The life of Lyman Trumbull

Front matter

BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE

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THE GIFT OF

Preface

A FEW years since, the widow of Lyman Trumbull requested me to write a biography of her husband, who was United States Senator from Illinois during the three senatorial terms 1855-1873, or to recommend some suitable person for the task. It had been a cause of surprise and regret to me that the name of Trumbull had not yet found a place in the swelling flood of biographical literatm-e that embraces the Civil War period. Everybody, North or South, who stood on the same elevation with him, everybody who exercised influence and filled the public eye in equal measure with him, had found his niche in the libraries of the nation, and such place in the hearts of the people as his merits warranted. Trumbull alone had been neglected. I reflected upon the matter and came to the conclusion that, although better writers than myself could be found for this kind of work, no one was likely to be found who had been more intimate with him during his whole senatorial career, or who had warmer sympathy for his aims or higher admiration for his abilities and character. I reflected also that very soon there would be no person living possessing these special qualifications. Accordingly I decided to undertake the work.

Mrs. Trumbull placed in my hands several thousand letters received by Trmnbull, and a few written by him, during his public career. All these have been examined by me, and they are now in the Library of Congress. He was not in the habit of keeping copies of letters written by himself unless he deemed them important, and such copies were generally written out by his own hand, not taken in vi PREFACE

a copying-press. Other letters written by him have been sought with varying success in the hands of his correspondents, or their heirs, in various parts of the country, but nothing has been found in this way that can be considered of much importance.

\ During the Reconstruction era I had sustained the pohcy of Congress in opposition to that of Andrew Johnson, but had revolted at the carpetbaggery and misgovernment which had ensued, and had abhorred the "Ku-Klux" bills and "Force" bills which the Union party for a long time continued to enact or threaten. I was not quite prepared to find, however, upon going over the whole ground again, that I had been wrong from the beginning, and that Andrew Johnson's policy, which was Lincoln's policy, was the true one, and ought never to have been departed from. This is the conclusion to which I have come, after much study, in the evening of a long life. This does not mean that all of the doings and sayings of President Johnson were wise and good, but that I believe him to have been an honest man, a true patriot, and a worthy successor of Lincoln whose Reconstruction policy he followed. Lincoln himself could not have carried that policy into effect without a fight, and many persons familiar with the temper of the time think that even he would have failed. All that we can now aflSrm is that he was armed with the prestige of victory and the confidence of the North, and hence would have been better prepared than Johnson was for meeting the difficulties that sprang up at the end of the war. It must be admitted, however, that Johnson honestly aimed to carry out that policy, both because it was Lincoln's and because he himself, after careful consideration, esteemed it sound.

I acknowledge my indebtedness to the Diary of Gideon

PREFACE vii

Welles, which I regard as the most important contribution to the history of the period of which it treats that has yet been given to the public. The history of Mr. James Ford Rhodes I have found to be an invaluable guide, as to both facts and judgments of men and things. I am indebted to Professor William A. Dunning, of Columbia University, for valuable suggestions, criticism, and encouragement, as well as for the assistance derived from his admired writings on Reconstruction. Miss Katherine Mayo has lightened my labors greatly by her intelligent and indefatigable search of old letters and newspaper files and by interviews with persons still Kving. My gratitude is due also to the late William H. Lambert, of Philadelphia, for giving me access to his collection of manuscript correspondence that passed between Lincoln and Trumbull prior to the inauguration of the former as President; also to Dr. William Jayne, of Springfield, Illinois, to Hon. J. H. Roberts, of Chicago, to the wife of Walter Trumbull (now Mrs. L. C. Pardee, of Chicago), and to Mrs. Mary Ingraham Trumbull, of Saybrook Point, Connecticut.

H. W.

Chapter I

The Trumbulls from Newcastie-on-Tyne, England — Most illustrious family in Colony of Connecticut — Lyman Trumbull bom and educated at Colchester — Begins his career as school-teacher in Georgia in 1833 — Studies law there in ofiSce of Hiram Warner — In 1837 makes a journey on horseback to Shawneetown, Illinois — Begins practice of law in ofiBce of Governor Reynolds at Belleville — "Riding on the circuit" in the early days — In a letter to his father describes the killing of Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy at Alton — Elected to the legislature from St. Clair County in 1840 — Appointed secretary of state in 1841 by Governor Carlin — Removed from office in 1843 by Governor Ford — Political disturbance in consequence — Belleville in 1842 — Marriage of Trumbull and Miss Julia Jayne — Their wedding journey — Political campaign of 1848 — Trumbull fails of nomination for governor — Is elected judge of the supreme court in 1848 — Removes his residence to Alton — Reelected as judge in 1852, but resigns in the following year . 1

CHAPTER n

French adventurers from Canada the first whites in Illinois — Followed by colonists from Louisiana — Slaves sent from Santo Domingo by John Law's Company of the Indies — Thomas Jefferson takes steps to exclude slavery from the Northwest Territory — The Anti-Slavery Ordinance of 1787 — The territorial legislature authorizes the holding of "indentured servants" for a limited time — Attempts to repeal the Ordinance defeated in Congress by John Randolph of Roanoke — State constitution in 1818 prohibits slavery — the pro-slavery men attempt to change the constitution — Bitter contest in 1824 results in their defeat — Slavery continues, nevertheless, under judicial decisions — Trumbull wages war against it in the courts — His final victory in the Jarrot case, in 1845 23

CHAPTER m

Senator Douglas and the repeal of the Missouri Compromise — Disruption of political parties — Tnmibull announces himself a candidate for

X CONTENTS

Congress in opposition to the Nebraska Bill — Is elected in the Eighth Illinois District — Abraham Lincohi takes the stump against Douglas — Their joint debate at Springfield in October, 1854 — An Anti- Nebraska legislature elected — Lincoln a candidate for Senator in place of General Shields — Five Anti-Nebraska Bill members vote for Trumbull — Supporters of Shields transfer their votes to Governor Matteson — Lincoln transfers his votes to Trumbull, who is elected by a majority of one 32

CHAPTER IV

Trumbull takes his seat in the Senate — A protest is presented declaring him not eligible — It is overruled after debate — Disturbances in Kansas consequent upon the passage of the Nebraska Bill — Trumbull makes a speech criticizing Douglas's report thereon — Debate between the two Senators attracts wide attention — Speeches of Seward, Sumner, Collamer, and others — Trumbull's first appearance in debate is warmly welcomed by the opponents of the Nebraska Bill . . 48

CHAPTER V

The national contest of 1856 results in the election of James Buchanan as President — The Republicans of Illinois elect their state ticket — The Kansas war continues — Buchanan appoints Robert J.Walker governor of the territory — The Pro-Slavery party hold a convention at the town of Lecompton to form a state constitution — The Free State men decide not to participate, but to vote against the constitution when submitted to the people — The convention decides not to submit the constitution to popular vote — President Buchanan agrees to this plan — Governor Walker thereupon resigns his office and Senator Douglas opposes the admission of Kansas vmder the Lecompton Constitution — Both Trumbull and Douglas speak against the Lecompton measure and Congress rejects it — Douglas contemplates joining the Republicans. 69

CHAPTER VI

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1858 AND THE JOHN BROWN RAID

Popularity of Douglas among the Eastern Republicans growing out of the Lecompton fight — Not shared by those of Illinois — The latter choose Lincoln as their candidate for Senator — Some letters from Lincoln to Trumbull in 1858 — The campaign of 1858 results in the reSlection of Douglas, but the popular vote shows a plurality for Lincoln — Douglas's doctrine of " Unfriendly Legislation " in the territories in regard to slavery turns the South against him — The John Brown raid at Harper's Ferry — Trumbull's speech and debate thereon in the Senate . 86

CONTENTS xi

CHAPTER Vn

The National Republican Convention at Chicago in 1860 — How Lincoln was nominated in preference to Seward — the Secession movement after the election — Trumbull makes a speech at Springfield which includes a brief statement of Republican policy written by Lincoln — Correspondence between Lincoln and Trumbull before the inauguration — Trumbull advises his friends in Chicago not to make concessions to those who threaten to overthrow the Government — He has a debate in the Senate with Jefferson Davis — Makes a speech at the night session, March 2, 1861, against the Crittenden Compromise — The latter defeated in the Senate by Yeas, 19; Nays, 20 — Some items of Washington society news from Mrs. Trumbull — Interview between President Buchanan and Judge McLean — Text of Trumbull's Speech against the Crittenden Compromise . 102

CHAPTER Vm

CABINET-MAKING — THE DEATH OF DOUGLAS

Trumbull's interview vrith William CuUen Bryant, and others, who oppose William H. Seward as a member of Lincoln's Cabinet — They consider Seward's coterie in New York corrupt and dangerous — Trumbull communicates the objections to Lincoln — Lincoln thinks that the forces which backed Seward at the Chicago Convention must not be snubbed — He has already offered a place to Seward — The question of Cameron more difi^cult — David Davis's bargain with friends of Cameron and of Caleb Smith — Cameron tries to procure an invitation to Springfield, but Lincoln refuses — Leonard Swett gives invitation without Lincoln's authority — Cameron visits Springfield and secures promise of Cabinet position from Lincoln — A. K. McClure protests against Cameron's appointment and Lincoln requests Cameron to decline — Cameron does not decline — Trumbull advises Lincoln not to appoint Cameron — Lincoln's Illinois friends protest against Cameron — Trumbull urges appointment of Judd — Seward and Weed support Cameron, who is finally appointed Secretary of War — Trumbull, reelected as Senator, becomes Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary — The last great service of Senator Douglas to his country — BUs death and Trumbull's tribute to his memory .... 139

CHAPTER IX

The Senate appoints a committee to ask the President to recall the appointment of Harvey as Minister to Portugal — He had notified Governor Pickens of the Government's intention to relieve Fort Sumter — Trumbull a member of the committee — Seward says that he did not xii CONTENTS

know of Harvey's action till after the appointment was made — In fact, Seward gave the information to Harvey intending that he should send it to Pickens — John Hay's Diary says that Lincoln, before his inauguration, offered to evacuate Fort Sumter — Also that he repeated the offer after inauguration — This confirms a narrative of John Minor Botts — The controversy between Botts and J. B. Baldwin concerning the latter's interview with Lincoln on April 5, 1861 — Reasons for believing that Botts's story is true — B«markable interview between Douglas and Seward as to Fort Sumter 155

CHAPTER X

Trumbull makes an excursion with Senator Grimes to the battle of Bull ^ Run — Is caught by the retreating Union army and driven back to Washington — His account of the panic and stampede says, "It was the most shameful rout you can conceive of" — Sends a telegram to Mrs. Trumbull, but the authorities suppress it — Consternation at the Capital — General Fremont's doings at St. Louis — His military order of emancipation — Lincoln considers it premature and revokes it — Correspondence between Trumbull and M. Carey Lea, of Philadelphia — Cameron follows Fremont's example in his first Annual Report — Sends report to the newspapers without the President's knowledge — Lincoln directs him to recall it and strike out the part relating to slavery — General David Hunter issues an order freeing all slaves in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida — The President revokes it — Trumbull reports a bill from the Senate Judiciary Committee to confiscate the property of rebels and to give freedom to all of their slaves — Collamer opposes confiscation as both unconstitutional and impolitic — He offers an amendment to substitute judicial process for military confiscation — CoUamer's views prevail — The President objected, however, to the forfeiture of real estate beyond the lifetime of the owner — This was the first bill passed by Congress dealing a heavy blow at slavery 165

CHAPTER XI

Cameron and Alexander Cummings — Two milUon dollars placed in New York subject to Cummings's draft — The steamer Catiline chartered and laden by Cummings and Thurlow Weed — The House Committee on Government Contracts — Cummings's testimony — Congressman Dawes's exposure of horse contracts — An equine Golgotha around Washington City — The House censures Cameron — Lincoln removes him and appoints Stanton in his place — Cameron appointed Minister to Russia — Trumbull opposes confirmation — Cameron is confirmed, six Republican Senators voting in the negative. 178

CONTENTS xiii

CHAPTER Xn

Lmcoln's first suspension of the writ of habeas corpus — Secretary Seward and John Hay give verbal instructions thereunder — Senate debate on arbitrary arrests — Wide differences of opinion as to legality thereof — Trumbull calls for information — Debate between Trumbull, Dixon, and Wilson — Was power to suspend the writ lodged in the executive or in the legislative department? — Chief Justice Taney held that the writ had not been lawfully suspended anywhere — Trumbull demands trial by jury, without delay, of civilians arrested in loyal states — Before Congress takes action the election of 1862 results in victory for Democrats — Republican leaders intimidated — Stanton discharges all civilian prisoners — Congress passes Trmnbull's bill authorizing President to suspend writ, but requiring trial in civil courts and discharge of persons not indicted — Bill to indemnify the President for previous acts passed by both houses — Banishment of Vallandigham and suppression of the Chicago Times — Trumbull opposes the latter. 190

CHAPTER Xm

mCIDENTS OF THE YEARS 1863 AND 1864

The movement in the Senate for the retirement of Secretary Seward — Letters from Gustave Koemer, Alfred Iverson, and Walter B. Scates — The appointment of M. W. Delahay as judge of the U.S. District Court of Kansas — His subsequent impeachment and resignation — Letters of General John M. Palmer, Colonel Fred Hecker, and Jesse K. Dubois — Trumbull doubts the expediency of Lincoln's second nomina^ tion — He thinks that there is a lack of efficiency in the prosecution of the war — This opinion shared by Henry Wilson and by Congressmen generally in the beginning of 1864 — The people, however, were for Lincoln's renomination — The Cleveland Convention, and nomination of General* Fremont — Simultaneous retirement of Fremont and Postmaster-General Blair 210

CHAPTER XIV

THE THHITEENTH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

Scope of Lincoln's Proclamation of Emancipation — • Amendment of the Constitution to abolish slavery — First proposals by Wilson, of Iowa, and Henderson, of Missouri — Trumbull reports the Thirteenth Amendment from the Senate Judiciary Committee — His argument thereon — Speeches of Senators Henderson and Reverdy Johnson — Amendment passes the Senate, but fails in the House — Second attempt in the House successful by a trade with Democrats — Amendment ratified — Objections raised by Southern States explained away by Seward 222 xiv CONTENTS

CHAPTER XV

Death of Lincoln — Conflict of opinions concerning the status of the\' seceding states — Lincoln's proclamation of December, 1863 — Reconstruction of Louisiana in pursuance thereof — Trumbull reports a joint resolution admitting that state — Sumner prevents the Senate from voting on it — Lincoln's last speech on Reconstruction — His plan indorsed by William Lloyd Garrison — Andrew Johnson as President adopts it — Recognizes Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Arkansas as restored to the Union — Issues an executive order appointing a governor of North Carolina to call a constitutional convention — Negroes not included in the list of voters — Similar orders issued for the other seceding states — Wendell Phillips sounds a blast against President Johnson — Northern newspapers at first favorable to Johnson— Desperate industrial condition of the South .... 231

CHAPTER XVI

Excellent tone and temper of Johnson's first communication to Congress — Written by George Bancroft — Eulogy of the New York Nation — Johnson's early life and training — A first-rate stump-speaker — Sumner attacks Johnson for "whitewashing" the ex-slaveholders — Acts of Southern legislatures passed to keep the negroes in order — Senator Wilson moves that all such acts establishing inequality of civil rights be declared invalid — Trumbull argues for postponement of such legislation until the Thirteenth Amendment is ratified — Debate between Trumbull and Saulsbury — Reports of General Grant and General Carl Schurz on the condition and temper of the Southern people — Letter from J. L. M. Curry on the same 244

CHAPTER XVn

THE FREEDMEN'S BUREAU AND CIVIL RIGHTS BILLS

Trumbull introduces two bills to protect the freedmen in the states — Provisions of the Freedmen 's Bureau Bill — Trumbull contends that the Thirteenth Amendment authorized Congress to abolish the incidents and disabilities of slavery — The Freedmen's Bureau Bill passed by Congress and vetoed by the President — The Senate fails to pass it over the veto — Struggle in the Senate to obtain a two-thirds majority — Senator Stockton (Democrat), of New Jersey, unseated — 'Trumbull's Civil Rights Bill taken up — It does not deal with the right of suffrage — Debate in the Senate on the constitutional question — Bill passes Senate — Is opposed in the House by Bingham, of Ohio — Is vetoed by the President — Exciting scene in Senate when the bill is

CONTENTS XV

passed over the veto — Trumbull takes the lead in the campaign of 1 866 and is reelected to the Senate — The Civil Rights Act in the courts — An echo from the State of Georgia 257

CHAPTER XVm

THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT

The Joint Committee on Reconstruction reports the Fourteenth Amend- \i ment of the Constitution — It holds that the seceding states cannot be restored to their former places in the Union by the executive alone — Tennessee admitted to the Union by Congress — The Arm-in-Arm Convention at Philadelphia — President Johnson's unfortunate speech following that event — The Southern States refuse to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment — This refusal gives increased power to the radicals in the North 281

CHAPTER XIX

Decision of the Supreme Court in the Milligan case — It declares all trials of civilians by military commissions unlawful — It implies that Andrew Johnson's policy was preferable to that of Congress — All the members of the Cabinet support the President's policy — Stanton, however, secretly confers with the radicals to undermine the President — Sumner and Stevens become the leaders in Congress and pass bills annulling state governments in the South — The Conservatives follow reluctantly, beheving that the negroes cannot be protected unless they have the right to vote — Remarkable series of Reconstruction Acts passed in 1867 and 1868 — The case of Georgia — Trumbull overthrows Governor Bullock and his senatorial supporters 288

CHAPTER XX

The Tenure-of-OflSce Bill passed to curtail the President's power to remove officeholders — It does not apply to members of the Cabinet — The President vetoes it — The veto message written by Seward and Stanton in conjunction — Bill repassed over veto — First mutterings about impeachment — The Judiciary Committee reports in favor of it — The House rejects the report — The President requests Stanton's resignation — Stanton refuses to resign — The President removes h\m and appoints Grant Secretary of War ad interim — Stanton retires — The Senate disapproves of the removal of Stanton — Grant retires and Stanton resumes office — The President accuses Grant of bad faith, and appoints Lorenzo Thomas Secretary of War — The House votes to impeach the President and appoints managers therefor — The trial begins March 5, 1868 — The President b acquitted by vote of 35 to 19, not xvi CONTENTS

two thirds — Seven Republican Senators including Trumbull vote "Not Guilty" — Newspaper comments sustaining the "Seven Traitors"— Trumbull's written opinion filed with the record — Consequences of the impeachment trial — Death of Fessenden — Death of Mrs. Lyman Trumbull 301

CHAPTER XXI

THE McCAEDLE CASE — GRANT'S CABINET —

THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT \

W. H. McCardle, of Mississippi, arrested by General Ord for seditious pub- \.i lications — Takes an appeal to the Supreme Court — General Grant, as Secretary of War ad interim, retains Trumbull to defend the military authorities — Congress passes a law to deprive the Supreme Court of jurisdiction — Tnmibull votes for it — The Court rules that its jurisdiction has been withdrawn by Congress — Secretary Stanton fixes Trumbull's compensation for professional services at $10,000 — Senator Chandler contends that the payment is contrary to law — Trumbull shows that both law and precedent are on his side — The facts in the case — President Grant's mishaps in choosing his Cabinet — Washbume for the State Department, Stewart for the Treasury, and Borie for the Navy — They are succeeded by Fish, Boutwell, and Robeson — General John A. Rawlins selected by himself for Secretary of War with Grant's approval — General Jacob Cox and Rockwood Hoar, two men of the highest type, appointed but soon resign — Adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution 327

CHAPTER XXn

J

Senator Grimes's estimate of the Republican party in 1870 — President Grant's methods of carrying on the Government — His attempt to ' annex Santo Domingo — Senate rejects the treaty of annexation — The President comes in conflict with Charles Sumner, who is displaced as chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations — Trumbull sustains Sumner — Motley, Minister to Great Britain, is removed from ofiBce and Trumbull is asked to take his place — He decUnes the offer — First movement for civil service reform — Trumbull makes a speech at Chicago advocating it — Secretary Cox and Attorney-General Hoar cease to be members of Grant's Cabinet .... 34,1

CHAPTER XXin

The Liberal Republican movement begins in Missouri — Its leaders — Enfranchisement of the ex-Confederates, civil service reform, and reve-

CONTENTS xvii

nue reform, the issues — Meeting of revenue reformers at New York, November 22, 1871 — James G. Blaine, Speaker of the House, offers them a majority of the Committee of Ways and Means — The Missouri movement alarms the Republican leaders — They pass the Ku-Klux Bill for the employment of military force in the South — Trumbull and Schurz oppose the Ku-Klux bill — Trumbull pronounces it an unconstitutional measure — Schurz advocates the removal of all politcal disabilities — Congress passes an act of universal amnesty after the meeting of the Liberal Republican Convention .... 351

CHAPTER XXIV

General Grant's habits and training were not well adapted to civil and political duties — He was nominated for President on account of his military success — Rottenness in the New York Custom-House — Trumbull moves a general investigation of the waste of public money — The Senate decides in favor of a committee to investigate only matters specifically referred to it — The Leet and Stocking scandal — Colonel Leet found to be receiving $60,000 per year from the "General Order" business of the New York Custom-House — A Senate committee reports the facts to Secretary of the Treasury, Boutwell — The Secretary makes a new investigation and recommends that Collector Murphy discontinue the "General Order" system — Murphy allows it to continue indefinitely — A second Senate investigation ordered — The Leet and Stocking mystery explained — President Grant not a participant in the profits — The "General Order" system broken up — Indignation among Republicans resulting from the exposure . . 361

CHAPTER XXV

The Liberal Republican Convention in Missouri calls national convention at Cincinnati — Prompt and favorable response in Ohio and other states — Cooperation of leading Democrats — '■ Springfield Republican, Cincinnati Commercial, and Chicago Tribune, RepubUcan newspapers, support the movement — Henry Watterson, Manton Marble, and August Belmont, Democrats, cooperate — The movement in Pennsylvania — William C. Bryant and others favor the nomination of Trumbull for President — Great meeting at Cooper Union, New York — Governor Palmer, of Illinois, favors the movement — Charles Francis Adams, Horace Greeley, David Davis, B. Gratz Brown, and A. G. Curtin mentioned for President — Correspondence with Trumbull on the subject — The editors' dinner at Murat Halstead's house — Platform embarrassment — The tariff question referred to the congressional districts — Frank Blair and Gratz Brown cause a commotion — Carl Schurz made chairman of the convention — Balloting for President — xviii CONTENTS

Brown withdraws his name and advises his friends to vote for Greeley — Greeley nominated on the sixth ballot — Consternation of the supporters of Adams and Trumbull — Most of the Liberal Republican editors decide to support Greeley — Carl Schurz is much distressed — Godkin and Bryant reject Greeley — Correspondence between Bryant and Trumbull — Charles Sumner's hesitating course — He finally decides to support Greeley .... .... 372

CHAPTER XXVI

How Trumbull received the news — Carl Schurz advises Greeley to decline the nomination — Greeley decides to accept it — Meeting of Liberal Republican leaders in New York to consider their course — Trumbull and Schurz decide to support the Cincinnati ticket — Correspondence between Schurz and Godkin — Parke Godwin against Greeley — President Grant renominated by the Republicans with Henry Wilson tor Vice-President — The Democrats at Baltimore adopt both nominees and platform of the Liberal Republicans — A minority call a bolting convention, which nominates Charles O'Conor — Trumbull's speech at Springfield, Illinois, in support of the Cincinnati ticket — Greeley's campaign starts with the prospect of victory — North Carolina election in August gives the Grant ticket a small majority — The tide turns against Greeley — Greeley takes the stump in September and makes a favorable impression, but too late — The October elections, in Pennsylvania and Ohio, go heavily Republican — Greeley and Brown defeated

— Death of Greeley following the election — State election in Louisiana in 1872 — Fraudulent returns in favor of Kellogg exposed by Senators Carpenter and Trumbull — Kellogg sustained by President Grant 389

CHAPTER XXVn

Trumbull's senatorial term expires in 1873 — Not reelected — He resumes the practice of law in Chicago — The second Grant administration worse than the first — The Republican party beaten in the congressional elections of 1874 — The Hayes-Tilden campaign in 1876 — Disputed returns m Louisiana, South Carolina, and Florida — The Electoral Commission — "Visiting Statesmen" sent to Louisiana to watch the count of the votes — Trumbull chosen as one of them — Chosen also to support Tilden's claim before the electoral commission

— His argument thereon — E. W. Stoughton, in behalf of Hayes, contends that the returns of election certified by the governor of a state must be accepted — Also that the status of a governor recognized by the President of the United States cannot be questioned — Both these contentions are sustained by the Electoral Commission — By a vote of

CONTENTS xix

8 to 7 Hayes is declared elected President — Trumbull's mairiage to Miss Mary Ingraham — He is nominated for governor of Illinois by the Democrats in 1880 — Is defeated by Shelby M. CuUom — My last meeting with Trumbull at the World's Columbian Exposition — Trumbull's professional services in the Debs case — His public speech, after the case was decided — He sides with the Populist party — Prepares their declaration of principles in December, 1894 — Text of the Declaration 407

CHAPTER XXVm

Conclusion

Trumbull goes to Belleville to attend the funeral of Gustave Koemer — Is taken with illness at hotel — On his return to his home he is found to be suffering from an internal tumor — His physicians decide that a surgical operation would be fatal — He lingers till June 5, 1896 — Dies in his eighty-third year — Impressive funeral — His great qualities as a lawyer and political debater — His conscientiousness and courage — His generosity, and fondness for little children — His place in the country's history — Eulogy by Joseph Medill, and other contemporaries — Trumbull's estimate of Lincoln — His religious views — His surviving family and descendants 418