Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-06-12
From Galignani's Messenger. No. -
The Late Com pliment to Mr.. STmnea y IA.

We have received the following:
81 read in the Messenger of Monday last q co,-.
pondence between Mr.. Charles Sumner, of Maneess'
chusetts, and certain gentlemen from the Nor,SSa'
and Eastern States OF the American Union, st,En
themselves the American merchants resid;r5.heg
Paris, and in that quality inviting him to q s,r ~
dinner Whatever the ostensbe motive of this G { d
monstration it possesses an import which is re
dered unmls'akeable by Mr.. Summers own Intern.
tation OF it; and this fully dscoses the animns |
aim of the distinguished statesman and orato "aC
mission to Europe. That mission, certainly WI
airy diplomatic privilege but, peradventura "ous
without perquises, is to initiate, and If the eron
cies of the cotton market and manufacture Dr. gen.
forbid it, 10 organize systematic agitation in hi.
and the British capital against the Southern States rs
the Contederacy, and that peculiar institution VI
theirs so tenderly nursed of yore and ransmitai VI
them by dear Old Mother England, and which =; ~
very modern times, has been not less cherished an
sustained by the enterprise and sctivity,' on Lo
coast of Africa, OF some OF her Puritanical progsnv
in the new world. 't - e'uS
Under these circumstances, can any such snbdo
lous plea as that put forward excuse these Ams";
can merchants for lending themselves TO such oc.
cies and influences? If they were sordid and SIR
seeking adventures in pursuit of political canitoI
rather than the honorable rewards of liberal and
enlightened trade, one could understand or ra,her
would not marvel athis pseudo patriotic partisanshn
this untraternat display of their sestisnaI colors
in foreign land But are these industrious worL
mem in Mr.. Summers mighty loom warranted in
assuming so comprehensive designation as that Of
the American merchants residing in Paris q ! hear
not, and that many good men and true' quite as
considerable as themselves, and not less credtable
representatives of their country on foreign mission
albeit more modest and less avid of distinction have
deemed 1t wsest discreetest vtuousest best not to
present themselves upon this Paris PLATFORM and 10
enact no part in this notable coup de theatre
For the rest, | do not perceive what there has
teen in the pOlitico economical views of the
senator in question which entities him par ercel
lence to the admiration and regard of the
American merchant anywhere, seeing that his some
time potent voice exerted in support of a
highly protective tariff, imposing grevous restraints
and drawbacks upon that benefcent commerce,
which the Southern barbarians would have eman.
cpated and made free as the winds that wait it,
Now these gentlemen will, I hore, excuse me for
asking them how long Mr.. Summers colossal loom
could preserve its locus sandi at Lowell or Manches
ter they and it be kept in function, if it were not
for that plant which his policy would blight, but
whose fruit is feeding them and millions of mouths,
while doing at the same time far more than his olive
branch to secure the blessings of peace among the
nations. You see then, sir, that 1t is due to the
American merchants and Others who have not been
parties to this demonstration to make that fact
publicly known. To this end, it is but just that the
Messenger should report ii, and obige many citi.
zens from many States of the great Republic
but in an especial manner one of the humbleSt of
them, who remains, &C., &c.,
"FRANClS P. CORBIN of (va.)
"PARIS, Thursday, May T."