The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-27
A DIsTING UIsHED TISITOR.
Gov. Palmer OF Illinois Expresses his Views
on Various Timely Topies-


The Hazen-Stanley trial brings to New
York not only large number Of officers of high
rank In the military service. but many volun-
teers who bore gallant part IN TIE suppr esslpn
hih6 FfR9p IN bbaahSe "H Among 5aab this latter
class is Gen. John 81. Palmer. x-GUyernor Of
Illinois.
:. Palmer was at one time one OF the growing
Republican lenders If the West He became "A
Liberal in 1872. and. like Trumbull. Julian,
and Faruswurth, got on the straight road Of
Lilcralism which led 10 the Republican camp
in 1876, and travelled on q by-path to the tents
OF the Democracy. There he has ubided since.
without receiving half the honor from his new
9ssocintes due 10 SO valuable an accession TO
their ranks.
The Ex-Governor Is q man Of stawart ply
sique, strongly marked features. small. keen,
good-humored gray eyes. large head. and gray
hair. He Is good talker. hearty and genial in
his manners and Ike most successful Western
politicians, il an excellent story teller. Chat
ting about national politics yrsterdny with "A
small party OF acquaintances In his room at the
Sturtevaut House. he said
There is no organization In either party as
yet in Illinois looking 10 cand dates In 1880.
Among the Republicans the talk is mostly for
Grant. The noisy, demonstratiye element is
heartily for Grant, and the more th oughtiul men
In the party generally speak Of his candidacy
as If 1t were inevitable. though unwecome to
them. Probably we shall have TO take Grant
they say, and then they fall back on John Sher-
man. MS II he were the man they would prefer II
Grant Were out OF the way. This general pref
erence for sherman among the best class OF Re-
puocAns leads me to think the struggle for the
RSmn@tiSn Will ~ the end settle down to one
is there no promising Presidential timber
There might be II he could control the IL
lnois delegation in the Convention. but the
Jack Logan faction, which has the upper hand
Washburne would have been elected 10 the SEN
ate instead of David Davis II Logan had not in
terlered Logan was determined no Republican
should be elected If he could not be- Tho ar
rangcments were all completed for electng
Washburne when Logan broke them up"
Coming now to your own party, Governor.
a In Nj
Tlden9 You seem to be- like sn6ad with the
Old Man OF the Sea on your neck
49, The feeling among the Democrats about Mr..
Tildrn is very much like that among the Re-
publicans about Grant-he Is looked upon as an
unpleasant necessity The strength Of his cum
candidates Of which he Is most conspicuous.
lies In the notion that the campaign must be
| This fatal error has afflicted the Democracy for
| twenty years and has always led 10 defeat The
only way TO success i to make the West the
Gen. Palmer has preserved the sound views
ms a. the currency he entertained when Re-
| publican, and does not look with much favor IN
Thurman. Hendricks or any OF the Western
| Democrats WHO have nurscd the rng baby lie
| was nor. however, quite explicit MS 70 the role
| the currency question is likely to play in the
| next Democratic National Convention. Gen.
| corse OF Illinois, who was present predicted
| hard money elements would grow so violent
! mat no man prominently identified with either
! faction would be nominated.
| In that case" said Gen. Palmer. we may
| have n nomination like that Of Polk in 1874
| some comparatively new and obscure man"
- Do you think there s any chance OF the
| Democrats taking one Of you old Liberals OF
| 1872 10 head Off the stalwart movement 2"
| Ii Is not impossible"
| Here Gen. Corsc spoke up and said Gen
| Palmer was the most available man the Demo.
! Gratis could nominate, and that they would come
| to know him in the end rs their strongest West
| ern candidate Gen. Palmer made no reply
| but modestly turned the conversation to Lyman
| Irpmbull. as though he were among Presiden-
| Of the cleNrcst and most vigorous thinkers In
! the country, and has n consistent poitica
record His public career is harmonious anc
" Is he in politics now"
No; he devotcs himself to his law practice
| which Is quite large. He married a young VIII,
| not long ago and has child and he looks tel
years younger than no did whom he WAS in III,
| Senate"
| Here the conversation driited on to the Hazen
| Stanley court martial. before which Gen. Palmer
| Is subppnaed TO testify.