National Republican., 1883-01-10
Meeting of the National Committee.

Meeting OF the National Committee.
If the national committee of the republican
party which is to assemble here on the 18th
instant, shall act with the prudent delibera-
tion beftting the work it is to do, and the
condition of the party, it will guard against
serious dangers which lie in the pathway of
the future. The construction of national
convention must either be by the voluntary
assembling of delegates whose title is undis-
putcd, or il must be in response to call is
sued by some authorized central authority, in
which lattcr case the terms Of the call, within
legitimate authority and in accordance with
usage, would be guido.
The call of the last national convention was
upon republicans and all who will cooperate
with them in supporting the nominees of the
party" and they were invited "to choose two
delegates from each congressional district,
four at large from each state, two from each
territory, and two from the District of Column
bia." This call was based upon an order
made by the national convention that
each state be entitled to number of
delegates equal to twice the number of its
senators and representatives in congress, &c
The usage had been thus to call upon the
states to send delegates, The language of the
call, written after the committee adjourned
was not framed in the exact words of the or
der of the committee, but the omissions were
made for brcvity only and without thought
that it could be construed as changing the
meaning of the order which was the sole au-
I ttg fnr bn
truth of history concerning the call for the
republican national convention of 1850.
The struggle at Chicago, which resulted in
the exclusion of many delegates having state
credentials and the admission Of Others in
their places claiming to represent districts,
made the convention a different body from
that which the adherents of state authoriza-
ton believed had been chosen by the voters
of the party. The eXigency which success
fully demanded the exclusion from
the convention of son of ABRA-
HAM LINCOLN, now secretary of war,
and a son of STEPHEN a. DOUGLAS,
as delegates from Illinois, armed though they
were with credentials from the state conven-
tion, the gcnunencss Of which none dis
putcd, has long since ceased to be profitable
subject of discussion. 1t was patent at the
time, and the act having been done under
alleged regard for district representation,
then first contended for, it seemed essential
to consistency that the expedient on which a
presidential nomination turned should be
erected into a tenet of political faith lest a
a failure to claim it as a virtue should sub.
| jeCt it during the campaign to condemnation
as n vice. The national convention accord
ingly adopted the following after providing
for the appointment of national commit,
tee:
! Said committee shall, within the next twelve
months, prescribe method or methods for the
election of delegates to the national con-
veution to be held in 1881; announce the same tc
| the country, and issuea II call for that convention
In conformity herewith: PrOUided, That such
methods or rules shall include and secure to the
several congressional districts in the United States
the right to elect their own delegates to the ma
tional convention.
1t is under this order that the committee al
| its adjourned meeting next week, is to con-
slider the manner Of securing to districts the
right of electing their own delegates The
!
was without delibCraton. 1t was offered
originally without the proviso, by Mr.. BOUT.
WELL, of Massachusetts,, and amended on
motion of Mr.. BUTrERwoRTH, of Ohio
! by adding the proviso. Although il
has been contended that one national
convention cannot properly give a direction
as to the procedure in the next one, there Is
| question of district representation. The best
way of securing it without confusion, and al
| the same time guarding against Its being con
uected with weapon for rending the party
in twain by selfish or destructive men, is
what should now engage the best efforts oI
the committee. AT another time we,shall at
tempt to point out some of the dangers ahead
and suggest some Of the precautions which
might avert them.