New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-15
"ARRLDGING LIRERTIES.n

We confess we do not quite understand the
favorite phrase of the Cameron Republicans OF
PENNSYLVANIA in describing the proposition
made to them by the candidates on the hide
nendent ticket. General Beaver, the Cameron
candidate for Governor, after reading the
communication from the Independents, is re-
norted TO have first INDUCED in immoderate
laughter, and then to have observed with
sudden accession of seriousness that the prop
osition "looked like an attempt to abridge
6 the liberties of citizen who had committed
"no crime" Chairman Cooper, of the Cam
eron State Committee, remarked also, by
singular coincidence, regarding the lndepen-
dent proposition, that " the Republican party
would never consent to abridge the hber-
" ties of any citizen" Now the proposition in
question: the effect of which upon the liberties
of the citizen is so much dreaded by these
natrots is very simple one. tits, first that both
the tickets now in nomination be withdrawn
that the several candidates on these tickets
pledge themselves not to accept any subse-
seouent nomination, and that new ticket be
nominated by State Convention :" to be held,
"to be constituted as recommended by the
continental Hotel Conference, whereof Whar-
"ton Barker was chairman, and Francis Is.
"Reeyes secretary That is the proposition
and the whole of it. 1t is easily understOodj
il covers the whole case and, as it seems to
us, contains the only sensible and practical
solution of the difficulty.
And we cannot for the life of us discover
ANYTHING in it calculated to Cartridge the lib
critics" of any citizen. Unless, indeed, Cen
eral Beaver and Chairman Cooper entertain
the belief that Citizen "DOn" Cameron holds
the right to select the delegates to Republican
State Conventions in Pennsylvania and to die
tate to them who shall be nominated for office,
and that his CELEBRITIES" are abridged" by
any action that takes that right away from
him. No other citizens liberties seem to us
TO be in any danger of abridgment by this
reasonable proposition to compose difference
bv the absolute withdrawal of the two tickets
that have grown out of it. We are aware that
General Beaver holds some rather singular
notions about the liberties OF citizens. lie
has exempifed them heretofore. The citizens
of his district few years ago chose him to
represent them in a National Republican Con-
venton In the belief that they had right
to their own choice of candidates, and that his
duty was simply to represent them in express
inc it, they instructed him explicitly how to
cast their vote lie viewed their action as an
abridgment of the liberty of Citizen Cameron
to cast the vote of the Republican party of the
State, and of his own liberty to serve Citizen
Cameron. 1t seems never to have occurred to
him that the liberties of any other citizens, of
a majority, i'll fact, of tho Republican citizens
of his district, were abridged by his refusal to
permit their preference to be expressed in the
4, OF 4 ,o il.1,.
ties of Citizen Cameron and himself, and gave
his vote accordingly. Their liberties" were
not abridged" by his action III comparison
with them the CELEBRITIES" of other citizens
were Of no consequence.
We believe Chairman Cooper is quite right
in saying that the Republican party would
"never consent to abridge the liberties of any
"ctizen," and it is precisely that issue that the
independent Republicans have raised and pro-
pose to stand by. They say that the continu-
ance of Senator Cameron's absolute control of
the Republican party of Pennsylvania, as its
hereditary and titular boss" is the greatest
possible abridgment, the practical sub
version, of the liberties of a majority of Repub
lican citizens. They say he abridged their
liberties when he compelled their delegates to
Chicago to vote for his choice against the in
structions of their constituents; that he
abridged their liberties in the constitution of
the State Convention which nominated Beaver;
that he abridged their liberties when he
required the convention to reward Beaver for
obeying him and disobeying his constituents
by nominating him for Governor; that he
abridges their liberties by insisting
upon Beavers continuing as a candi-
date and that their consent to any
compromise which includes the recognition of
his dictatorship and consent to its continu-
ance will not only abridge the liberties but
permanently destroy all freedom of action in