Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-12-13
3upSrillG @eeklg Chronicle.
SENATOR TRUMBULPs VIEWS.
So DIVISION IN THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY.
The Defeat of Grant would involve RE-
action at the South.

Ifu0lbull Has lOI SOllC lllllC OCCupltu III
politics, his declarations now are of more
than ordinary interest. He is universally
acknowledged to be a 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:
have Just had detailed to me, by a
prominent Southern politician, the paruc-
ulars of a 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 a
conservative candidate for the Presidency
against General Grant. The Illinois states
man replied with more than usual empha-
''No, sir, | would not.n
and Why not?"
'For many reasons" Judge Trumbull
said in substance In the first place |
am satisfied where l am. / considera seat
i'll 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 he efficiently and properly 'dis-
charged. In the next place, l do not agree
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 / am daily striving to accom-
Rr1t I dc hnliay-n 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
q change
"And why not?'
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 Il sure and generous basis. l
know that the South has much to COM
plain Of But 50 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 q complete change of the domestic
policy. | believe that the defeat of Gen.
Grant would involve Il reaction at the
South, whose consequences would be even
worse than the present state Of affairs"
Don't you think Gen. Grant meditates
the tusurpaton Of the Executive
Office ?''
"No, l do not. My opinion is that Gen.
Grant l., in the main, Il conservative man.
He has made mistakes. But [ can not say
they Justify his removal"
What are your personal relations "
Every friendly. | have opposed some
of his measures; but l 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.'
The Southern Democracy would sup
port you with pleasure
'Nou are mistaken. The Democracy is
vet too strong in numbers to disband, 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. ] 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-snd 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 RukluX will be out of the way, and
there may be "A new and complete reorga-
nization of parties. But not now. F..
what do you think of the kuliluX ? -
"They may be exaggerated. but there
Is enough of UNPUBLISHED violence at the
South to justify the newspapers in all the
cutlery they are making. This alone would
beat the Democracy
'Then you think the fight next year will
be a stTaight-out party affair ,"
81 think it will be as far as the Republic
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 wiH act
as body, and / think will poll a larger
vote than it did in 1868, no matter what
framework orwhat candidates are opposed
to it. The people believe i'm the Repuhi-
can party on account of its liberal discus
riOns.p
| am assured in saying that the opinions
Of Senator Trumbull are also the opinions
of Senator Sumner"