60 As
soon az the convention WAS called 10 order Van
Buren's friends began the tight against the tvo-
thirds rule. led hy Benjamin r Butler and
Lieutenant Governor Dickinson, of New YORK
Morton and Rantoul. of Massachusetts S.
Medairy, of OHIO, and Walker, OF Mississippi,
declared that while New Yo-" with SO. ohio
with q. Pennsylvania with %. New England
with - and few other States exhibited a
; majority Of votes in the convention they Ter
tainly represented large minority of the
Democratic party" They wanted to know what
was The use in giving Van Buren the empty
glory az nomination by mere majority
The debate lasted far into the next day, and
the rule was again adopted 1913 to f16- The
account Of the proceedings Is taken from the
flies Of the sun for 1874, this newspaper con
tanning the fullest account printed of that
notable gathering
Beginning on the first ballot with LAG to s3
for Cass and 81 FOR Johnson. Van Buren, re
ceived t27 on the second ballot and ri on
The third The eighth showed t04 for Van
Burcn To ia for Cass "a for James X. Polk,
for Buchanan and for Calhoun. The con-
Eentiou in deadlock and 1t was realized
/ that the southern delegates would never con
( sent ~ the nomination of Van Buren,. The
/ leaders began the search for a candidate VINO
/ would he acceptable to all factions They
j would be acceptable TO all factions. They found
4 him in Jarles X Polk of Tennessee. For two
days the bitterness had been intense, supporters
( and opponents OF Van Barren denouncing each
/ other on the floor When the call of the ninth
ballot began state after State fell in line for
/ Polk and before the vote announced his
/ nomination was made unanimous. The sun or
Nav 40 1R44 SAYS: THE enthusiasm which
now prevailed in the convention was IN Strlk INK
ing contrast with the proceedings Of an hour
( before" and continued to increase until the
hour Of adjournment"
1t will be seen from perusal Of these
figures that the victorious nominee was not
even named on the first ballot. 1t was only
until eight ballots had been taken that Polk s
strength became noticeable, and yet it was his
candidacy which finally united the party and
at the polls subsequently enabled it to win the
election,
y II the wisdom Of the two-thtrds rule is thus
lstrikimgly Illustrated. bow much better is
shown the wisdom of leaving the convention to
perform some other function than that of q
ratification meeting. A great many partisan
papers and Number of enthusiastic politicians
Iare just now forgetting in their zeal for par
tttcular candidates the central idea of party
success. We think the fates are working In
kindly spirit toward the Democracy when they
make it praetiqally eertap that the choice at
Baltmore. vii be some man who. in the light
VI all the conditions then apparent viii be
seen to have the most reasonable chance OF
draying before the people the best contrast to
the nominee at Chicago.