Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-14
THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL.
COMMITTEE.
It's Meeting in January-District Repre-
sentatiOn-The Breaking Down of In
structiOns and the Unit Rule.

It's Meeting in January-D1strict Repre-
sentatiOn-The Breaking Down of In
structiOns and the Unit Rule.
Washington Special to Philadelp6id Press.
The Republican National Committee
will meet on the 18th of next month to
consider and adopt plan for district rep
resentation in the next Republican Ma
tiOnal Convention. Prior to the adjourn
ment of the Chicago Convention that body
directed the National Committee to pre-
scribe methods or rules for the selection
of delegates to the convention of 1884 in
such manner as to secure to the several
Congressional districts the right to
elect their own delegates. The COM
mittee was required to formulate
its methods or rules within the
twelve months following the adjourn
ment of the convention, but it has
disregarded this instruction. William Z.
Chandler, Edward Mcpherson and George
Gorham were requested by the Chairman
and Secretary of the committee to apply
themselves to the preparation OF plan,
and all Republicans were invited to send
to the committee suggestions bearing upon
the subject. At meeting of the commit
tee IN this city on the 9th of March, 1881,
Mr.. Chandler and Mr.. Mcpherson united
in recommending a method of calling the
next Republican convention. Their plan
provided that the convention should con-
sist of four MISUNDERSTANDING from each
State and two delegates from each
Congressional district; an additional dele
gate-at-large for each Republican Senator
in the then existing or next preceding
Congress, and an additional delegate for
each Republican Representative in such
Congress, all to be chosen at popular con-
yentiOns, in such manner as the Republic
cans of each State may determine, pro-
yided the delegates from each Congress
siOnal district shall be the choice of the
Republicans of that district in conven-
ton held within the district for that pur-
pose. 1t was provided in this plan that
conventions for the election of delegates
should be held at least one month before
the meeting of the national convention.
Notice of contests to be given the commit
tee, the grounds of contest to be made
public and determined in the order of their
presentation.
Mr.. GOrham proposed that the cOnVen-
tiOn of 1884 should be composed of a num-
Der of delegates equal to twice the num-
Der of its Senators and Representative in
Congress, and the Republicans of each
state should declare the manner of chOOs-
ing its delegates. John A. Martin, of
Kansas, a member of the committee, pre-
scented plan providing that the cOnven-
ton should be composed of four delegates
at-large from each State, one delegate
from each Congressional district and one
delegate for every $1,000 Republican votes
pOlled in each State for President, in 1890,
or fraction Of over One-half that number.
Messrs. Mcpherson and GOrham respec-
lively urged upon the committee the adOp-
ton of their different plans, but no agree
ment could be reached, and at last the
whole subject was referred to a committee
of five, composed of William f. Chandler,
of New Hampshire; T. c. Plat, of New
York; John NJ. Forbes, Of Massachusetts;
j. A. Martin, of Kansas, and c. l. Filley,
of Missouri. This committee will make
rerOrt at the meeting next month, No
plan can be adopted in conformity with
the rule of the convention that does not
provide for district representation.