The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-12-20


Convention. whatever may have been their
past party associations. Something must
be done to unite them, and must be done
speedily, for the time for organized action
is near at hand. Without a better under
standing than now exists, it would be USE
less to pretend to make a canvass. With
concert Of organization and purpose, Vir-
ginia will be lost to the Democratic nomi-
nees and ranged in the Republican column
in 1884.
The Action of the Republican Ma
tional Committee.
There are misapprehensions, as well as
Misrepresentation, as to the action Of the
Republican National Committee. which
met in Washington on the 18th inst. One
of our Virginia contemporaries, the Dis
patch assumes that the defeat of Mr..
Frye's proposition to change the basis of
representation in the Convention. was q
victory for ''Arthur and Mahone," and
then goes on to condemn the ''rotten bor-
ough'' system of electing delegates to the
Republican National Convention. The
proposition introduced by Mr.. Frye was
substantially the same offered by Hon. W.
E. Chandler, at the meeting of the Com
mittee in January last. and voted down
three different times. The fatal objection
to it was found in the fact that the Com
mittee had no power to act in the matter.
The National Convention, of which the
Committee is the creature, had restricted
its duties tosimply providing the mode of
electing delegates to the National Conyen-
tion. 1t had no authority to consider u
proposition to change the basis of repre-
sentation. This view prevailed with mem
bers of the Committee, who were favora-
BILE to Mr.. Frye's resolution, in the alb
stract, and influenced them to vote for its
reference to the National Convention as
the proper body to act upon it. Of course
there are serious objections to the sugges-
tion of the Maine Senator, apart from its
effect of destroying the unwritten law Of the
party. AS Gen. Golf remarked, in discussing
it, it drew a dead line. N orth of it was to be
regarded rs Republican and South of it
all was to be given over to the Democracy,
and this would make the Republican par
ty sectional organization instead of Ma
tional. The administrative policy Of the
Republican party operates alike on all the
States. practically beneftting the South
more than the North. 1t is the boast of
that party, that the equality of the States
is paramount consideration, and that in
National Convention the national idea
should prevail in the representation recog
nized. As matter of fact the Southern
delegates have never done anything to EN-
barrass the action OF a National Conyen-
ton. They have never acted in concert,
hut have divided as between the candi-
dates the Northern delegates have pre-
sented. Neither have they been influenced
by the patronage Of government to make
choice Of candidates who did not enjoy the
confidence of the party. The charge that
the administration in power at the time
delegates have been chosen controlled the
choice, is entirely gratuitous as to the
past. The same remark may be safely
made as to the future. Indeed, there is
no just cause of complaint against the
present basis of representation, when the
practical results Of the deliberations of
National Conventions are considered. Mr..
Frye holds to some theoretical notions OH
the subject, that have not the merit of
broad craftsmanship, nor can they be de-
Tended in any view of the national char
acter of the Republican organization. We
him any purpose to favor any particular
candidate. This he expressly disclaimed,
and his word is sufficient for us. While we
differ with him as to this proposition and
its effect, il practically enforced, we
might not differ from him rs to the expe-
diency Of nominating candidate of his
choice, ii he had one.
The whole question was discussed with
out reference to Presidential aspirants, so
far as the manifestations in the committee
could indicate. The absence of all SEM
blance of scheming, or personal partizan-
ism was prominently noticeable. Neither
President Arthur, Mr.. Blaine, Gen. Lo-
gan, Mr.. Edmunds, nor any other promi-
nent Republican, was mentioned, or al
luded to in the remarks of any one of the
committee during its sittings. One pre-
vailing thought was. manifest and that
was the Convention. when it assembled in
June next, would make suitable selec-
tion and that selection would be the next
Of tho fol Hho
pronounced confidence was expressed as to
this, from delegates representing the diff
ferent sections of the country.
The selection of Chicago was not in the
interest of any Presidential aspirant.
Southern members of the Committee may
have voted to locate the Convention there
in return for the manly position of Gen.
Logan on the Frye resolution. At the
January meeting of the Committee he had
opposed the same proposition coming from
Hon. w. f. Chandler, and supported by
Mr.. Frye. He then discussed the resolu-
tion on its merits, at the same time ex-
pressing the belief that it was not proper
subject for the committee to consider. In
the meeting OH the 18th he argued this
lastyiew Of it and materially aided in de-
feating it. Other committeeman from
Northern and Western States voted
against Mr.. Frye-notably the committee
men from New Jersey, New Y FORK, Penn
sylvania. Minnesota. Indiana. and other
Northern and Western States.
The action of the committee, therefore,
had no significance whatever as to the
Presidential nominee. 1t was neither a
victory for President Arthur nor Gen. I.o-
gan, in that connection, nor defeat for
Mr.. Blaine or Senator Edmunds..
In this connection it is proper to notice
a statement in the Washington cores
pondence of the Cincinnati Gazette, where
it is asserted that Senator Logan and ex-
Senator Chaffee went among the members
of the committee electioneering for
Chicago, when the contest came down to
Cincinnati and Chicago. This was not so.
The writer of this sat by Senator Chaffee,
and we are certain that he did not move |
from his position while the balloting was
going on. Nor did Gen. Logan interest |
himself in the issue by any unusual de-
AS the balloting progressed,