The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-06-27
President Lincoln Quietly Dtspos,ng OF
the Abolition Radicals.


the Abolition Radicals.
Some three weeks ago DIR. Senator Sumner
addressed letter to an abolition friend in Iios-
ton, in defence of President Lincoln as q friend
of the anti-slavery cause In this letter which
we publish to-day Mr.. Sumner declares. from
his private conversations with him on the sub
ject, that Mr.. Lincoln "has no sympathy with
Stanly-Proyisional Governor Of North Caro-
lna-in his absurd wickedness" of closing
the negro schools and delivering up fugitive
slaves; and furthermore, says Mr.. Sumner,
"could you have seen the President, as it
was my privilege often-while he was con-
sidering the great questions on which he has
already acted-the invitation to emancipation
in the States, emancipation in the District Of
Columbia, and the acknowledgment Of the in
dependence Of Hayu and Liberia, even your
zeal would have been satisfied and that es-
pecally upon this first proposition Mr.. Lin
coins "whole soul was occupied" because he
considered it "just and benefcent, while it
promised the sure end Of slavery" Mr.. Sena-
tor Sumner, therefore, appeals to his friend, as
an abolition radical, to "stand by the admins
tration."
These positive assurances Of q radical abo-
ltion Senator are made upon the authority of
his private conversations with the President.
How are we to believe such testimony? OF
course the President cannot descend to the
task of a denial or an explanation of his pri-
vate conversations Knowing this, Mr.. Sumner
may have colored his report to suit his custom
er; nor do we think that the man who can
boastingly parade before the public his private
conversations with other men is to be trusted.
We suspect, howeve r, that it was this encourage
ing letter of Mr.. Senator Sumner, as much as
anything else, that resulted in the application Of
the wet blanket on Friday last to visiting
abolition committee at the White House.
This committee was from an abolition society
of broadbrims, long faces and shad bellied
coats, known as Progressive Friends, and it
was mixed committee of old women fanatics
in brooches and would-be men in petticoats,
including Thomas Garrett, of Delaware; Oliver
Johnson, of New York; Alice Hambleton,
Dinah Mendenhall, William Barnard and Eliza
Agnew; and they were presented by Senator
Wilmot, of Pennsylvania.
the President, which was in substance an ap-
peal for decree declaring slavery abolished
throughout the United States. The President
was glad that his Progressive Friends were not
office seekers; for these gentry had given him
world of trouble, and next in the order of
embarrassment came this question of slavery.
But what good would decree of emancipation
do in our revolted States, when we cannot
even enforce the constitution there at present?
If q decree of emancipation would do the
work, John Brown would have done it at Har-
per's Ferry. Master Oliver Johnson, however,
returned to the charge, insisting upon a decree
of emancipation as the one thing needful to
end this war, urging that God desired an end
to slavery, &c., when, in his quiet but decisive
way, Mr.. Lincoln gave his Progressive Friend
"a Roland for his Oliver" in the palpable
hit that perhaps Gods way Of accomplishing
the end which the memorialists have in view
was different from theirs" At any rate, the
President assured them that he should endea-
vor to do his duty; and so, wiser than they
came, these Progressive Friends went their
way.
1t was handsomely done. Abraham Lin
coin, in this matter of getting rid Of
troublesome and impertinent visitors, stands
ahead Of Andrew Jackson. During the old
United States Bank war Old Hickory from
time to time, was waited upon by all sorts
of begging and threatening committees in favor
of the bank. They were all useless; but, while
they could not bulge him q peg from his
fixed purpose, they seldom failed to get him
out of patience. and into such exhibitions of
temper as were greedily seized upon BY his
enemies, and worked up into all sorts OF dis
paraging reports and caricatures. President
on the other hand. while as firm as
General Jackson in his adhesion to his own
well considered line of policy. never permits
his visiting abolition committees. however i'm
pertinent or domineering, to disturb his
In his genial and kindly way he
hears them. and then in some amusing COM
parison, anecdote or expressive hint, gives
them to understand that while he is grateful
for their advice he will follow his own
Judgment.
Our opinion is that the results Of this visit
OF these Progressive Friends to the White
House show that Mr.. Senator Sumner, in his
letter, does not faithfully represent the position
OF the President on this slavery question.
Mr.. Sumner, however, is candidate for re-
election to the United States Senate and doubt
less has been aiming to spread abroad the i'm
preston in Massachusetts that he and the
President are rowing side by side in the same
boat. But the suppression of General Fremont's
emancipation proclamation in Missouri. and
Of General Hunters abolition edct in South
Carolina, show the true position of the Presi-
dent and that Senator Sumner is horse OF
another color. The people Of Massachusetts,.
who support the conservative Union policy of
the President. have sense enough to know that
it can psver be identified with the destruc-
tive abolition disunion sanaticism of senator