The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-28

battered al the pOI,Otice a. Wheeling, ". Va, ~
t9SnA.Clase mAies
wHRELiNo, W. VA, JANUARY Is 1852,
The Next Republican National COnVSn.
tIon.
The National Republican Committee has
been incubating on several plans Tor car
rying out the instructions Of the Chicago
Convention Of 1880 in reference to u basis
Of representation in the Convention Of 1884.
The instructions Of the Chicago Conven-
ton (rulelO) was that the committee should
within the next twelve months prescribe
methods or rules for tho selection Of dele.
gates to the National Convention to be
held in 1884, announce the same to the
country, and issue call for that Conven.
ton in conformity Herewith, provided that
such methods or rules shall include and
secure to the several Congressional Dis.
tricts In the United States the right to elect
their own delegates to the National Con.
yention."
Up to this time the committee has only
been able to agree upon one point, the
point Of district representation, which
: point was made imperative on it by the
Chicago Convention. 1t has therefore made
very little progress, and the whole matter
stands adjourned until the 18th OF March
next, at which time the subcommittee
will meet in Washington to tryand finish
uptheir work.
There were only two plans, SO far as We
can gather from their circular, that were
before them at their last session, ono Of
these by W. L, Chandler, Of New Hamp.
shire, and the other by John A. Martin, Of
Kansas. Chandeliers plan is really no plan
at all; that is, 1t is simply the present un.
unsatisfactory way Of proceeding. 1t is us
follows.
The Republican National Convention OF
1884 shall consist Of four delegates at large
from each State, and two Delegates from
each Congressional District, all to be chosen
ut popular conventions in such manner US
the Republicans in each State may deter
mine, provided the delegates from each
Congressional District shall be the choice
OF the Republicans OF that district The
conventions within the States for the eleC.
ton OF delegates to the National Conven.
ton shall be held at least one month be-
fore the time Of the meeting Of the National
Convention. Notices OF contests may be
given to the National Committee, accom-
panied by full printed statements OF the
grounds OF contest, which shall also be
made public; and preference in the order
othearingand determining contests shall be
given by the convention according to the
dates OF the reception OF such notices and
statements by the National Committee.
Martins plan is decidedly better than
Chambers, but still open to objection.
It is as follows:
That the Republican National Conven.
ton for 1884 shall be composed rs follows:
First, each State shall be entitled TO four
delegates.at-large. Second. each Congress.
sional District shall be entitled to one del
egate. Third, in addition to delegates.at.
large, each State shall be entitled to repre-.
sentation in proportion to its Republican
yote-that is, one delegate for every $4,000
Republican votes pOlled for President in
1850, or fraction OF over one half that num-
Der.
Why Mr.. Martin should provide for four
delegates at largo after cutting down the
districts to one delegate each we do not
understand. A Senator is no moro than
Representative in Congress, and should
be no more out OF Congress in the shape OF
an ideal fhteger in a political convention.
A conyention made up Of two delegates at
gefrom each State and one delegate from
each district, and an additional represen-
tstiye for each 10000 Republican votes,
would make q convention abundantly
large.
The vote Of West Virginia under the
Martin proposition would be, as the districts
now stand, one more in 1884 than nj Chicago
in1ssO, or11. That's, provided the delegates
who are to represent the 1900 votes are
selected in State convention for the State
mt large, and not required to come from a
district casting 1900 votes. Each one Of
our present three districts cast over 10000
votes for Garfield in 1880, and the State as
awhole cast 46,243. But the districts under
thenew census will be different. Weunder-
stand the Martin proposition to be that one
extra delegate ut large shall be allowed the
State for every 10000 Republican votes
polled in the State, which arrangement
would give US a fraction Of 1928, or, in
other words, four delegates who would be
representative Of the Republican vote OF
the State, beside the four usual delegates
torthe State at large and the one from
each district,
OF course il the State gains an additional
district under the census, as she is about
sure to do, we will have four district dele
gates, or twelve in all.