, 1880-02-26
TIE ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE.

pubIicans with the State Central Committee
at: the Pacific Hotel yesterday was harmo-
nious and profitable. The attendance was
large, and included many Of the best Repub-
licans Of the State. Whatever may have been
the means used in calling the meeting
together, no attempt was made to choke Off
discussion. Everybody who was called for
and chose to respond was heard. Applause
was flnpartia distributed, and the greatest
good feeling and confidence in the success Of
the party prevailed.
The persons who were intrusted with the
duty of sending out Invitations asserted with
some warmth, that they had taken pains to
see that all shades OF political opinion were
represented. They may have endeavored
honestly to do this, and yet have been
misled in many cases by their per-
sonal affiliations and prejudices. It would
be very surprising. indeed, If meeting
of "prominent Republicans +" called
by the Hon. A. III. Jones and the Hon. Dan
Shepard should not have full representa-
ton of the wing of the party to which they
belong; while it may be that they forgot or
neglected some Of the other wing To this
fact may be attributed the efficient claQue
which the managers had On hand at an early
hour, the zeal of which, though it percepti-
bly, diminished as time wore on, was most
cons picuously exhibited at the start. On
this hypothesis also it is possible to explain
some expressions Of opinion which are con-
tradicted by information from cooler and
more trustworthy reporters.
A number of the speakers doubted the
propriety Of attempting to ascertain frolb
individuals the preferences Of Congressional
Districts as between the several candidates
for the Presidency. It was urged with
considerable force that only the people
themselves can say who they want
to be nominated and elected to any
office; and they have appointed regular chan
ncls through which to make their wishes
known. The primary elections, not the
voices Of any local magnates, decide the
choice of the people In this view of the
case, it is presumptuous for any man to
pledge his district for any candidate, or to
assume to speak for 10000 to 10000 Repnb-
lican voters in dozen surrounding counties,
only a very few Of whom he can personally
know. There were about forty speakers in
the conference OF yesterday. We doubt very
much whether their opinions are, with few
exceptions, more valuable on the subject of
the Presidential contest than those Of the
first forty intelligent Republicans one might
meet in the streets Of Chicago, or Spring
field, or Carlinville, Or Peoria. Certainly the
choice Of speakers from Chicago was pc
culiar- The meeting, but for the supple
n1entary remarks of the German editors,
would have failed almost entirely to hear
the views Of the great majority of Repub-
1icans in the First, Second, and Third Con-
gressional Districts.
Spite Of the pressure that was brought to
bear on the conference through the delicate
manipulations Of the machine, opinion
seemed to be about equally divided between
the supporters of Gen. Grant and the other
candidates. The Blaine men chose not to
show their hand at present. twas note
worthy, for instance, that Mr. Root, who
spoke for the First District, said nothing
about the Presidency, though he is known to
be in favor Of the nomination Of Mr.. Blaine.
Gen. Hurlbut and Senator Hunt were about
the only speakers who were positively and
aggressively for Blaine, though many others
43AAIC0 StAt46l3 4t 4CuEC. 1lt
strength Of Washburne was much greater
than had been looked for. He had such sup
porters as E. B. Warner, Of Whiteside Coun-
ty, who said that the Fifth District would
give 600 more votes for Washburne than for
either Grant or Blaine; Samuel ". Jones,
who declared that with Washburne as the
candidate the people of the Sixteenth Dis
trict might elect Republican to Congress
in place Of Sparks (Democrat); Elliott An
thony, who represented the people Of Mr..
Washburne's old district as being strongly
for him; Messrs. Snyder and Porter; Of the
Tenth District, who seemed to think Wash
burne was necessary for victory in that very
debatable ground. The whole tone Of the
meeting was friendly to Mr.. Washburne.
There was 10 opposition to him personally,
no feeling against him. He was the Sec
ond choice Of everybody and the first choice
Of many.
The significant speeches Of the day were
those Of the German editors. They said
plainly that the wish Of the Germans of this
State was not for third term. Speaking on
behalf of a paper that has twice supported
Gen. Grant, and promises to support him
again If he is nominated, Messrs- Hermann
Raster and Washington Hesing said they |
his nomination would be a
great mistakes: that II vnuId cnst