Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-12-06
SENATOR TRUMBULLpS VIEWS.
NO DIVISION IN THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY.
The Defeat of Grant would involve Re-
action at the South.

Ahe Deleat OF Grant would involve Hes
action at the South.
Owing to the position which Judge
Trumbull has for some time occupied in
politics, his declarations now are of more
than ordinary interest. He is universally
acknowledged to be man of great ability,
of profound sagacity, and of unimpeacha-
BILE integrity, and whatever we may have
thought of his course in the past, we have
always given him credit for these things.
a special to the Louisville COurier-Jour-
nal, dated Washington, December Sd, de-
tails the following conversation had with
him recently:
I have Just had detailed to me, by a
prominent Southern politician, the partlc-
ulars of conversation, had within the
last day or two, with Senator Trumbull, of
Illinois. Ny Informant, who is himself
an ex-United States Senator, states that he
met Judge Trumbull in the library of Con-
gress, and that after exchanging saluta-
tions, he asked the Senator whether he
would consent to the use of his name as
conservative candidate for the Presidency
against General Grant. The Illinois states
man replied with more than usual empha-
sis:
"NO, sir, 1 would not"
"And Why not?"
"For many reasons Judge Trumbull
said in substance In the first place L
am satisfied where | am. l consider seat
in the Senate of the United States posi-
ton in which can be more useful than
any other, and believe it to be as hOnora-
BILE as any under the Government, if its
duties be efficiently and properly dis
oh I'M hn I In n a
with the programme which has been
marked out by those who refuse to support
the candidacy of the President for re-elec-
ton. am conscious of the need of many
reforms, and 1 am daily striving to accom-
plish them. But do not believe that a
revolution of parties would be salutary. L
do not believe either the people of the
North or South are ready to profit by such
a change"
"And why not? 2"
Because the people of the South have
really accepted nothing and are not willing
to cooperate with the Liberals of the
North in settling the practical relations of
society on q sure and generous basis. |
know that the South has much to COM
plain of. But so have the Liberal Repub-
licans, 1t is not the rebel element, per-
haps, but the nature of things that the
South should not realize the complete
overthrow of the old order and the neces-
sity for complete change of the domestic
policy. / believe that the defeat of Gen.
Grant would involve q reaction at the
South, whose consequences would be even
worse than the present state of affairs"
Don't you think Gen. Grant meditates
the permanent usurpation of the Executive
office ?"
"No, do not My opinion is that Gen.
Grant is, i'll the main, a conservative man.
He has made mistakes. But [ can nOtsay
they justify his removal"
What are your personal relations V'
"Very friendly. [ have opposed some
of his measures; but [ have no personal
feeling against him, and indeed, this is
one of the reasons why it is disagreeable to
have my name mentioned in the cOnnec-
ton you name." .........-
1.-THE Southern Democracy would sup
port you with pleasure"
"YOu are mistaken. The Democracy is
yet too strong in numbers to dlsband, for
that is the meaning of the passive policy.
Three millions of Democratic voters can
not afford to sell themselves to two or three
hundred thousand Republican voters, and
that for mess of pottage which the Re-
publicans and not the Democrats are to en-
Joy. 1 don't believe they will do it. [
think the passive policy already failure"
Like the new departure
''No, not exactly. The new departure was
a necessity win or lose. Had the Demo-
Gratis not adopted it, but in its place had
adopted the platform of 1868, they would
have been still more disastrously beaten.
The new departure made no recruits be-
cause the people did not believe it honest.
The Democratic party leaders did what
they could no longer avOid-that is, accept
the amendments-and the Republicans
have to thank such writers as Mr.. Stephens
and Mr.. Forsyth that the step In advance
did not make further inroads. By 1876
the issue of the war, the amendments and
the kukluX will be out of the way, and
there may be new and complete reorga-
nization of parties. But not now.n
"What do you think of the kuklux ;"
''They may be exaggerated. But there
is enough of unpunished violence at the
South to justify the newspapers in all the
outcry they are making. This alone would
beat the Democracy"
''Then YOU think the fight next year will
be straight-out party AFFAIR.""
81 think it will be as far as the Republi-
cans are concerned. The party is not really
divided, Its internal discussions merely
exhibit the exercise of individual free will
and do it good and not harm. 1t will act
as a body, and think will poll a larger
vote than it did in 1868, no matter what
framework rwhat candidates are opposed
to it. The people believe in the Republi-
can party on account of its liberal discus
sions.n
I am assured in saying that the opinions
of Senator Trumbull are also the opinions
of Senator Sumner"
AN EXAMPLE FOR BoYS.-Master Geo.