The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-07-03
The New Code of Honor.

The Rev. Dr. Ih0maS Armltage, OF
New York, is widely known as perhaps
the very strongest divine in the Baptist
denomination in America, and within the
circle of those who knew him personally
he is also known to be probably without
exception the best posted man upon polit-
ical affairs in the American pulpit. He
is too much of genuine reformer him
self to be cheated by the cheap-John re-
form which he perceives to be mere cover
for free-trade. He writes to the New
York FINES, summing up the point of
honor as to the conduct of George Will
liam Curtis and his compeers in the late
National convention, as follows:
My only source of information on this
subject is the general reports of the press,
and / understand the following to be the
facts in the case, namely:
/. These gentlemen were sent directly
from Republican primary elections to rep
resent the wishes of their constituents in
the construction of platform, the nomi-
nation of presidential ticket, and the
management of the party's future we'll
being, including the Presidential canvass.
2. AS honest and faithful representa-
tives they used all their rights OF voice
and vote in serving their constituency on
parity with their fellow-members. Ihey
took their place among the convention
officers and on it's committees, and dld
their duty without hindrance, and make
no complaint that any man infringed their
rights in any respect.
8. They took part in framing the plat
form, and voted without debate for It's
adoption, as did all the other members
of the convention, for the vote was unanl-
nous.
A. In voting for Presidential candidate
they voted their home instructions and
their own intelligent convictions, but
found themselves in a minority, and MI.
Blaine was selected contrary to their
wishes.
After their earnest and manly resistance
of this measure, and their failure to nom
mate their own candidate, they did not
withdraw either from the convention or
the party, nor did they even ask to place
their protest on the minutes. but on the
contrary, they assisted in making Mr..
Blaine's nomination unanimous. Wheth-
er they actually cast their vote for unanim-
| ity does not appear, but they well knew
that the parliamentary rules of the con-
vention, which they had agreed to adopt,
counted their votes in the affirmative I'M
| less they were actually cast in the negative
| and we have no record OF a negative vote
on the nomination of Mr.. Blaine.
| 6. They took an equal part with all the
other delegates in selecting the general
| committee for the conduct of the canvass.
| and committed to it the future well-being
OF the party. requiring that committee to
assume the responsibility of maintaining
| and defending their own platform. and of
| adopting all necessary measures for the
election of the ticket.
Z. They remained in the convention to
| its close, and recorded their votes upon all
other questions, and among them the per-
fectlng OF the ticket in the nomination of
General Logan. No other name but his
was put in nomination for Vice President,
but they voted for him Oh a roll-call of the
States and his name was made unanimous
by their vote. Thus they have submitted
a platform with General Logan upon it for
the adoption Of the country, and created
general committee which they charged
with the management of his election, leav
ing the nomination of Mr.. Blaine entirely
out of the question.
DIR. Armitage inquiries as to the honora-
BILE consistency of these gentlemen who as
sisted so literally to shape the decisions Of
the convention and now repudiate their
own act. He says:
/ ask you now to show those of us who
belong to the common people and are not
politicians, that the above series of sup
posed facts, are not real facts, but that we
are mistaken, that so we may be put in
possession of the exact state of the case
OF else you will show US the consistency of
these gentlemen in putting forth a plat
form with Mr.. Blaine and General Logan
upon it, for our sllffrgges while they re-
ject them. There must be some
code of honor by which they can repudiate
their own acts as responsible members of
the convention which is not manifest to us
obtuse folks at q glance.