New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-14
DISTRICT REPRESENTATION.

HOW DELEGATES TO NATIONAL REPUBLICAN cONs
vESTTONs MAY BE CHosEN-A MEETING OF THE
COMMITTEE APPOINTED IN PURSUANCE OF THE
RESOLUTION OF THE CHICAGO CONVENTION TO
BE HELD ON SATURDAY
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrRUSg.i
WASHINGTON, April 13.-Ex-Governor Jewell,
chairman of the Republican National Committee.
arrived in Washington to-day, aud after consulta-
ton with other members of the committee now here,
called meeting of the committee to be held at tho
Arlington Hotel next Saturday evening. The main
purpose of this meeting is further to consider the
subject of district representation in the next Ma
tionaI Convention.
Considerable interest has recently been manifested
in regard to the details Of the plan to be
adopted by the National Committee under
the order adopted by the Convention of 1880
respecting district representation; and the COM
mIttee has been accused by some newspapers, which
are not we'll informed on the subject, of dereiction
of duty. The order Of the Convention provided
that the National Committee SHALL within the
next twelve months prescribe methods or rules for
the selection of delegates to the National Conven-
tion to be held in 1884, announce the same 10 tho
country. and issue q call for that Convention in
conformity Herewith; provided that such methods
rules shall include and secure to the several Coni
gressiona Districts in the United States the right to
elect their own delegates to the National Con-
vention."
strict construction of this order would require
not only that the rules and methods for tho selection
of delegates should be prescribed within twelve
months after the Convention, but also that
call for the Convention of 1884
should be issued within the same period.
This of course would be absurd, and Ex-Governor
Boutwell, who was the author of the original reso-
luton. did not intend that it should bear any such
construction. The resolution presented be-
cause he and good many other Grant men in the
Convention believed that they had been unjustly
dealt with in respect to certain contested seats;
and they proclaimed desire that the Republicans
throughout the country should be fully advised a
sufficient time beforehand of the rules to govern the
election of delegates to the Convention of 1884 1t
may be worth while to recall that Governor Bout
wells original resolution stopped at the word "there-
with in the extract quoted. Mr.. Butterworth, OF
Ohio, offered the proviso an amendment, and the
resolution was then unanimously adopted. In pur-
suance of this order the National Committee on
July /, 1880, adopted the following:
Pesolred That in order to aid this committee h carry
ing out the instructions OF the National Convention to
rules for electng delegates the next National Conven-
ton request hereby made for the transmission to the
committee OF plans and suggestions on the subject from
any person prior to October 10, 1850
At the same time two plans " were submitted to
the National Committee. The one suggested by
William L. Chandler reads as follows:
The Republican National Convention Of 1884 shall com
Delegates dele e from each Congressional District,
all to be chosen at popular conventions
a O each ssss state may Sess the Delegates
from each Congressional District shall be the choice of
the states for the election OF delegates to the National
Convention shall be held at east one month DefSrs the
Of contests may be given to the National Committee, ac.
companied by fun printed statements Of the grounds OF
and In the be sSr by Sf the
notices and statements BY the National Committee.
That submitted by Colonel John A. Martini Of
Kansas, another member of the committee is as fol-
lows:
That the Republican National Convention for 1884
rstoEach state shall be entitled to four delegates at
Seeond-Each Congressional District shall be entitled
fhird~n addition to delegates at-large each State
shall be entitled to representation in proportion TO It's
Republican vote-that e, delegate FOR every 10000
ton Of over one-half that number.
Subsequently it was determined to hold a meet
ing of the National Committee at Washington,
March 5, 1851, to consider the subject; and ths
period during which suggestions were invited was
extended to February l, 1881. The officers of the
National Committee also appointed q committee to
receive all suggestions, and to prepare and submit
plan at that meeting. The members of this COM
mlttee were William f. Chandler, Edward McPher-
son and George C. Gorham, only the first named be-
ing member of the National Committee. At the
meeting of the National Committee March 3, 1881,
Messrs. Chandler and Mcpherson submitted the fol-
lowing plan
The Republican National Convention Of 1884 shall
consist OF four delegates aarge from each state and
two delegates from each Congressional District an ad.
itional delegate aarge for each Republican Senator in
ditionaI district delegate for eacn Republican Represent-
ative such COngress-a TO be chosen a popular
state may determne provided the delegates each
Congressional District snail be the choice Of the Repub
cans OF that district convention held within tho dis
trct purpose The conventions within the states,
for the election Of delegates to the National Convention,
shall held least month before the time for tho
meeting OF the National Convention Notices OF contests
may be given to the National Committee accompanied
by fu printed statements Of the grounds OF contest.
which shall also be made public; and preference In the
order Of bearing and determining shall be gyen
of such notices and statements by the National COM
mittee.
Mr. Gorham submitted the following plan
The Republican National Convention OF 1884 should
consist of number OF delegates from each state equal
to twice number OF its Senators and Representatives
in Congress- and the Republicans IN each State and
others who will act with them should direct the manner
Of choosing its delegates
1t will be observed that Mr.. Gorham representing
the Grant faction, which defeated at Chicago,
reported a plan which was III direct oppcsi-
ton to the positive instructions of tho
National Convention, under and by virtue of
which the committee was proceeding. He and Mr..
Mcpherson were invited by the National Committee
to be present and participate in the discussion of tho
subject. Mr.. Gorham advocated his own plan, which
he Justified on the ground that the National Con-
vention of 1850 possessed no authority TO pre-
scribe the methods by which the delegates to
the Convention of 1854 should be chosen.
The discussion lasted one entire day on
the questions, first of district representation,
and second of representation, based apon Republic
can votes There much difference of opinion
as to the best method of working out the details Of
district representation. based upon Republican
votes that that part of the subject left TO be
finally determined at subsequent meeting but
the National Committee then and there, by unsn-
nous vote, adopted the following announcement:
Resolred, Tha, in accordance with the order Of tho