The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-05-29

tives of Buckeyeaom have taken whole
floor of the Atlantic Hotel, with ACCOM-
modations for 100 Ohioans.
During the day the subject of this great
influx was considered at q caucus OF the
Shsrman managers, at their headquarters
| At least this was one of the subjects to
come up before them. General Bateman
and Governor Foster were among those
closeted- the longest. This paragraph
will not presume 60 assert just what was
done because nobody knows. Possibly,
the.mainspring was sprung that caused the
Secretary Loomis to be so busy, thereafter
at his official desk at headquarters, That
gentleman, however. MS also Lieutenant
Bateman, is never too busy to be the
embodiment of courtesy to guests. -,
AS soon as the fine looking Governor
Foster had rested his guberuatorizly pro
portions at headquarters, after ARRIVING,
the later Ocean waited upon him by o
sneciaI deputy, The most interesting
things the Governor of Ohio proceeded to
reply were these:
What is my philosophy about -
THE UNIT RULE?
Il is that il is anti-Republican. It
Beyer has been rule of any Republican
National Convention, and ought not to be in
this. !"
"WiH il be, do you think?"
In my Judgment il will not. :"
Then the Governor lapsed into silence
till be had taken three strong pulls at his
cigar, aud proceeded:
The question is a very intricate and
difieuit one, many taking the view that 1t
will arise upon the announcement of the
Chairman of the Natiopal Committee
npon the presentation of the name of q
temporary chairman. 1t certainly will
arise lat that time if his nomination is
antagonized. The question of how he will
rule has been debated. It seems TO me
that he must necessarily rule land
believe that Senator Cameron intends to
be entiraly fair in the discharge OF his
official duties) that. inasmuch IS the unit
rule has never obtained 10 any National
Republican Convention. that upon this
question, that is to say, the selection OF
temporary chairman. the delegates are at
liberty to vote as they choose without re-
gard 10 the unit rule. But, possibly, and
think probably. some States have in
structed their delegates to vote as unit
upon all questions, | think 1T will be
found upon this first vote. If the question
shall then be raised, that there will be q
majority against the unit rule, Then, of
course, the question would come, subse-
quently upon the adoption of the rules,
but that would be regarded as test vote
I ishould say, and "a practical settlement
| of the question"
Would the doing away with this rule
change the
RELATIVE STRENGTH OF THE CANDI-
DATEs?"
1T must necessarily reduce General
Grants vote considerably"
And probably increase Secretary Sher-
man's2"
"Itwould help both Sherman and Blaine,
| probably"
How about the Illinois fght2 What
| do you think will be the outcomeP
From the little attention have given
the subject, it would seem thss the Illinois
convention was at least inconsistent in
applying the district rule to Cook County,
and denying the same rule to the State.
In Ohio, where Sherman's friends had
more than two-thirds Of the convention,
| we did not think il was either legally or
morally right TO select by the convention
the entire torty-four delegates. which we
could have done if we had adopted the
tactics of the Illinois convention. We
permitted the districts to elect their own
delegates, and SO doing possibly lost to
"Wh ich are for Blaine if not for Sher-
man?"
They are for Blaine"
ION the very first ballot2"
well, don't know. 1t is probable
that those gentlemen, some OF them, may.
on the first or subsequent ballots, vote for
Mr.. Sherman"
what strength do you give Secretary
Sherman on the first ballot?"
Our estimate would be $50 votes, and
having conducted his canvass in such
| way as to be comparatively free from
anita gonism and bitterness, and with the
universal feeling that his candidacy would
be good thing. / have very strong hope
of his final success.
Reverting to the unit rule. Governor
Foster said it would give General Grant
probably majority of the convention. or
| very near it. But it seems to me that the
| Chairman must rule-becsuse that has
been the ruling of oil former conventions
that the delegates can vote individually
as they choose. Assuming that ne is
| fair, | say he must rule that the prece-
must control until reversed by this. and
| therefore. that each individual delegate is
! to be allowed to vote as be pleases. except
in cases where the instructions are to vote
as unit upon all questions.
The Governor pointed out the great
| variety in these instructions-for instance,
that Pennsylvania had instructed her
delegates to vote as unit on all questions
whatsoever, while New York commanded
unity only on the Presidential question