National Republican., 1888-04-05
Ron. w. G. Einm ani the N;rcigiu
Convention.

.pm The Hon. ". G. Elan, wh.rrv .'yr
.r mIr:
1HrvmAS's. W.. Apr >. t,S..-Untg
S .l.uNAl RfirRiicAN; itis yury UntrI'ui..r, .
uit Hi.u q matter uf keen rc4rtt. ta.t vrw
editorial OF last saturday, ON the action pI The
state Republican committee Of Nirl. Ih,. IN
calling the state Republican cllyel'.pl AIT
not been based ON correct iu'Or nttbI il-
stead OF ON false statements. c.r'trl
hy Democratic ami other enc ni"s "
the Republican party. Asa m'nhHr Of tllt
state committee beg to say that thor /.
net ON" word Vt truth in the allcsi.iI thlt
tho cnll it has issue propp"' ITO has TN
entire state delegation name lby tho -tItc IN.
v,ntiun:" nor was ANY proposition iptnIt "t.''t
, ffcicd or limited NJ N the cJnmittr' a '4'.na
ON the contrary. the call lstin ~ Hli "l''.
fully prc>cribc- that clci d'strirt dnlrEl'ipl
to the state convention shl,l in s,plrit'
meeting or convention not only "l'Ie l..
district delegates To- a., National Convention,
hut also one presidential cl1'tur th"'c dis.
ulct conventions to be- held either ut tt's'A'n
convention ur in the rc.pc tive di'tric;', Il
the district delegation, may scNcrI.ly decide.
The Iowa state Republican convention
which met recently wi, called together on the
.airc Ian. aud Is district dclrgH' Ions m! ~
the state convention IN separate meeting &
select the district delegates to 'hicnvp. \
wide inquiry. moreover, natl" By our chair.
nan di'clu~r~ the fact that the To- 'ulu.loas ui
tie National conventions VI isSO AMI i''lan
tie call # the National Committee. are inter.
U,tod by the Republican, chairnrunnl crn.
mittcts ul Il large majority ~ tiI' stat %, =
mean ne more than tlr' IN, dalr Gt"'
to the National Convention arr 10 he cl""ta
10y the delegates of each district t. IA" = ~"
convention. each district dr,"giti ~ un;ii.
,cI cIara'cly. our r"tl provides tur this s'pl.
rate selection 'iticr ut I'll" cuH"ul'l'l or In
each district.
You see. therefore. that yuu have d"lc IL a
great wrong 10y tuu hastily accepting the
fal.c testimony If uur enemies against ui.
and you must ul,u ,r' that there can h. M
doubt uf the seating "t thc national dele gl'rs
elected under oar call. II there Is 10 h. GYg
Republican convention Et all ~ ChcdtJ uI
the 18Th day of next Jun". Yours trnly,
W. .. E.,N.
Member stat" Republican Committee Of Viz
ginia.
The editorial alluded to was based on an
ncontradictcd dispatch from Petersburg.
Va. where tn" Republican state com.
mittee held It, convention. The NATIONAL
RrrtBLICNN 0cccptcdthc statements Il, true.
because the committee had not given any
other report of it, proceedings, as dODIh
to hare tone. and us any other committee
would have done. The NATIONAL REr'B-
rlCAS does not take any blam" TO itself for
its comments on the action Of the commit
Tee, though they were based upon false
premises. The blame rests with the com
inittcc. because II did not furnish the press
with synopsis Of its proceedings.
We have already printed the statement of
the chairman Of the committee, Gen. Ma
hone, as to what was the action Of the com
mittee-namcly, the calling Of the state con
vontiOm to meet May II nj Petersburg to
select four delegates for the state at large
ard two electors and for the delegates to
this convention from each congressional
district, then to meet in separate conventions
and select two delegates and one clector for
each district, these last conventions to
meet either at Petersburg or in their respcc-
! tive districts. As the National Convention
| meets on the lJN Of June and the delegates
must lc chosen ut least thirty days before
tie meeting of the conventions, this proviso
| III ont the meeting of the district delegate rs
| in their respective districts is evidently i'm
| possible except us to three or four of the ten
| districts IN Virginia.
Tie plain meaning and intent Of the Re.
| publican party law /, against such conycn-
tions us that called by Gen. Mahoncs com
mittcc In 1876 q loud protest was made in
| ~, tnut hot al
| of delegations, because, and we say il in all
kindness to the Virginia Republicans, it
| gave the opportunity to political managers
| to control delegates in the interest of par
| tiCular parties.
In 1850 the opposition to these aggregated
| conventions led to an open revolt, and the
| convention that year, In the resolution ap-
| poing its National Committee, gave it, by a
unanimous vote, the following instructions:
said committee shall, within the next twelve
| months, prescribe method ur methods for
| the election Of delegates to the National Con-
| vcntion 10 be held in 1884. announce the same
to the country, and issue a call for that con
vention in conformity herewith; provided
| that such methods or rules shall include and
| secure to the several congre ssiOnul districts in
the United States the right to elect theirown
delegates to the National Convention.
The National Committee appointed in
1850 did not obey the instructions Of the
convention, and publish any plan within
twelve months Us directed. II did, in is
suing its call. make the following rule
after providing for the holding OF n stat,
convention on twenty days notice TO select
lie delegates 0t large:
The Republicans of the various congrc,
siunal districts shall have the option of elect
ing their delegate, at separate popular dele
gate conventions called on similar notice, ant
| held in the cOngrcS 4iona districts ut any time
within the fifteen days nest prior to the meet
ing of the state convention, or by subdivisions
Of the state convention into district cOnvcn
| tiCnS.
Ills regulation was not satisfactory to tn,
convention which met in 1884, was lis
tirctly disNpproycd, and the report of tn
committee ON rules of order Of business II
the tenth section contains the following in
structons to the National Committees
said committee shall issue the call for tn
meeting of the National Convention i
months at least before the time fixed for IN
meeting, ASp EACH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT {
I'M CNlrID srATi, SHALL ELECT IrS DELEGATE
70 TIE NNGloNNl tuEyENrIoN Is TnE sNu
NAY ~ rnE SoNINArl"" ~ MEMBER nF Go,
oHl,-, T. 'lApG lN sNtp DISTRICT
The rule Is plain and innexiblc. y
choice 4, left Us to methods. The delegate
To the convention must he selected in til
same way that members Of Congress ar
nominated, NJ hcv wW not he cRialcd
Scnts il, tie cptUcatioa
In discussing thi, subject the NATIoNA
REFUTIoAN has but one object in view
that is the success Of the Republican party I
Virginia, II wants the electoral vote Of tn
state for the nominee of the Chicago con