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THE LIFE OF LYMAN TRUMBULL
BY
HORACE WHITE
BOSTON AND NEW YORK
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
The Riverside Press Cambridge
1913
COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY HORACE WHITE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
_Published October 1913_
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 literature 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
Trumbull, 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 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 policy 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 affirm 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 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
living. 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.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
ANCESTRY AND EARLY LIFE
The Trumbulls from Newcastle-on-Tyne, England--Most illustrious
family in Colony of Connecticut--Lyman Trumbull born and
educated at Colchester--Begins his career as school-teacher in
Georgia in 1833--Studies law there in office of Hiram Warner--In
1837 makes a journey on horseback to Shawneetown,
Illinois--Begins practice of law in office 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