The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-09

we DO not mere REFER 10 the great hhu
visible decline in its party strength,
although that is an Important element in
is political calculations, but to sources OF
difficulty in decomposition of the Conven-
ton. The republican party is the same as
dead in tho sixteen Southern States,
and yet all those States, not one
Of which will give single electoral
vote to the republican candidate, Will be
fully represented in the National Conven-
ton by which the candidate is selected.
Delegates equal in number to all the Sen
ators and Representatives from those
sixteen States will hold seats in
the Convention, with power to die
tate tho ticket although they cannot give
it single electoral vote his will inevi-
tably lead to trouble if the delegates from
the Northern States should divide their
votes in the Convention among several can
didates. If Mr. Blaine, for illustration,
should be relatively as strong as he was in
the Convention Of 1876, barely falling short
of majority, and the scale should be
turned against him by n vote en- ndsse OF the
bogus Southern delegates, it is possible that
his friends might not submit. They might
say. with great show OF justice, that the
ticket ought to be chosen by the States re-
lied on to elect it, or at least to contribute
to It's election, and that there is no
justice in allowing States that can give
no votes to force upon the party can
didate it does not want. If the friends
OF Mr. Blaine Eve use his name merely for
illustration) should revolt against such IN
injustice secede from the Convention and
make separate nomination of their fa-
vorite, his chances Of getting electoral votes
would be better than those of the regular
nominee of the Convention. But the re-
publican party has become too feeble to
afford even small bolt, much less power
full one, led by o candidate who had been
supported by majority of the delegates
from States which have votes to give in the
election, rs we'll as in the Convention.
1t is not easy to see how such disastrous
split could be avoided in the Republican
National Convention Of 1880 if Mr.. Blaine,
Mr.. Conkling, Mr.. Washburne and Mr.
Sherman. or any three or even any two of
them should be candidates with consider
able body Of supporters. If there is a
divided preference among the delegates
from the Northern States the Southern
delegates who represent no electoral votes
will hold the balance of power and really
select tho candidate, although there is no
equitable reason why they should hold
seats in the Convention. The Southern
JoIorota, xy;1i no colocfad hv Tho uorr rot
agents or tools OF some reckless political in
trigucr in the North, and nomination
made by their votes would not be .sub-
mitted TO by the supporters of the
other candidates. If two or more can
didates should attempt to play this game
there would be an endless and enervating
quarrel in the Convention over the con-
tested Southern seats. The republican
party will be shattered to fragments in 1880
unless some means can be found for pre-
venting the Southern delegates who repre-
sent no efficient constituencies from con-
trolling the nomination.
This can be successfully done by fore
making il mere registering body to record
and promulgate the foregone choice of the
party at large 1t makes little difference
what delegates are admitted to or ex-
cluded from a convention when tho
party that holds it is substantially
unanimous in demanding the nomi-
nation of a particular candidate. The
second nomination of Mr.. Lincoln in 1864
and both nominations of General Grant in
1868 and 1872 were decided on by the re-
publican masses long before the meeting of
the conventions of those years, and it was
of no real consequence how the conven.
tons were composed or whether the dele
gates from any State had regular creden-
tials or not. In each OF those years the re-
publican masses took the work of the Ma
tional Convention into their own hands,
and this was a chief cause Of the brilliant
party victories won in those three elections.
To be sure, the republican party was 80
strong in those years that 1t might
have succeeded with almost any candi-
date; but it was a great advantage
even then to have tho selection made in
advance by the spontaneous choice of the
great mass Of republican voters. Now,
when the party has become so weak and is
confronted with new and dangerous Gle
mcnts Of disintegraticn, it is indispensable
TO its salvation that q single candidate be
settled upon by the public voice before the
Convention meets, thus precluding all dis
sensions or divisions and avoiding the
pcrils which threaten the party from the
ghost of its defunct organization in the
South.
There is no other way Of avoiding those
peris than by agreement on candidate
before the National Convention meets. It
is impossible to exclude from the Con-
vention delegates from States which can
give the party no electoral votes, because