_Question_. What have you to say about the charges published in
this morning's _Herald_ to the effect that you copied your lecture
about "Mistakes of Moses" from a chapter bearing the same title in
a book called Hittell's "Evidences against Christianity"?
_Answer_. All I have to say is that the charge is utterly false.
I will give a thousand dollars reward to any one who will furnish
a book published before my lecture, in which that lecture can be
found. It is wonderful how malicious the people are who love their
enemies. This charge is wholly false, as all others of like nature
are. I do not have to copy the writings of others. The Christians
do not seem to see that they are constantly complimenting me by
saying that what I write is so good that I must have stolen it.
Poor old orthodoxy!
_Question_. What is your opinion of the incoming administration,
and how will it affect the country?
_Answer_. I feel disposed to give Cleveland a chance. If he does
the fair thing, then it is the duty of all good citizens to say
so. I do not expect to see the whole country go to destruction
because the Democratic party is in power. Neither do I believe
that business is going to suffer on that account. The times are
hard, and I fear will be much harder, but they would have been
substantially the same if Blaine had been elected. I wanted the
Republican party to succeed and fully expected to see Mr. Blaine
President, but I believe in making the best of what has happened.
I want no office, I want good government--wise legislation. I
believe in protection, but I want the present tariff reformed and
I hope the Democrats will be wise enough to do so.
_Question_. How will the Democratic victory affect the colored
people in the South?
_Answer_. Certainly their condition will not be worse than it has
been. The Supreme Court decided that the Civil Rights Bill was
unconstitutional and that the Federal Government cannot interfere.
That was a bad decision and our party made a mistake in not protesting
against it. I believe it to be the duty of the Federal Government
to protect all its citizens, at home as well as abroad. My hope
is that there will be a division in the Democratic party. That
party has something now to divide. At last it has a bone, and
probably the fighting will commence. I hope that some new issue
will take color out of politics, something about which both white
and colored may divide. Of course nothing would please me better
than to see the Democratic party become great and grand enough to
give the colored people their rights.
_Question_. Why did you not take part in the campaign?
_Answer_. Well, I was afraid of frightening the preachers away.
I might have done good by scaring one, but I did not know Burchard
until it was too late. Seriously, I did not think that I was
needed. I supposed that Blaine had a walkover, that he was certain
to carry New York. I had business of my own to attend to and did
not want to interfere with the campaign.
_Question_. What do you think of the policy of nominating Blaine
in 1888, as has been proposed?
_Answer_. I think it too early to say what will be done in 1888.
Parties do not exist for one man. Parties have certain ends in
view and they choose men as instruments to accomplish these ends.
Parties belong to principles, not persons. No party can afford to
follow anybody. If in 1888 Mr. Blaine should appear to be the best
man for the party then he will be nominated, otherwise not. I know
nothing about any intention to nominate him again and have no idea
whether he has that ambition. The Whig party was intensely loyal
to Henry Clay and forgot the needs of the country, and allowed the
Democrats to succeed with almost unknown men. Parties should not
belong to persons, but persons should belong to parties. Let us
not be too previous--let us wait.
_Question_. What do you think of the course pursued by the Rev.
Drs. Ball and Burchard?
_Answer_. In politics the preacher is somewhat dangerous. He has
a standard of his own; he has queer ideas of evidence, great reliance
on hearsay; he is apt to believe things against candidates, just
because he wants to. The preacher thinks that all who differ with
him are instigated by the Devil--that their intentions are evil,
and that when they behave themselves they are simply covering the
poison with sugar. It would have been far better for the country
if Mr. Ball had kept still. I do not pretend to say that his
intentions were not good. He likely thought it his duty to lift
a warning voice, to bawl aloud and to spare not, but I think he
made a mistake, and he now probably thinks so himself. Mr. Burchard
was bound to say a smart thing. It sounded well, and he allowed
his ears to run away with his judgment. As a matter of fact, there
is no connection between rum and Romanism. Catholic countries do
not use as much alcohol as Protestant. England has far more
drunkards than Spain. Scotland can discount Italy or Portugal in
good, square drinking. So there is no connection between Romanism
and rebellion. Ten times as many Methodists and twenty times as
many Baptists went into the Rebellion as Catholics. Thousands of
Catholics fought as bravely as Protestants for the preservation of
the Union. No doubt Mr. Burchard intended well. He thought he
was giving Blaine a battle-cry that would send consternation into
the hearts of the opposition. My opinion is that in the next
campaign the preachers will not be called to the front. Of course
they have the same right to express their views that other people
have, but other people have the right to avoid the responsibility
of appearing to agree with them. I think though that it is about
time to let up on Burchard. He has already unloaded on the Lord.
_Question_. Do you think Cleveland will put any Southern men in
his Cabinet?
_Answer_. I do. Nothing could be in worse taste than to ignore
the section that gave him three-fourths of his vote. The people
have put the Democratic party in power. They intended to do what
they did, and why should the South not be recognized? Garland
would make a good Attorney-General; Lamar has the ability to fill
any position in the Cabinet. I could name several others well
qualified, and I suppose that two or three Southern men will be in
the Cabinet. If they are good enough to elect a President they
are good enough to be selected by a President.
_Question_. What do you think of Mr. Conkling's course?
_Answer_. Mr. Conkling certainly had the right to keep still. He
was under no obligation to the party. The Republican papers have
not tried to secure his services. He has been very generally and
liberally denounced ever since his quarrel with Mr. Garfield, and
it is only natural to resent what a man feels to be an injustice.
I suppose he has done what he honestly thought was, under the
circumstances, his duty. I believe him to be a man of stainless
integrity, and he certainly has as much independence of character
as one man can carry. It is time to put the party whip away.
People can be driven from, but not to, the Republican party. If we
expect to win in 1888 we must welcome recruits.
--_The Plain Dealer_, Cleveland, Ohio, Dec. 11, 1884.