National Republican., 1880-05-25
THE PLOT WILL NOT SUCCEED

capacity he may serve, he will always be
found tried and true.
~D-
THE PLOT WILL NOT SUCCEED.
When the republicans of the states of
New York and Pennsylvania held their
state conventions they were fairly organ
lied and conducted under the respected
usages and precedents of the republican
party, and each instructed its delegates to
vote in the national convention as unit
for the nomination of ULYSSES S. GRANT ms
president of the United States This action
was regarded by all honorable men as con-
elusive, and these two great states, with
their 12S votes are by all such scored to
General GRANTS credit. On Saturday the
New York Tribune iuterposed claim to
thirteen votes from New York and nine
teen from Pennsylvania for Mr.. BLAINE,
and gives the names of the individuals who
stand ready to assume the resp Onsbility of
this remarkable recreancy, in breaking the
unit rule through their own personal ac-
tion.
We must confess our surprise at the as
sumptions of the Tribune, for they fore
shadow n purpose to openly violate good
faith and betray the expressed sentiment
aud purpose Of these states by an undis-
guised and wanton rebellion against their
expressed will. We doubt if this attempt
| will be made but should it be, we have
still greater doubts if it will be allowed to
succeed. The time for these recusant del
egates to have availed themselves of their
objections TO keeping faith with their party
was at the time when their names were an
nounced as delegates under instructions to
perform a specific service Then they should
have advised their party that they could not
accept the positions rendered them under
certain specified conditions, and thus grace
| fully have retired themselves from the list
of delegates. This would have been honor
able, and was the only course they could
have pursued in honor under the circum-
stances. But they have selected another
course They hold the positions conferred
upon them, IN d have it appears, author
lied the New York Tribune to declare to
the public that they propose to go into the
conv ntion, openly assert personal sover-
eighty, and refuse to obey the instructions
of their constituencies as presented TO them
by the conventions which have honored
them, perhaps, far too much in this instance.
We doubt if this contemplated recreancy
will be crowned with su ccess. 1t is barely
possible that an attempt will be made in
the convention to re-enact the role of 1876
at Cincinnati by claiming that the decisions
and rulings of that body are to be respected
rs precedents in that of Chicago but such
an opinion will scarcely prevail at this
time. The breaking of the unit rule in
that body was somewhat anomalous and a
clear violation of the expressed will of the
states in which the breach was made to
occur The rulings and determinations of
that convention bind nobody beyond the
period of its own deliberations. 1t estab-
lished no precedent that any future conven-
ton is bou nd to respect, for the abrogation
of the unit rule was n clear violation OF
the wish of those states which had issued
in Instructions to their delegates to cast
their votes as q unit. The convention as.
sumed to overthrow the expressed will oi
state, an act which finds no justification
in the proprieties of political relation and
, GOOD faith. A convention is in honor bound
to respect the expressed wish and will of O
state which names delegation and defines
the terms under which they are to discharge
their duties. For a national convention tc
, decide that the instructions of state are
not to be respected by its action is to as,
sumo an attitude which, if logically fol,
, lowed to its sequence, would justify its ful
distranchisement as well. This would no
, seem to be in accord with the In WIS of jus
t tice and propriety, for a state may as vel
be despoiled of its full representation rs o
5 any part of the fruits of its expressed will
? In view of all this we have no idea tha
5 the convention at Chicago, which we assum,
r is to be composed of true republics anC
4 honest men, will indorse and thereby be
: come u party to an open violation of th
. expressed instructions Of two great state
to their representative in that body, TIL
, conventions of New York and Pennsyl
, yania have instructed their delegation
to perform specific duty, and those in
structions will be laid before the conven
I ton. When these states are called til
chairman of each of these respective dele
4 cations will be expected to rise in his plac
and declare tn at under instructions the stat
of New York cas- is seventy and Pennsylvani
0 fifty-eight votes for ULYSSES S. GRANT 70
$ president. This will be recorded and VIII
l. will accept an record the votes of the thr
{ ty-two alleged rebels who have place
n themselves in charge Of the Tribune, an
n who propose to break their faith with thei
y party in the national convention by a
II open violation of their instructions? Unles
@ we are greatly mistaken this contemplate
II piece of treachefy will not be cousummate,
IS .at Chicago. The states of New York an
d Pennsylvania will not be despoiled Of the
1t Just rights in this instance The plot wi
II fail.
THE UTE AGREEMENT BILL,
u Contrary to general expectation, IL
'o house of representatives did not conside
II 90, Mon 1o,y oyanino last thp hill nroyid In