Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1860-08-25
ylr.Eycrcu, and the sumner Testimonial.

Finding, a short time since, in the Montgomery
INaa and Columbus Times ~ denunciatlon OF Af. Eyer
EFT for having signed the sumner testimonial II
1856. we asserted that Mr.. Everett, shortly al,e1
signing it., published a ca!d or letter IN when IL
stated that he put his signature /" It winnie s1ck
without reading or beng aware Of the language wli1ci
it contained. and that he did not approve ol us 'ohe
or sentiments.
In the meantime we were looking up the ietter o.
which we had so distinct a recollection, and we nave
if now before us. 1t is dated Me,ltord, Mass, Oct. o
1897. and it shows Mr.. E~yerett's whole course III re
ference to the excitement in Massachusetts, Attending
Summers Gaming was an %endeavor to calm ana stop II
and to prod ace better feelings towards the soulli. ~
the letter before us. after referring 10 'he greates'
settlements against the south which had been aroused
AN excitement so intense that, in the opinion o
some persons, if a leader daring and reckless enough
had presented himself, he might nave raised ar
number of men to march On TO Nashihstoh. WI
Everett continues
s.lmmeliatcly on the receipt Of the intelllsence, an
indign ltion meeting was called in Faneull Hail, winch
was invited to attend. Not disposed to quit the re-
| tirement from political life caused by ill health the
year Notwithstanding also that additional exciie-
! mept was to be deprccdted-I declined to attend the
meeting. 1t was, however, attended and addressed
by very sound conservative men. In the course OF
the following week, having occasion to repea. my ad-
dress 'on the character of Washington, preitced IL
with a few remarks on the recent occur rences, the
object OF which was to impart a more chastened ana
sober TEN per to the fiery Indignation which pervaded
the community. These remarks were extensively
quoted and approved in conservative Journals, both
North and South. Ihey are the same WHICH TT u
luded to in the closing paragrap PHI of Mr.. Sneed's card.
| enclose you a copy OF the n.
"a day or two after the appearance OF these re
marks in the ubiic papers, a young friend, after ex
pressing his cordial appreciation of them, requested
me to subscribe to a testimonial proposed to be ten
dered to Mr.. Summer. He did not show me the paper
nor mention in whole or in part the terms IN which
it was to be expressed. Supposing that it would &C
cord in spirit with my own remarks just alluded TO.
| felt it my duty, in order to avoid miscOnceptien IN
the existing state OF the public mind, to comply with
his request, whIcE l accordingly agreed to do. The
paper was sent up to me at . very early hour the
next morning in my bed room, where, from III health
l had passed a bad night, and was still under the in
duence of ether repeatedly inhaled as an a~noayne.
1t was engrossed on a very stiff sheet, rolled up. the
lower end outward. ! unrolled 1t up 10 the uames
already subscribed those which struck my eye were
of judicious and rejecting persons, aud without read
ing Or seeing the caption, | signed my name. This.
Of course, was a great indiscretien, but Of q kind
perhaps not unnatural under the circumstance OF my
illness. This is the paper given at length in Mr..
Sneed's card.
.sAs soon as ! saw it the next day in the public
prints, ! Informed the young gentleman who had FRO
cured nv signature that / could not have signed the
paper had l been aware of the spirit in which it was
drafted and the terms in which it was expressed. l
made the same statement to numerous friends and
correspondents in the different parts OF the country.
| furnished a memorandum to the above effect TO the
editor of the Boston Daily Advertiser, to be published
when be should think it proper. authorized two
friends in the Senate of the United States to make
the necessary explanation should the subject be al
luded to in that body, as ! thought 1t possibly might
be and as soon as Mr.. Summers health was sufi-
GENTLY restored tomake 1t proper to dc so, wrote to
him to the same effect