, 1872-02-05
golitital.
Lyman Trumbull.

Senator Trumbull has not annouced
himself as candidate for the Presiden-
cy at the next election nor SO far as we are
aware, has he authorized any person to
do so in his behalf. Nevertheless, there
is no reason to suppose that he would
deny the use of his name for that office
to any large and influential body of cleo
tors with whom he subsequently agrees
on important public questions. Why
then should not Mr.. Trumbull be made
the rallying point of all those who are
opposed to the reelection of Gen. Grant
whether Republicans or Democrats
That he would be highly acceptable to
the Reform Republicans of the whole
country. it requires no argument to
prove, for he is their leader in Congress,
their representative before tbes'people,
and statesman in whose wisdom, cour-
age. and integrity they have the most
perfect confidence. But how as to the
Democrats s $40
Born in Connecticut in 1918 of a FAM
GUS old revolutionary stock, Mr.. Trum-
bull emigrated to Illinois while yet a
young man, and soon to k a prominent
position at the bar. A member of the
Legislature of 1910, and for two years
thereafter Secretary of State, the Dem
ocrats of Illinois elevated him to the
bench of the Supreme Court in 1S4S,
where he served with distinguished abil-
ity for six years. During this period he
was Democrat of the moderate, con-
servative school, though withdrawn from
active politics in the latter half of it be-
cause of his judicial duties.
Concurring generally in opinion with
the most enlightened members of the
Democratic party, does not Mr.. Trum-
bulls course furnish a strong reason for
his support by that party at crisis
when nearly all these questions will be
put at issue IN the approaching Presi-
dental campaign !?
But it may be said that there are a
few Southern maloontents like Stephens,
Toombs, and Forsyth, who have declar-
ed that they will not support for the
Presidency such man as Lyman Trum-
bull. Well suppose they will not. Not
to speak of the effrontery of these up-
punished traitors undertaking to dictate
the next Democratic candidate for the
Presidency, suffice it to say that if
Trumbull and Grant are in the field as
rival nominees. and the friends of Trum-
bull can only contrive to get Davis,
Stephens. Toombs and Forsyth to take
the stump for Grant, they will insure
Trumbull's election by an overwhelming
majority. Even a well-founded suspi
cion that these architects of ruin favored
the success of Grant over Trumbull
would kill Grant stone dead.
The dilemma Of the Democracy is ev
ident. They must nominate candidate
with good war record, and who is
sound on the three constitutional amend
ments, or lose the whole North. Such
o candidate would doubtless lose some
votes among the Southern indictments.
But Lyman Trunibull would lose no
more of this class of voters than would
William S. Groesbeck or Sanford 4.
Church or any other regular Democrat
with such a record and on such plat
form as would give to the party reas-
enable assurance of success in the North
and West while Trumbull, by large
and enthusiastic Republican following,
would more than make the detection Of
a small knot of unhung secession In the
South, and here and there an rntamed
Copperhead in the North.
Those issues of the last fifteen years
which have separated Mr.. Trumbull
from the regular Democratic organiza-
ton have gone into history. New ques-
tions now loom on the horizon, and on
these Mr. Trumbull and large body of
his Republican associates are in close
accord with the great mass of the DEM
ocratic party. The cordial union OF
these two elements is essential to sue
cess in the approaching Presidential
struggle. These Republicans will fol-
low the lead and share the fortunes OF
Mr.. Trumbull but large majority OF
them will not embark on board pure
ly Democratic craft under straight-out
Democratic pilot. Mr.. Trumhull IS OF
Democratic training, has held high
trusts under the Democratic party, and
now agrees in opinion on mostimportant
questions with the wisest statesmen OF
that party. Why, then. should they not
accept him as their candidate for 1877
The only answer which can be given is
at hand. In the past few years he has
differed with the Democratic policy and
the Democratic party. But that policy
has been exploded, and the party which
sustained it has not won national VIC
torv in the last fourteen years; and
moreover, and this is conclusive on the
noint we are now discussing, you can
never convince the four or five hundred
thousand Republicans who hail Mr.
Trumbull as their leader that in his diff