The New York herald., 1868-12-06
LYMAN TRuMBuLL.

He Thinks of Universal Suffrage, the Civil
Tenure Bill, Alabama Claims and Diplo.
matte Stumping.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. q, 1868.
senator Trumbul Of Illinois, is one OF those public
men with whom the sentiment Of the Latin poet
pdria super onnia has ever been guiding motive
nhs participation in the conduct Of national AFFAIRS.
TIE impeachment trial placed him in his true light
asa sincere and courageous patriot, who was pre-
pared to reject the ties Of party and incur the OBJ
loluy Of o large circle Of friends and supporters
raher than surrender his convictions OF right and
u,tice-rather than see the party to which
he was allied triumph on . degrading and
unconstitutional issue. His course has, however,
been vindicated by the better common sense OF the
country, and he stands to-day even higher In the
estimation Of the true conservative element Of the
people than he ever did befole He is one Of the few
Western men who unite to fearless style OF address
ard an independent course Of policy suavty OF dis
position and gentleness OF temper not usually
found in such easy and natural combination. Your
correspondent called in upon the Senator to-day to
have short talk with him upon national affairs and
learn his views about the questions which are likely
to occupy the attention OF Congress.
'Do you suppose, Senator, the Tenure OF once
&C will be repealed this session f''
We'll, not formally, perhaps, but it will be rem
dered imperative and useless by the enactment of
other laws affecting the occupation OF government
onces. The bill Of Mr.. Jenckes, OF Rhode Island
70, instance, proposes the filing up Of ofices by
system OF competitive examipatiOns, thus sweeping
away almost all the Executive patronage at once
Some one else will have proposition to restore the
original freedom Of the Executive in the choice Of
Cabinet advisers, which is sure to be adopted, and
thus you see, with the passage OF Jenckes' BILL
which has large number OF supporters, there will
be very little left of the Tenure Of Once act"
'an the McCardle case at the last term Of the
SuIreme Court the counsel who supported the
appeal claimed that the court had Jurisdiction"
"rhat was an error. In 1857 an act was passed
giving jurisdiction to the Supreme Court over GER
tain class OF cases which might come before 1t on
wrt OF error or appeal for habeas corpus. 1t was
discovered that q system OF apprenticing negroes
prevailed In Maryland and was but another form OF
slsverY in a somewhat modified degree. The act was
passed TO arising out OF this condition of
things and had such limitations prevented 1t from
being made applicable elsewhere. This was the act
OF which McCardle's counsel took advantage, 1t was
repealed before decision of the court was reached
and though at the time good deal was said about
clrtalng the constitutional power Of the Supreme
Court there was really no curtalment whatever, and
the court to-day has al the jurisdiction 1t started out
with In the year l7S9."
sThe question of making manhood sunrage uni
versal, suppose, will be leading one this session ?"
$50 1t seems. have no objection to seeing the
colOred men IN the State OF Illinois granted the
right to vote. II the same sentiment was held by
majority III all the Northern States 1t would be
blessing. The matter would then be quickly decided
and great source Of annoyance and contention
got rid of, but it appears majority OF the people
not III favor OF the PROJECT. How Is 1t proposed
to be accompllshedW W
"one Senator says by act Of Congress, another by
SPY act of Congress would be simply absurd. In
the first place Congress has no such power, and
allowing that it had, how could the act become per-
manently erectives Suppose this or the next Con-
gress enacted such law, what Is to pre-
vent another legislature-a democratic one,
for instance-repeallng it and thus making
confusion ConfOunded9 wOuld IA 20 a
game OF batedore and shuttlecOck. II 1t be passed
by constitutional amendment 1t will be very much
like a fraud on the people. Michigan, Illinois, In
diana, Ohio Connecticut, Missouri aud Kansas voted
down the question OF negro suffrage when iairly SUBJ
mltled to them. but the republican Legislatures OF
thus, you see the people would be plainly misrepre
sented and dcfrauded. The requisite ree-fourths,
presume can be obtained, and see no likelihood
that The advocates OF the measure will allow the op
portunity TO pass OF Fastening its accomplishment.
1t will be brought up early and pressed forward with
energy There Is necessity for this because it may
seldom happen again when the Legislatures OF 80
many states will be OF the one complexion. But
there Is question that such an amendment as this
viii be Other than u fraud upon the peOple.n
do you think the approaching session win be
marked By any unusual legislation, SENATOR"
swell sir, i hardly know what TO say about that.
am inclined to think the financial question win
command the largest share OF attention 1t is the
question that s being talked OF now above all others,
OF relief from Congress-"
"Have you prepared any bill on tho subject
Senatorr'
.'No, sir; have not believe will merely play
the part of q spectator SO many Senator'S and Re-
presentativeS have studied the question and turned
their attention to IL for the purpose OF devising
some grsat measure OF usefulness that intend to
be quiet listener. shall carefully anayze every
oil presented the subject ach the debates with
the closest attention, and support whatever plan
may consider most likely to work good to the whole
what do you think OF Senator Mor.on's plan9,
"lou refer, presume, to tue plan which proposes
the fixing OF time two or three years hence for the
/ m IN
clined 10 think that plan is good one but am not
prepared to say 1t Is the best 1t would undoubtedly
encourage resumption by accust0ming the mind to
the idea by the mere designation OF u certain fixed
time for Its commencement. But there is another
measure which consider would greatly hasten re-
sumption. That Is by lesalzing gold contracts. BY
enabling business men to contract specifically for
payments IN gold you encourage such contracts and
bring specie itself into circulation. But as re-
marked before, have no particular plan OF my own
to urge upon the country"
"well, Senator, passing to another subject, what
do you think viii be the upshot OF the negotiations
about the Alabama claims ~
.Rcally, sir, know so little about the negotia-
tons that am unable to form an opinion All that
know ohrthe subject have learned from the news
papers, some Of which notice have lately published
quite fully the supposed points OF the convention be-
leved TO have been agreed upon by Reverdy John
sou and Lord Stanley. Without positive Information
regarding the nature OF this convention OF course
intelligent opinion can be formed"
"Supposing the published accounts OF the conven-
ton to he substantially true do you believe the SEN
"Candidly sir, don't think the Senate would
confirm IT. don't think popular sentiment would
sustain the Senate In ratifying such treaty, even
supposing the Senate inclined that way. The pro-
tocol as arranged between Lord Stanley and Mr..
Johnson ~ not the kind OF agreement demanded by
tue American people. Our people seem TO require a
settlement OF the Alabama claims first, without re-
gard to counerclaims, which Great Britain may set
up. And that is one greas difficulty in the way OF
successful negotiation. Another Is that our people
require reco ynltlon OF the fact by England that
she wrong In conccding bellgerent rights to the
South. Supposing our government has made these
demands IL Is unlikely they will be conceded. The
reason IL evident. Here are two Independent, en-
ghtened, high spirited nations. Each thinks II Is
sound in its positions; each considers 1t Ia right. III
our government insists upon simply having Its
claims settled without regard to any that may be
raised by Great Britain, what's the use OF any diplo-
matte negotat0ns IL Is unnecessary to do more
than simply say, Here's the bill, pay It,, as sug
gcsted in a newspaper lately. No use to have an
ambassador Tor that or protractcd negotiations
81 see stanton's name mentioned for the position
OF ambassador 10 England. Don't you think he
would be good party to settle our little dnicul-
tesY"
'stanton would carry the American sentiment
with INN un louhtcdy. He would be earnest aud
vigorous IN his demand for settlement. But. after ALL
El,.xl ..f Aha