The San Francisco call., 1896-09-24

TO that convention, and they settled
matter that was within their power and
Jurisdiction. 1t naturally followed that
the nominees of the same convention for
Congressman and Presidential electors
were legally and properly nominated, but
there the powers, duties and functions of
the congressional convention ended and
that convention could not by its own acts
perpetuate its existence nor enlarge its
powers.
The Fourth Congressional District
constitutes but fractional part of the
City and County OF San Francisco. The
convention OF that district had no power
TO exercise any rights, duties or functions
whatever in the Fifth Congressional Dis
trict, which had its independent conven-
ton.
"The Fifth Congressional District Con-
vention of which 1 was and am the chair
man, having nominated its Congressman
and Presidential elector, adjourned to
the call of the chair. No meeting of that
convention, either of itself or jointly with
the Fourth Congressional District Con-
yention, has ever since been called.
The so-called Kelly -Mahoney County
Committee was appointed at an alleged
JOINT meeting OF the Fourth and Fifth
Congressional districts, but since no such
joint meeting was ever called or held bv
any legal authority, and since the alleged
source of authority never existed, it fol-
lOMO Ludb IuO h6lly -MalOQeY COUNTY
mmlttee, so called, has not and never
had any legal existence.
''Ihe -Mahoney convention gets
its pretended authority from an alleged
County Committee called into existence
as above stated, but it can have no greater
or higher authority than that which called
it into existence, and it legitilnately fol-
lows, therefore, that it has no legal exist
ence.
''If it should be claimed that the Con-
gresslonal committees in the several Con.
gres ssional districts in tine State alone rem
resent the power and authority of the Re-
publican party, it must follow that the
action OF every county convention held
throughout the State under the auspices
and jurisdiction of the county committees
Is illegal and void, and there has not been
legal nomination for any Superior
Judge, Assem- blyman, Senator or other
officer in the State. The statement of this
tact alone shows the ridiculous and pre-
posterous nature of the pleas advanced by
the so-called Kelly-Mahoney faction
III the Fourth Congressional District had
the power to call into existence a county
committee, the Fifth Congressional Dis
trict convention, which embraces a LARGE
section of the City, had the same power
and may still be called upon to exercise
the same functions and have the same
power as is vested in the Congre ssiopal
district conventions and the entire Fifth
District is entitled to participate therein
and it would follow that we would be
obliged to call in the delegates from the
counties of San Mateo and Santa Clara.
which constitute part of the Fifth Dis
trict, to participate in the proceedings
leading up to the nomination of a muni-
cipal convention in the City of San Fran
CISCO"
John M Chretien gave his opinion as
follows:
Ever since the Republican party was
organized in this County the municipal
convention has been recognized by a GER
tain number of people who composed the
County Committee. The County Commit
tee is the body which calls the convention
for the purpose of electing delegates to the
municipal convention, which, in turn,
would nominate officers for the municipal
election. That county convention, while
in session, would name The successors of
that body which had called them together.
and the people whom they elected were
to serve until their successors qualified.
Following that rule and principle laid
down by Democrats and Republicans
alike, two years ago the Republican
County Convention, which was presided
over by Mr.. Watt, named the County
Committee. After they had done so they
adjourned sine die. They were then dead
and out of existence. This County Com
mittee were the sole arbiters of the Quail
ications of its mem bers. They could in
crease or diminish their numbers, and ex.
pei or suspend anybody that they wanted
to in their County Com mittee by majority
vote. Their term of office does not expire till
January 1. 1897 and until that time they
are the only successors OF the County Com
mittees that have existed during the past
twenty years. They have the books, the
archives and other property handed down
by their predecessors. They call the
county convention which names their sue
cessors, and, whether they name the same
men or new men has nothing to do with
any National party or any State Central
Committee, nor with any mem bers of the
National Committee from Maine or IL
linois, or Nebraska, because, while we are
Republicans. we believe in State rights to
this extent, that no combination of men
from different States and territories of the
United States can direct or dictaSe who
shall be the Coroner of this City and
County, or who shall be the County Com
mittee.
"The State Central Committee has rec
ognized US; our State convention in ses-
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