The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-16
to, ,o,s,rsnh IN the N. Y. Tribune ]

I
tBy telegraph to the N. Y. Tribune :.
WAsH,SGToN. Jan. IA Republican
CONGRESSMAN of exceptional prominence.
whose dread of being interviewed serves
generally to keep his opininns on public
questions out Of the newspapers. talked
unreservedly with Tribune correspondent
tonight on the main features of the politi
cal situation, making 1t condition thar
his name should not be given in c0nnec
ton with the very fOrcible and iudepen
dent views be expressed. He looked upon /
the Louisiana usuIpatinn as staggering
blow dealt the Republican party by the
president, from which it could not recover
In time to make successful race 10 1876 |
"Tbe animal is down." he said, ''and will
not get M as long as Grant is astride of it !; |
and the worst of it is that the president |
will not sit light, as the boy on the stage |
coach did when it came to hill he sits
heavier and heavier the more we try W get
the party on its feet again.
"Can nothing be done to make Grant
ace that he is running his party?" asked
the correspondent
sThat has been tried again and again
He knows what think, and what others
in congress think about his course put II
makes no difference with him. lie IS de
termined to worry the South and provoke
II IN resistance if possible. He will make
it a field of blood, if he can. see no way
to throw him off, and to carry him is GER
tain death for US as party
Holding such views as you do. why q"
you not boldly protest on the tioor I" the
house against his destructive course, anu
thus furnish the independent Republicans
with leader around whom they could
rally"
1T would be Of no use, replied the con
gresham. 81 should only be made the
target for abuse from the Administration
and its followers, and the men who agree
with me in private conversation would lack
the courage to speak one word in public in
nv support. There is no manliness lett
among our people. Who are the men VIII
would ,me to the help of Republican
who should courageously "a S"S Sher;dan !,
Pcr, ,,n,ann and declare that the Republican
nnrty must disavow them it it would saw
itself from certain death? Can you nam
them?"
"What do you, as a party leader. pro
pose to do? Will you let Grant push yo
over the precipce without resistance
asked the correspondent
After acknowledging that he could nj
name even half a dZen Republicans VIII
would have the courage to express the
opinions in such u case he said: Il franI
ly say to you that do not see that an.
thing can be DONE Ifthere is any life fl
the Republican party,it will be through /
death. No political event appears MOI
certain t1an that we will be overwheln
ingly defeated in 1876. Once out of pow
we might. as an opposition party, rega
public confidence.
The conversation turned upon Preside
Grants third term ambition, and the ca
gresham declared that there was no ho
OF persuading him out of the insane Hoti
that he could be nominated again and &
elected. This delusion Influenced all b
public acts. Ii nominated, which was
event almost beyond the range Of possiDi
ties, he would be repudiated by 81 state
The Congressman hoped the party wou
take Ellhu b. ashburne for its candidal
There would be poetic justice IN sele'
ing President Grants nearest friend
the victim Mr.. Washburne's frlendsh
for the President would cause him to
kicked and cuffed from one end oft
country to the other throughout the Cal
paign. Failing of an opportunity to g
at Grant, the indignant voters would :
upon the man selected Tor his success,
and beat him as no candidate had be
beaten in recent times. Unless the pre-
pect changed with u suddenness that wOu
be almost miraculous no man whom t
Republicans might nominate W. uld ha
any prospect of success, Mr. Washbur
least of all, on account Of the odium
connection with President Grant wor
bring upon him.
I'VE may as we'll make up our minds
continued the congressman, that the mt
President will be straightout Denlocr
For my part l shall not be sorry On I
contraryI shall breathe treer when | sc,
Democrat in the White Huuse. We sh
then be out of the era of military intert
ence, and can fight our political bait
with political weapons"
rs there not reason to feaI that Pre-
dent Grants programme for governing
South will lead to more serious difficult
than have thus far arisen in Luuisian
And what safeguard have we against
use of the army to carry the Southen sta
for his party, il not for himselt,in 1876.
One thing you perhaps have not thoul
of. Next winter the Democrats will
dOubtedly follow the example we set tn
during the Kansas troubles, when we |
the house aud they the President and S
ate, They will vote NO appropriations
the support of the army unless they
allowed to attach to them conditions a:
how the troops are to be employed. III
may insist that no soldiers shall be gu
tered in any Southern state. and may Il
put it out of the Presidents power to
peat the Louisiana performance, except
coup d'etdt.
The CONGRESSMAN did not believe
cabinet would break up on the Louisi
issue. The men composing it were no
the sort that nauseated easily. He thou
the next campaign would be fought by
Republican party on the old ''uutra
line. There was nothing upon which I
could unite, except the negro quest
The Finance bill just passed had reno
the currency question from the field for
present, aud there was nothing but the
sues growing out of the war on which