Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-06-08

VT iANl1 MAN AZ faii4Nl INl'tAN sA4A
HONE RULE-THE UNIT RULE CON
DEFINED, AND THE PEOPLE ASKED
TO TAKE CHARGE OF THEIR OWN AZ
FAIRS.
To the Republican Voters Of Virginia:
At the Republican slate and district
convention, assembled Nay 18th, 1888,
in Petersburg, Va, the concerted course
pursued by the delegates who upheld the
unit rule and the present plan Of organl-
zation was such that those delegates OPP
posed thereto were forced to retire, for
self-protectiOn, both from the STATE and
district conventions. When the with
drawal Of these delegates first occurred,
it was for the purpose Of conference as
to the proper course to be pursued, and
the conference was held in Library hall,
at Petersburg, while those who remained
continued in session at the opera house.
Upon converting at Library hall, the
retiring delegates selected Gen. V. ID.
GrOner. Of Norfolk, 10 preside, and MIR.
&. G. Clarke. OF Petersburg, 10 act rs
secretary. After full conference, il was
unanimously resolved that the body Of
delegates thus Withdrawing would not
return to participate in the proceedings
at the opera house, and the undersigned
were appointed a committee 10 set forth
in the form OF AN address the reason, for
our course OF action. IL was further de-
termined to establish Il distinct Rcpubli-
can organization. and pursuant thereto
the plan Of organization hereto attached
was unanimously adopted. Tho meeting
then proceeded to elect delegates at
large to Chicago and clcctOr--at-largc
for the state to elect a state chairman
and state committee; to put on foot a
Republican organization in all the cOun-
ties and cities Of Virginia pursuant to the
plan adopted, and to declare that the
platform to be adopted by the Republic
can party at the national convention in
Chicago, to be assembled June 18th.
ISIS. shall be the platform Of Our party
thus organized. Hon. ID. +. Houston,
OF Roanoke. was unanimously elected by
the Representatives from the congress
,ional districts
And having announced what was done
at said meeting at Library hall, we now
proceed TO state, rs required to do by
the terms OF our appointment, the rea-
sons for this action upon our part and to
invite the hearty cooperation OF all true
Republicans in Virginia with Our plans
and purposes.
Ever since its adoption it has been APP
parent that the plan OF organization UNI
der which the Republican party OF this
state has been conducted since 1881, j.
such as 10 render it capable Of great
abuse, and to place It in the power Of
the state chairman OF the party TO ignore
the will Of the people in selecting cOun-
ty and city chairmcn and committees
4 widespread feeling has existed in our
party ever since the plan was adopted,
that thi, power OF appointment and re-
mOval in his hand, a chairman, who
might choose To do 50, could not only
use those chairmcn aud committees in
their character as such, but selecting
them thoroughly i'm accord with him,
and subject to his will, he could through
them so manipulate the time, place, and
circumstance Of the meeting, Of our
party, as to procure endorsement II his
views against and in spite OF the will OF
the majority Of the people.
Many things done since 1854 have
demonstrated to our voters not only the
possibility Of such course, but that the
temptation 10 those entrusted with such
power was too strong to be resisted
Other powers vested in the state chair
man under the thin disguise Of a grant
to an executive committee composed OF
himself and two others, and the power
In him 10 organize all state conventions
and name their temporary chairman,
have really placed our party for years
completely i'm the hands and power OF
It's chairman whenever he might see fit
to exercise all the function, with which
he was invested. 1t would be idle TO re-
view the history Of the Republican party
in Virginia for the past four years with
view to showing whether the chairman
has or has not brought into full play the
extraordinary powers conferred on him
by that plan Of organization 50 as to man
ipulatc party action according to his viii.
Every voter OF the Republican party has
at one time or another realized by sOme-
thing that ha, happened In his own neigh
bOrhOOd. that the power Of the state chair
man was greater than the power OF the
people. and the will Of the state chair
man backed by the state machinery OF
organization stronger than the will OF
any number Of the people. District and
county conventions have been called or
adjourned have been rccOnyened or
dissolved have acted, rcas,emblcd, null
lifted their former action or reversed il.
Candidate, have been put in the field, re-
tired. supplantcd, substituted, or slaugll-
tered i'm the most surprising way. Chair
men and committees have appeared, dis
rcappearcd, and whence they
came or whittier they went has been an
enigma to the people who do the voting.
But all these apparent mysteries from
which, at one time or another, no section
OF our state has been free, were cXplica- !
BILE from the fact that our plan OF organ |
izatiOn Ia. been such since 1881 that the |
state chairman, has under the powers |
vested in him, become the party and |
used il 10 carry out his will; whereas, |
in the theory at least, he was its servant |
to carry out its will.
While this course has been submitted
to heretofore without open revolt it has
not been without disastrous results. A
deep-seatcd and widespread feeling Of
serytude has CALLED the Republican
masses. Growing discomfort, not only
among the leaders, but among the mass
rs, has undoubtedly existed. a feeling
that In party policies and management
the general will was not consulted or
expressed, while the merely personal
preference and plans of the chairman
were carried out. These things have all
contributed 10 show the dangers and in
Justice OF the plan OF party organization
under which our party has been acting.
The PRONUNCIATION Of secret circular,
sent out by the chairman Of our party in
January last, brought all these growing
lscontcnts more distinctly to head
han ever before, and displayed more
glaringly than ever before to the Repub-
leans OF Virginia the dangers to the pop
llar will from the abuse OF the powers
entrusted under our plan OF organization
% this chairman. This circular had been
sent out sin honorable confidence to a
lew trusted friends. 1t came to the light
II day by chance. II showed 70 the Re
publican voters OF Virginia that while
hey had been awaiting the time when
hey should meet and confer and choose
delegates to Chicago, TO vote for the can
ldate Of their choice, the chairman OF
lie party had been secretly arranging to
secure delegates 10 Chicago to vote for
lie candidate OF his choice. That he
would use the full powers OF his party
to accomplish this result, was
lot only apparent from his past manage
nent, but from what he actually cOun-
elled in this secret circular. 1t named !
he candidate OF his choice and asked as
,istance for him. And lest there should
De a failure to secure all the delegates by
his method It counseled the adoption Of
he unit rule, 80 that with even one more
han half the delegation, he might force
Ill the delegation to vote for his choice,
md finally it furnished the form OF res
button praising the plan OF organization
md his own administration thereof.
IL il 1iflicult 10 pXaOVprate the effect OF ,