, 1881-03-06
TIE NATIONAL COMMITTEE.

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
Special Dispatch to The Chicago Tribune.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 1.-THE Ma
tionai Republican Committee met here to-
day. There was very full attendance, Gov.
Jewell, Chairman, presiding. DR.. Puryis, of
Washington. colored, was selected as the
member OF the Committee from the District
of Columbia It had been expected that
some decision would be made in the matter
of District representation in the next n at1on-
al Convention, and the mode Of calling the
Convention together. Two reports were
made upon that subject by the Sub-Conmit-
tee of three to which the question was re-
ferred. The majority report w2s signed by
William E. Chandler and Edward McPher-
son, and the minority by George Gorham.
The majority report declares that the Repub-
1ican National Convention OF 1884 shall con-
sist of four delegates-at-large from each
State and two delegates from each Congress
sional District, with an additional delegate
at-1arge for each Republican Senator In the
then n-existtng or next-preceding Congress,
and an additional district delegate for each
Republican Representative il each Congress,
all to be chosen at
POPULAR CONVENTIONS,
in such manner as the Republicans Of each
State may determine. provided that the dele
gates from each Congressional district shall
bo the choice Of the Republicans OF that dis
trict in the Convention held within the dis
trict for that purpose. The Conventions
within the States for the election Of delegates
to the National Convention shall be held at
least one month before the meeting Of the
may be given to the National Committee, ac-
conlpanied by full printed statements of the
grounds OF contest, which shall also be made
public, and
PREFERENCE IN THE ORDER OF HEARING
and determining contests shall be given by
the Convention according to the dates of the
reception Of such notices and a[' statements by
port made by George Gorham defends the
existing system Of State representation, and
1riailns that it does not come. within the
province Of the National Republican Com
aeegates to the National Convention shall
be elected. The whole subject was referred
to q committee Of five, of which Mr. William
E. Chandler is Chairman, to, report Us to the
practicability Of some new rule within year,
and the Committee adjourned.
A DISCUSSION
of.about two hours in length took place, Mr..
Gortam and two Southern members OF the
Committee, Mr.. Strobach, of Florida, and
hlr. Hicks. supporting the minority re-
port, while Mr.. Chandler and A1r. Nc
Pherson advocated the adoption of their own
plan. Mr.. Gorham's idea was that the Ma
tional Convention had no right to perpetuate
its ideas beyond the term Of its own exist
ence. 1t could NOT instruct the Committee
nor could any action Of the Committee be
binding upon the Republicans OF the States
or upon State Conventions. Mr.. Strobach and
Mr.. Hicks both argued that the increase in
representation based upon the numbers of
Republican Senators and Representatives in
Congress would benefit the North alone, and
to that extent
WOULD DIsFRAyCu1sE THE SOUTH.
Mr.. Chandler and Mr.. Mcpherson success
fully colnbatcd these ideas, asserting that the
Committee, being the creation Of tina C0nyen-
| tion, was bound to obey its commands, and
that the Committee, while its power ended
when the next Convention was called to
order, still had full power to prescribe the
form of the call which should be issued for
that Convention. It was, in fact, the Con.
gress, or the Repository. Of all authority ot
| the Republican party during the interim be-
| tween Conventions. Chandler denied that
the proposed new plan was designed to ex-
clude the Territories from representation.