Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-04-04
General MahOne's Tran.


Gen. Mahone's Republican friends who
stand by him in his attempts to retain in
his own hands the control of the Republi-
can organization in Virginia do not admit
that the Republican National Convention
of 1884 took any action upon the unit rule
as such. In one view of the matter, this
contention may be maintained; for the unit
rule was not mentioned in the regulation
how delegates should thereafter
be elected to national conventions. But the
spirit of the regulation was that the dele
gates were to go unpledged. That this
was the intention of the convention was in
dictated by the circumstances. The follow.
ing are the words of the regulation so far as
they apply to Gen. Mahone's difference of
opinion with certain members of his State
Central Committee. We quote:
"Each congressional district in the Uni.
ted States shall elect its delegates to the
National Convention in the same way as
the nomination of member of Congress is
made in said district"
delegates at-large for each State, and
their alternates, shall be elected by State
conventions in their respective States"
Here is no mention of the unit rule; but
doubtless the members of the Republican
National Convention thought they had ex-
cluded the possibility of delegation solid
ly instructed for one man by providing that
four of the delegates from each State should
be chosen by State convention aud the
rest of them by congressional. district con-
ventions meeting one to-day and another
tomorrow. What else could the National
Convention have done in this behalf? No
body would seriously contend that that
body could rightfully forbid any delegation
to vote as unit if after their appointment
they decided for themselves, whether at
home or at the seat of the convention, to
vote together. The feature of the unit
rule that was objected to-and the only
feature that was objected to-was the one
providing that a member desiring to cast
his own vote in his own way should not do
so without the consent of his delegation. 1t
was of this requirement that Mr.. Campbell,
of West Virginia, was speaking when he
distinguished himself in the National Re-
publican Convention of 1880. That con-
vention decided that every delegate should
vote as he pleased. But this by no means
prevents, or was intended to prevent, del
egation from deciding for itself whether it
will or will not vote as unit. If they de-
sire to vote as unit they have the right to
do SO. If on the other hand they desire to
divide they have the right to do so. In
structed or pledged delegations not free to
divide nor to vote together are what the
Republican National Convention of 1884
provided against.
Now as to Gen. Mahone's plan. We
quote:
SIT provides that the people of the dis
tricts, or their delegations respectively,
shall decide whether the meetings to select
delegates to the national conventions shall
be held at the State Convention or at an-
other time in their respective districts. It
also allows the county committees to decide
whether the delegates to the State Conven-
ton shall be chosen by mass-meetings or
by county conventions constituted by dele
gates elected by precinct meetings."
Here, again, ia no mention of the unit
rule. 1t cuts no figure in this new move
ment. And though Gen. Mahone's plan
does not provide that the delegates shall be
elected by congressional districts, it does
provide that they may be. For example,
under his plan the Republicans of Rich
mond have the right when they meet to
elect delegates to the State Convention to
declare in favor of electing the district del
egates to the Chicago Convention by con-
Observation-Disclosures conventions, and ifa ma
jority of the delegates to the State Couven-
ton from this congressional district go to
that body thus instructed, then the dele
gates to the Chicago Convention from this
district will be chosen by district conven-
ton. And so of any other congressional
district 10 the State. Il the Republicans of
the counties aud cities fail to take action 10
The matter, than the delegates to tie State
Convention from each congressional district
may, il they choose, decide to have
the delegates to the National Convention
selected by the district.
That is d very ingenious acheme. Sup
pose 90st, Frazier, Gimer, Lewis, aud the
rest of the anti Malone Republicans pro
pose to hold ongrsssional-distri con
vention to elect delegates to Chicago. Ma
homes followers in that district will decide
to hold congressionai-distric convention
themselves; and their delegates would be
yond a doubt be seated at Chicago; for the
others would be boilers not Recognized by
the Republican State Central Committee.
If the delegates sent to Chicago by enc
convention of boilers meet this fate, all the
boiling delegates will meet it. In word,
Malone will see to it that his delegates are
the regulars and the others are the boilers.
He will have coDgressioGal-district conven-
tions in every district if he finds it neces
sary. His plan provides for this very con-
tingency. He has not been caught yet.
He still has his grip upon the Republican
organization in Virginia, aud will have a
solid Sherman delegation. We repeat that
in every congressional district where it may
be necessary he will hold convention.
The delegates from the other districts he
will choose either at the State Convention
or afterwards, as it may suit his designs
upon the bolters.-Rich. Dispatch, April
LIST.