The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-14
ABOUT NATIONAL POLITICS.
A Talk with Senator Edmunds Con-
corning the Next Presidency.
The VermOnter's Ideas as TO the Qualitica-
lions Of the Man Who Should Be NOmi-
mated by the Republicans.
Washington Special to the Philadelphia Times.

NltEAoh ~ NHN HNNDtH It'
Senator Edmunds, of Vermont. will be fifty
seven years of age on the LIST day of February.
He entered the Senate in April, 1866, as the sue
cessor of that other distinguished Green noun
tain statesman, Solomon Foote, then deceased,
and has since been successfully reelected. His
eloquence as a senator, his erpdition as a jurist,
as exhibited in his long Craftsmanship of the
committee on the judiciary of the Senate, his
conceded ability as a man, and his worth as an
eminent citizen unite in iustifying and empha-
sizing the confidence, esteem, and applause which
he receives from his fellow-countrymen in all
parts of this land.
Your correspondent having observed that a
very eminent Republican had remarked to him
that of the many prominent men in the Repub-
lican party Mr.. Edmunds would carry the most
weight before the people as a presidential candi-
date" the Senator, stroking his flowing gray
beard, remarked in a voice half serious and half
jocular: 'Now, my very estimable friend, you
are very kind, indeed, but do not place me in
that list. Now, if my real friends desire to do
me a service they will not talk about me in that
connection. 1 am now a happy man, and why
should l wish to be burdened with the cares of
an Office the duties of which are enough to keep
ten men busy. The twenty-four hours are not
long enough for the work of the President. 1
have tried to serve my country in the Senate,
and have done the same thing for the people of
the good State of Vermont. / believe have
their confidence and respect, and l believe | can
always rely on that; then why should L allow my
self to be drawn into the perpleXities and trials
of national politics. l have. | believe, the cour-
age of my convictions, and sometimes think
that that is not an element of strength i'll mod
ern politics"
THAT may be true, was replied, 'but the at
tempt has been made to place politics upon a
higher plane, and it is the duty of any citizen to
respond to the call of service to the State when
that call comes unsolicited"
''That may all be very fine as an abstract prop
%osition,' said the learned Senator from Vermont.
1T sounds well enough, and L have no doubt that
recent experiences in the Republican party have
been productive of substantial good. l believe
that the Republican party is stronger to-day than
it has been at any time within the past decade.
l am confident that the Republican candidate
will be elected if the selection be made with ref
erence to party regeneration through the re
verses of 1852. These were but the warnings of
the people. They did not mean change of prin-
ciples was wanted, or that there was any loss of
confidence in the ability of the Republican party
to govern the country wisely. honestly, economic.
ally, and well, but simply that there existed a
disagreement as to methods and personal
control of internal party management The
people-tho great majority of the people
are at heart with us. l can judge this
well from my own sources of information, for
this same opinion with respect to myself as a
prospective candidate, and Of which l wish, as a
friend. you would dispossess your mind, has
brought me a mass of letters, | might say appall-
ing in numbers, and beyond the measure of my
strength to answer, and all uniting in expires
sions of the confidence of the people everywhere
in Republican principles, but show at the same
time the Importance of the selection of both can
didates on the ticket in Difference to the senti-
ments of the great mass of the people. A large
number of these letters have come from persons
with whom / have a personal acquaintance, but
many more, both from near and far-some from
away out on the Pacific coast and down i'll the
Southern States-about the merits of the writer's
of which 1 can only judge by excellent writing,
purity of grammar and righteousness of express
sion, and all find agree upon the prospects of
Republican success. l have not been able to
answer these letters. [ should certainly like to
do so, as they deserve"
HARD WORK IN THE PRESIDENCY.
Al this being so, you do injustice to yourself
and to your friends not to encourage them in
their party zeal.' -1 l o"
THAT L am willing to do as far as ! can, said
the Senator; ''but they so very kindly associate
my own name with what they have to say that
it would first require an argument to convince
them, and perhaps they might not be satisfied
even then that L am not Il candidate, that |
would have little time left for their main propo-
sition. that the safety Of republican institutions
and the insurement of just government, judi
cious expenditures, peace and prosperity, bust
ness security, and financial stability, lies in the
continued success of the Republican party. /
have no doubt that the Republican convention
will be composed of a body Of men who will go
to Chicago in the interests of success. l have
no doubt that it will be a sagacious body, but
the best evidence of this will be the results of
its labors. There are three or four gentlemen
who would make excellent candidates, and any
one of them an excellent President. The presi-
Dental Office is no sinecure, If the duties are
conscientiously performed. | know this, as [
have had many opportunities of forming judg-
ment.
"There is some talk, largely among persons in
office, about President Arthur having a desire tC
succeed himself
80 | learn said the Senator, from the news
papers. President Arthur has some points of a
skillful politician, a thoroughness in the details of
party management, which is always a strong
point in the preliminaries of organizing for ac-
tive operations in a convention, The fact of hav-
ing successfully handled a convention, however,
is not always necessarily the antecedent of sue
cessful campaign. In matters of administration
the people are not to be trifled with as a genera
ton ago. They are competent to form a iudg-
ment on a question of public policy, especially as
it affects their own interests, and that, after all,
is the handspring of success. \ republican form
of government should be for the benefit of the
people, and the fact that the Republican party
has always stood by the people is the best guar
antee that it will be successful in the next cam
paign, with proper nominations. 1t may take
somewhat of a pull in some localities on account
of past local distractions, but l believe that these
will disappear if anything like the right spirit is
manifested in the convention.
In New York, for instance, there has been
perhaps a more emphatic expression of this con
dition of public opinion than in any other State,
and in Pennsylvania next. We will carry New
York without a doubt, if the party in that State
is united. There are the Independents, some
times called the half breeds; then there are the
friends of Mr.. Conkling, called by some people
the ~stalwarts; then there are the Republicans,
who stand upon the broad platform of the party
men who are influenced by no personal prefer
ences, but are always at the post of duty when
the party calls Now if these elements get to-
gether and go into the campaign heartily, no