The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-10-02

The REASON WHY.-The Whig has,
on several occasions since the adjournment
of the Convention, been anxious to know,
why the STATE JOURNAL failed to notice
the resolution offered by Lewis Lindsey,
asking the Administration to consult the
Republican Senator and Representatives in
Congress, from the several districts, as to
the distribution of Federal patronage.
We take pleasure in accommodating our
cotemporary, more particularly as it enables
us TO give our readers some additional facts
which transpired in the Convention.
After IL o'clock at night, Mr.. Lindsey
offered resolution of the character we
have described, which was discussed pro
and con by several members, and finally
tabled by vote of 81 to A.
Those who opposed the resolution, par
ticularly Mr.. Platt, did SO upon the ground
that it would fail to accomplish its p
poses, because the President had already
determined that he would keep himself free
in the matter of appointments, and that he
would not be willing to become the mere
secretary of members of Congress. In
spite of the opposition to the resolution, we
are satisfied it would have passed but for
the lateness of the hour and the anxiety of
a number of the delegates to retire to rest.
There seemed to be an impression that
the resolution was specially directed to Mr..
Porter's district. This is q mistake, as it
was general, and intended to apply to every
district in the State, as well as those which
ought to be controlled by the Senator. In
fact, the resolution was defeated because it
was regarded as dictatoral and was liable
to be regarded as disrespectful to President
Grant, though, in fact, it could bear no
such construction.
Besides, any one can see that there was
no special reason why Mr.. Porter's friends
should have urged the adoption of the res
he was called to preside over the Conven-
ton was sufficient to satisfy the admins
tration that Mr.. Porter had the entire con-
fidence of the party in the State, and was
entitled to equal consideration with any
other Republican member, from this or
any other State.
The action Of the Convention up to this
time had been so perfectly harmonious and
astonishing to the enemies of the party,
that the Wing has jumped at this 'small
MATTER" and has been feeding upon it ever
since.
We are, perhaps, equally justifiable in
failing to make public anything that occur
red to disturb, though ever SO slightly, the
harmony of our Convention, as was our
neighbor, who failed to state the more seri-
Gus circumstances that when the Democrat
ic- Convention was held, it had snubbed
Governor Walker, and refused to invite
him to seat in the Convention; and that
Jubal Early had refuse to participate i'll the
deliberations, because negroes were admit
ted to seats in that body.
We act, like all sensible people should
do, and, if possible, avoid making public
their family difficulties. The Whg has
attempted to prove we had a great quarrel,
and has made mountain Of mole hill.
The drowning man is catching at straws.
The dignity, harmony and good feeling
which characterized the Convention, has
discomfitted the enemy so much, that he
turns in every direction, looking for some-
thing of which to make capital, but he
turns in vain.