The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-07-26
The "Solid South. =

refers to the nominee OF the Republican
party in 1884 for President, must be taken
with caution. Inquiries were sent to 400
localities in the ss3S States. and responses
received from about $50. OF these Blaine
was the favorite, according to the cores
pondents, of 1870, Arthur of 60, Edmunds,
40, and so on. The fact that there has
been no agitation of the Presidential NOM
ination for 1884, that there has been no dis
cussiOn OF the comparative strength of
prominent members of the party, must
necessarily detract from the accuracy of
the statement given. There is no doubt
that Blaine has larger personal follow
ing than any member of the Republican
party, but this would not control in the
nominating convention. The question of
availability should and would come largely
into consideration. The expressions of
preferences as given in the Times reflect
the partialities for Nh. Blaine, but not the
matured judgment as it would affect an
available candidate for the Presidency. A
development of public sentiment, with di-
rect reference to this phase Of the ques-
ton, might sustain the first impressions
as published, but the fact that MI. Blaine's
name has been prominently before two
National Conventions for the Presidential
nomination and that it has been discussed
for decade past in that connection, would
not tend to assure his availability as a
Presidential candidate. The acerbi ties
and fractional feeling aroused by such dis
cussion, might have the effect to weaken
him with the voting element Of the party,
while at the same time. there are many in
dependent Democrats, especially in the
South, who might give him their support.
Whether OF not there is anything substan-
tial in these views, will doubtless be fully
exposed before the Convention meets.
The preferences expressed for President
Arthur may not give the degree of
strength with his party at this time, and
may not be an indication of what his
it will be when the Convention as
sembles. The growing popularity of
his administration-the calm, digniied,
and impartial conduct Of public affairs
to impress the Judgment of the country,
and add to his claims. But whether
his nomination will be the best thing to
be done, can only be determined by the
state of public sentiment when the Con-
vention meets.
The Times, in a subsequent editorial,
calls attention to matter that cannot fail
to receive much attention from now until
the National Convention convenes. 1t re-
latesto the solid South mot Democratic
but Republican, crystalized for the pur-
pose of controlling OF debating the nomi-
nation of Republican candidate for the
Presidency. fife Times assumes that there
would be danger to Republican success
in 1884 in any attempt to manipulate the
delegates from the Southern States into a
solid mass to determine the result of the
deliberations of the Convention in the
choice of a candidate. Not only would
such policy jeopardize the ticket that
might be nominated under such auspices,
but it would so offend the Independent ele-
ment Of the party in the North, as to de-
moralize the organization and give the leg
islative as we'll as executive branch of gov
eminent to the Democracy.
We, however. do not apprehend that a
nomination will be effected in that way
The assurance that the Southern delega-
tions in the Republican Convention would
be solid for any candidate-whether Ar
thur, Blaine. Edmunds, Logan OF any 9TH
er man-would be fatal to his prospects.
1t would partake too much of machine
methods and boss dictation and would SO
offend the representatives of the Common
wealths of the North and West, where Re-
publican electors must be obtained, that u
determined and successful effort would be
organized to defeat it.
The question involved in the possibility of
States. from which little can be expected
in the way of electoral votes, controlling
nominations in a National Convention,
was considered and discussed at the last
meeting of the Republican National Com
mittee. 1t was claimed by some of the
Eastern and Western members that the
States that could be relied on for electoral
votes should have larger representation
in determining the candidates to be chosen
for President and Vice President. All the
members recognized the justice of the
claim, but the plan proposed was imprac-
ticable, and no other suggested seemed adj
equate to the case and at the same time
the observance of the principle of popular
representation. The result was that the
old basis was retained, and upon that the
delegates will be chosen to the Convention
of 1884.
But should the present method Of select
ing delegates be so perverted and abused
as to mass the delegations from the South
ern States into solid body,fo the purpose
of naming the Presidential candidate to
the Northern and Western States which
give Republican electoral votes, we might
expect protest at an inopportune and
dangerous time. If not successful in pre-
venting the nomination of the choice of
this kind Of ''solid South, it certainly
would be defeated at the ballot box, where
the individual voter would either record
his rebuke, OF sullenly retire from the con-
test, leaving the machine managers to
shoulder the responsibility of their own
presumption.
If there is one thing more clearly appa-
rent than another in Republican litera-
ture, it is that the individual voter does
not intend to have public sentiment fore
stalled or thwarted by the arbitrary
methods of scheming politicians. The
result of last year in New York and
Pennsylvania, and indeed throughout the
North and West, forcefully impressed a
lesson that ought not to be disregarded
or forgotten. 1t plainly spoke for a higher
political morality-for a more elevated
guage for political methods and a broader
expression and representation of the indi-
vidual voter. 1t gave notice to the coun-
try that party nominations and party in
terests must hereafter reflect and be in
accord with the warnings and ambitions
of those of the party who are Republicans
from onviction-because they believe that
the administrative policy of the party is
that which will best conserve business in
terests and national prosperity, and not
81 I