The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-05-14
SHALL THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION
BE FREE?


A convention TO nominate candidates for Of
flee must. in all cases, depend for the popular
acceptance OF its work in great measure upon
The fairness OF the mode in which that work is
done. When the WORK of a convention depends
FOR IT'S success upon the voluntary support OF
the members OF the party, the action OF the
convention, in order 10 merit that support.
should be marked by fairness and freedom
Nominations are not equivalent to elections.-
The free and independent voter is at large
throughout the land. and the most certain way
to provoke hostility Is 70 so manage the nomi-
mating convention as to deny to its members
the most perfect freedom OF speech and action.
The National Convention OF the Republican
party will meet in Chicago June 9 and will con
tain 766 delegates from thirty Eight States aad
a number OF Territories. Recent events have
shown that in this convention one OF the most
important questions governing the convention
will have to be met and decided. This question
ID: whether these delegates. five -sixths OF whom
represent congressional districts. shall be com
PEELED 10 obey instructions given by State con-
ventous. These instructions are generally two
fold first. that all the delegates from each State
shall vote as a unlt,-;hat is, as shall be de-
termined by a majority OF their own number
and. second, that they shall all vote for the
person named by the State convention or by
majority OF their own plumber. On the decision
OF this question may depend not only the nom
nations TO be made, but also. and which is
more important, the harmonious acceptance
and support OF the nominations by those whose
votes are necessary to elect them. A delegation
OF thirty or forty members from State may
contain persons representing hume rous distinct
districts and constituencies They will come to
the convention to represent delegated to
represent and vote the wishes OF the people
who selected them, and 10 other. Each State
has four delegates, appointed by the State con-
ventlou. to represent the whole State. They
are selected. as are the district delegates. be-
cause of the faith reposed IN them that they
Will carry out the wishes OF the party in the
State and districts, subject to the general inter
ests and success. Of the whole party in the Tn
ion. TO instruct delegates is to discredit the
confidence placed in them to instruct them is
10 take from them all freedom Of thought.
judgment, and OF action, and to send them 10
the convention mere puppets to do the bidding
OF others.
This question Is not new one. 1t was raised
at the Republican convention at Cincinnati in
1876, and was there decided by direct vote of
the convention. Il had also been decided by
The Republican national convention IN 1865. In
both o, these instances 1t was decided to sus-
tam the individual right Of each delegate to
according to bis sense Of duty, without refer
encs to any State convention instructions which
had been given hin.
AT The Cincinnati convention, on the second
ballot, four OF the delegates from Pennsylvania
demanded the right to vote independently OF
the instructions given them by the State con
vsnton 10 vote as unit. The President OF the
convention decided that they had this right
FroE this decision az appeal was taken BY Don
Cameron, and bon was beaten and the decislon
OF tue Chair was sustained by the convention,
yeas 595. nays S5i. When this vote was taking,
Mr.. Cameron insisted that the four delegates
should vote with the majority Of the delegation
on this question OF appeal, AMI not independ-
emily, but this demand was also overruled by
the Chit.
Here. Then, srs two DECISIONS Of vital conse-
qusnce CD That OF the preliminary question
as to the rgh. OF the delegates to vote inis-