New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-31
THE PEOPLE ON POLITICS
FAIR PLAY AT CHICAGO.
MAJORITY AND PLURALITY CANDIDATES.
A LETTER FROM GENERAL JOSEPH c. JACKSON.
p n

Tins FAR 10 have made little impression Inc COIL
mtcc kindly struck ont 1t IS SAID. phrase against
third term" because Of recent occurrences IN Wall
Street It is not surprising that one OF their number. Mr.
Andrew D. White. delegate to the Republican National
Convention. objected to the whole mo cement Mr.
White is probably the best informed, well rs tho most
polite of the committee ana hc not only rcsents being
instructed but is too well aware that usually such III
stulctiOns 90 for naught.
In the light Of recent events tho action of the indie
pcndents seems somewhat presuuptuous Already tho
entire number delegates has been chosen after infinite
and considerations in canvass seldom equaed for
intelligent public discussion and patriotic interests and
of these $40 delegates fully geo selected by consit
uents who believed that the nomination. either Of Mr.
Blaine or Of Mr. Arthur would be the wsest that could
be made"
We may go a step further or the full Convention All
constitute a majority. Now careful estimate" on
the part Of Mr. Blaines friends gives him on the first
ballot at least 3js votes while careful estimate. on
the part Mr.. Arhurs friends gives the Latter 397
votes Connecting that both estimates are excessive,
nevertheless is apparent that over reefodrhs of the
delegates differ with the Independents i'm their con-
illusions: each the two gentlemen named has amuch
larger constituency than any other candidate yet dis
cas,ed The independents however, after having had
their full share I'm electing delegates, now announce tha
under no circumstances will they support either Mr. Ar
thur or Mr.. Blaine They present no better candidate
They do not overcome the logical presumption IN favor OF
the gentlemen named by uniting on any worthier
nominee It would seem .bcy should wait four years
longer aud start earlier.
one of the chief guarantees Of American liberty.
well OF the permanency and usefulness OF political
party is the right OF the majority. Not only the
minority but al the miHorhcs are. in reason and by
courtesy called upon to yield their preferences to the
voice OF the majority; and when there Is no absolute
majority the voice OF the pluat-excepting only IN
peculiar cases. where considerations for thegenera well
fare imperatyey demand that expressed preferences
he aside and entirely new policy he adopted Win
reasonable expectations OF it, The true rule for
nominating conventions has bcensaid to be, after falling
on a given number OF ballots to secure u majority to
make unanimous If possible the nomination OF the plu-
raity candidate II the majority stu insisted on 10
drop On each successive ballot the candidate receiving
the smallest number OF votes
The folly which has crept into the councils OF the Re
publican party-of exercising its lealers-is the chief
danger which now hauHts it. II began at Chicago In
1850 How unrcasOn ible to say that 1t was provi-
Dental and all for the hest that william H. Seward.
the chief herald Of the irrcpreSsibe conflict was not
selected as the Republican candidate. Who can say
whether under any wise and good Republican President
the sacrifices made in preserving the Union would have
been greater or less than those actually incurred
So at Cincinnati in 1876 OF 7jG delegates the choice
the plurality, viz. of % members was Blaine; yet
petty mnOrities combined against all the popular party
leaders ignored the wishes Of the voters who had inte-
gently selected their trusted delegates. and took mp
in the public service had never been canvaSsed very
dok horse" the validity of whose election was long
questioned Administration was. in some respects
always more or less severely embarrassed.
Again. at Chicago in 1890. the exception only proves
the rule Except for the third term" issue-an Issue
which wholly cXtraneons-(irant. the plurality can
didate having demonstrated that be hal 3o6 votes
would probably have been named for the Presidency
But the third term issue prevents any accurate e.
innate of the real strength Of the candidate then pre-
scented II deemed 10 be TOO severe handicap 1t
was a consideration which affected the general welfare of
the party and would have Lnpered H. success before
the people. Eliminating Grant, is fair TO assume that
Blaine was AGAIN the choice o. the plurality since he re-
ceived PSI votes But what the result Instead Of
wisely combining itself to the list Of excellent names pre-
vioisv cauyaSscd--hcrman. Blaine ami other--whose
political principles and personal characteristics were fully
the convention abandoned it, purpose for
an nrusc with sudden enthusiasm demanded Garfield.
bu patched MP its work with Arthur ~ President
and-hc orld knows the confusion which has en-ued
50 f Will ever be. Let either on" ~ the great political
parties consent 10 ignore or degrade its recognized eal-
ablot and purcst ueu-by encouraging delegates
chosen TO represent the orcorcqces n Hcrc,as'Wss
to shrink from their duty. and one can divine the
possIle mischief 10 the party itself Democracy Hour
isheI under the Administrations of Jefferson and Jack
son; it declined fcrretcd ONT the plblc Pok and
the pu-illanimous buchanan.
More subtle danger arises from the fact that we
no longer NOV lu- Oh ltli' t4'IS p'''i'' ''''''
Neither party c,n safely claim victory IN a1vln'ei
neither is SO exceptionally united and srorY that 10 can
tribe with the preferences Of majority ~ it. voters
What then is To- be the principle Of union and harmony
among the DELEGATE. 70 the Republican Convention j.
the majority rule, plurality rllc 10 be SET aside On
what principle an morganhed minority OF, say hiy
DELEGATES request other mnores to join rs to nulify
the ssl preferences OF more Influential portions "
the party Are the Independents to prepare the way
for the nomination Of man not thoroughly known
to the mass OF voters who must be called upon 10 insure
his election What is the origin of their action What
their purpose : Who pays their bills Is the decisive
principle 10 he that the less known about candidate the
bctcr I, il that be who is all things 10 all men
whose political convictions leading subjects arc in
underlined and uninelligble Is the test to
be that while "he is not satisfactory candidate he Is
good enough for me- th0nGh mere are man! prefer
is II the cae that the qualifications OF the candidate, his
strength with the people his antccedenis ana con
nections are OF no account nut ne Is 20 ne steGo VINO
delegates any have been instructed such are some
of the questions naturally arising in the minds Of honest
Pcnublicans the country over The spirit OF faction is
hostile to sound liberty and wise policy while unjust to
an worthy men who have exhibited noble public as
piration. 1t fearful encouragement to those
who. politically speaking. are tie most worthless camp
followers waiting only to make deal Win the ac-
snch dcyice-the prescription OF popular favortes-
when their qualifications adequate and their abilities
Hond be tolerated I'm any other walk IN
life II would bring ruin TO any honest business calling
prejudice the abest and purest leaders OF the bar II
lnds analogy solely in the game significantly called
cnt- throat cuchrc wherein because OF Inability To
secure the tour requisite players the two weakest
sre 10 defeat the best. Even AZ hOTscace. the Jockey
who. to beat The cetest horse Oul j. Kissed
from the field We have witnessed so many instances
lately of the tail waggnQ the dog that the figure OF
speech has become tre. There is the possibility how
ever that time there may remain party dog TO lie
Wagged
let the candidate whoever he be- enter the serious
work Of his prOfActcd free from the embarrass
1nent which would inevitably accompany any denial,
however plausible of what the American people ALSO
lutely demand free discussion and fair pidy
Sincerely yours, JO~EPH G. JACKSON.
Union Llagne CUB Neic- York, May %, 1854.
ELDER EVANS on THE CAMPAIGN
To me Edftor Of the Tribune.
SIR: The Shakcrs-a quiet peope-address