The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-02-12
The Staunton Convention.

The State convention OF the RepuD-
lican party of Virginia which is APP
pointed to meet in Staunton, April 81,
1880, we hope will be composed of the best
men in the party. 1t should be the object
of the Republicans in every county in the
State to select as delegates their most intel
1igent and sagacious members-those who
have the information and judgment to act
wisely for the interest of the party in State
and Nation, and thus inspire confidence and
respect. The delegates chosen on that oc-
casion to represent the Republicans Of Vir-
ginia in the National Convention, which
meets in Chicago on the Bird of June, should
be gentlemen who can be trusted to act with
discretion and prudence in the deliberations
Of that body. and to throw the influence
Of the State only for such candidates as can
give the most satisfactory assurance Of
uniting the party throughout the country.
We should regard it as misfortune should
delegates to the State Convention come
with states made out in the interest Of this
or that man, and with the avowed purpose
of selecting delegates to the National Con-
fention committed to the nomination of a
particular candidate. The wisest policy
for the State Convention to adopt, would be
to choose delegates to Chicago, who will be
capable Of comprehending the situation after
they get there, and of ayailing themselves
Of information from all portions of the
Union to lead them to proper conclusion.
We should not like to see Grant men, or
Sherman men or Blaine men chosen. OF
course almost every intelligent Republican
has his personal choice, but when he is
chosen to represent State in part in the
National Convention, individual partiali-
ties ought to be subordinated to the more
important question of the success in the
great national contest Of November next.
One reason for the meagre influence of
Southern Republicans in national affairs
arises from the fact that the delegates rep
resenting them in National Conventions are
labelled as the property of this or that Pres
idential aspirant, thus surrendering theil
individuality and independent judgment to
pre-conceived notions, formed without the
light and knowledge to be gained after free
comparison of views with the delegates from
other portions OF the Union.
Another cause which detracts from the
influence of Southern Republicans is. that
they fritter away their strength by divided
votes in the National Convention, the dele.
gates acting and voting separately, to rep
resent their individual partialities. One
thing ought to be taken for granted, and
that is, the National Convention will make
no nominations that ought not to be support
edby every Republican in the country. Thi'
fact should remove all apprehension as tt
the general result, for there is wisdom and
patriotism enough in the party to forbid the
selection of an improper candidate for the
Presidency. The obvious policy, therefore
of the Southern delegations is to vote by
States, or under the unit regulation, that
when any State is called its vote will moi
be given in fragments and to half dozer
different candidates, as the personal incli
nation of the delegates may direct; ex
erting no perceptible influence and con
summating no adva ntage. This unit rule
it is true, might be carried to factiou
degree, but when there is no Just groun(
to apprehend that such would be the case
it would be the evident policy OF each South
ern State to cast its full strength under thu
unit rule. This suggestion presuppose:
that the delegates will be chosen for theil
intelligence and independence, and not az
the partizans of any candidate.
We hope twill be the aim of the Repub
llcans of each county in the State tt
send to the Staunton Convention theil
representative men, without reference to
the nomination of any particular candidate
atChicago, but solely with view to the
choice Of intelligent and sagacious delegates
to the National Convention, who will re
feet credit upon the State and be capable
OF determining what is best to be done, al
ter they have gathered all necessary infor
nation for the guidance of their judgment,
when the time for voting in Convention
shall have arrived.