Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-05-24
POLITICS IN MASSACHUSETTS,.
FROM THE BOSTON DAILY ADVERTISER OF MAY 20.
MR.. SUMMERS LETTER.


TRoM BOSTON DAILY ADVERTISER OF MAY 90
MR.. SUMMERS LETTER.
is difficult to read this document without smile an6
is equally difficult 10 read il without regret. Mr. SuMsx,
apparently does appreciate his position Never before il
any public station of any kind elected by means which no
end paae and without any reference to his fitness o
the station on the part of those whose support was pu
chased by other considerations he would have done well tc
have accepted the certificate of his election in silence Blu
be has thought best to do II has seemed to him
proper to claim his election triumph of "prnc
pies " proclaim himself the disinerested and unwilling
recipient of unsought distinction, and the representative
Of the sentiments Of large majority of the people of this
Commonwealth 1t seems to U.s. therefore, to be our duty
not allow the occasion pass without presenting clearly
the public mind the real nature Of the transaction which
has made Mr.. Sumner Senator for its character shows
concusvey that the claim that person elected becomes
by tha. election representative of the sentiments of
oy of the people Of this State is unounded pre.en-
sion, deserving prompt rebuke
Mr. Sumner elected in pursuance Of bargain, which
is to be characterized simply dsgscefu and dhonor-
able, but corrupt and mschevous The means by which
he was chosen ae every moral and legal aspect much
acts bribery money had been paid purchase the
cessary votes This be made very plain 10 few words
The Of the Democratic party necessary bis cleo
ton They could be had without price, That price
promised and paid The government Of the State
conferred upon the Democratic party upon the distinct
consideration, stipulated and agreed upon that they should
give in exchange for it, the Freesoi party who held the
power Of placing the Democrats in Office the Office of Sena-
tor The person who to receive this Office was pob
icy designated at the time when the contract made and
partly executed But nothing remained to be done for its
complete execution but that the Free.o party should an
the of their candidate and, be
publicly named, the complete ufmen of the contract
claimed upon the ground Of contract and upon that ground
the necessary Democratic votes given TO Mr. Sumner
No supposes-no has ever had the hardhood to
pretendthat these Democratic given upon any
grounds Of political or personal preference, in the
discharge Of that high duty which always involved in such
delegated trust to vote upon public considerations, accord
ing to the best convictions of the They given
they had been previously barganed for and because
the price had been paid.
Let any man, then, if he csn show distinction between
this and where money Is paid affect similar pur-
pose under similar circumstances Of previous contract Or let
any man, he cam distinguish this from the pro-
mise to besow valuable Office appointment upon an
eector at future time, he will for certain cand
date The sole distinction between such and hss that
the offices and appointments by which the necessary votes
purchased bestowed in ADVANCE with perfectly
clear and explicit understanding that they bestowed
and for the price which the votes to be given. We
allow therefore, that Mr. Sumner car with any pro-
prety whatever talk Of the importance universally conced
ed to his election and the principles which it brought
into dscuson, for writing such letter be has
addressed to the Legislature and, guardians of public
morality, shall that such phrases these shall
be allowed to the Of this transaction There
prncpes whatever bought into discussion in that
unprecedened 1t revealed total Of all pnci
pie the part Of those implicated in the bargaina willing
and capacity barter Office against office buy and
sell commodities Of traffic But brought into dis
cussion, between the parties the scheme motive or
reason Of public duty grounds of public policy quss
tons of fitness unftness. 1t naked contract
with quid pro quo conved openly claimed and ex
ndaO at Last unctiIt naIv vparfor rpnod
MIR. SumDer himself the servant Of Massa
chusetts He may her agent to transmit to the
Senate such foolish and mschievous resolutions the Le
gatue to be the point of perpetrang on the sub
ec Of slavery and which have already passed the Senate of
the State He may her. M is to be her policy goad
and annoy the South upon the subject Of their institutions
to proclaim that the legislation Of Congress- which carries
plain command of the Constitution contrary to Chris
tany But in any useful sense in any broad, catholic
statesmanke Of service say that expect
much from gentleman who the representative Of what
Mr. Sumner very justly calls sentiments Of which he is
tho known advocate" Mr. Sumner assumes that these
ssenments" which a led to his osinal selection as cam
ddate "dear to the hearts Of large majority OF the
people Of this Commonwealth" We deny the fact We
affirm that his original selection candidate the Of
his party in the Legislature who represent less than fourth
part Of the people Of the State and that his election the
act of another party, brbed by the State offices give him
their votes, without the least reference his sentiments
and in The of many of them, in opposition their
But whether Mr. Summers claim is untrue whether
his sentiments held by few many, render
true and valuable service the State who abors ncucae
those sentiments for in all their effects and consequences
they hostile to the tes interests Of the State and the
country.
Mr. Sumner himself the Of the Union
is impossible part unless he dscards his whole prev
professions He has done and said and written great
deal to encourage spirit Of resistance to constitutional
obligation, the discharge of which is vitality important the
continuance of the Union. The very Sentiments of
which he procaims himself " the known advocate dan
geous the peace of the Union promote resistance the
laws, and tend to disoganizaton His declaration, made
last November in Faneu Hail. that the public conscience
of Boston freeman to be dragged away slave" tai
lies well with bis present declaration of eay the Unon
by which he says he is bound o discountenance every
fort to loosen any Of those ties by which our fellowship Of
States is held in aternal company Before his election
he declares that the public will permit ug
tive slave to be taken away; and Of the public con-
science could prevent only by public violence for that is
the only way in which the public conscience" can act
against the constituted authorities After his election be is
bound to discountenance all these things We glad Of
only wish he had always understood his obligations
well as he does now
Mr. Sumner Declines he expresses it. to recognise as
his guides any of the Of to-day" Among those
men Of to-day statesmen of great capacities ex
peence in public affairs unquesoned patriotism possessing
the full confidence Of the country, and consequently posses
sing ample means Of doing good These have lately
bent all the energies Of their great minds and devoted all the
Unon by system Of which they deemed essential
its continuance. Mr.. Sumner declines their guidance
He has been in public life he leaves private station
with which he is entirely content to the Senate of the
United States But the who have been there twenty
thirty five thirty who