The Portland daily press., 1867-01-21

dispatch TO Boston Advertiser.l
WAsHrsaroN, Jan. 49, 1861.
The great event of the day IN congressional
circles was the delivery OF a speech by Mr..
sumner i'm which the President was arraigned
i, tba most severe and seorching terms The
sneecb produced profound impression. and is
the General theme of conversation this even
inc. The following is from the official report:-
Mr.. Sumnef-lt Is only a little more than a
year ago that felt it my duty to Characterize
Il message of the President as white-wasbing.
The message represented the condition Of
things IN the rebel States rs fair and promising
when the prevailing evidence was directly the
other way. OF course the message was white
Washing, and this was a mild term for such a
document. But you do not forget how certain
senators, horror-struck at this plainness, leap
ed forward to yindicate the President. Yes
terday some of these same senators, horror
struck again, leaped forward again in the same
task. Time has shown that was right on the
former occasion. If anybody doubts that was
right yesterday, commit him to time. He will
not be obliged to wait long. Meanwhile shall
insist always upon complete freedom of debate,
and shall exercise it. John Milton, IN his
glorious aspirations, said, "Give me the liberty
to know, 10 utter, and TO argue freely, above all
liberties. Thank God, now that slave-masters
have been driven from this chamber, such is the
liberty of an American senator. vi course
there can be no citizen of republic too high
tor exposure, as there can be none too low for
protection. Ile exposure VI Tile powerful and
the protection of the weak, these are not only
invaluable liberties, but commanding duties
At last the country is opening its ewes to
actual conditions of things. Already it sees
that Andrew johnson, who came to SUI
preme power by bloody accident has he
come the successor of Jefferson Davis in the
spirit by which he is governed and in the
mischief he Is lntlicting on his country. 1t
sees the president of the rebellion revived in
the President of the United States. 1t sees
that the violence which took the life of his
Industrious predecessor is now, by his perverse
completely, extending throughout the rebel
States, making all who love the Union its vic
TINS, and filling the land with tragedy. 1t
sees that the war upon the faithful unionists
is still continued under his powerful aus
pices, without any distinction of color, so
that all, both white and black, are sacrificed.
1t that he is the minister of discord and not
the minister of peace. 1t sees that so long as
his influence prevails there is small chance OF
tranquility, security or reconciliation; that the
restoration of prosperity in the rebel States, so
much longed tor, must be arrested; that the
business of the whole country must be embar-
rasscd, and that those conditions on which
a sound currency depends must be postponed.
All these things the country now sees. But
Indignation assumes the form ofiudgment when
it is seen, also, that this incredible unparalel-
ed and farreaching mischief, second only TO the
rebellion itself, of which it is a continuation, is
invigorated and extended through plain nsllr-
patton. l know that the President sometimes
quotes the Constitution and processes to carry
out its behests; but this is of little value A
French historian, whose fame rs n writer is
eclipsed by his greater fame as an orator, who
has held important posts, and now, in advance
ing years, is still eminent in public life, has
used words which APPLY characterize an at
tempt like that OF the President quote from
the history of nj. Thiers:@"When any one
wishes to make a revolution or u counter rsvo-
luton, it is necessary always to disguise the
illegalty as much rs possible, and, to this end
to use the terms of the Constitution in order
to destroy it, and also the members OF a govern
ment in order to overturn it," In this spirit
the President has acted. He has bent the Con-
stitutiOn laws and men to his arbitrary will,
and has even invoked the Declaration of indie
pendence for the overthrow of those equal rights
whc it so grandly proclaims. if llz
In holding up Andrew johnson to Judgment
i do not dwell upon his open exposure of him
self in condition of beastly intoxication
while he was taking his oath of office; nor do j
dwell on the maudiin speeches by which he has
degraded the country as it was never degraded
before; nor do l hearl<en to any reports of par
dons sold, or of personal corruption. This is
not the case against him, as deem tiny duty
to present it i'll this argument. These things
are bad, very bad; but they might not, in the
opinion of some Senators, justify us on the
present occasion. In other words, they might
not be sufficient reason for the amendment
which is ample. The President has usurped
the powers of Congress on colossal scale, and
he has employed these usurped powers in TO-
menting the rebel spirit aud awakening anew
the dying fires of the rebellion. This is his
great and objectionable offence, for which his
tory Must condemn him if you do not. He is
usurper through whom infinite wrong has
been done to his country. He is a usurper
who, promising to be a Moses, has become a
Pharaoh. In the maintenance of his usurpa-
f.np hn haS ANN hn .,f ~
from Office. Some who would not become the
partsans of his tyranny he has, according to
his own language, kicked OUT others are
| left but silenced by this menace and the fate of
| their associates. Wherever any vacancy oc-
ours, whether in the loyal or rebel States, it is
| filled by the partisans Of his usurpation. 9th
| er vacancies are created to provide for these
partisans. l need not add that just in pro-
| portion as we sanction such nominations, OF
| fail to arrest them according to the measure
of our power, we become parties to his usurpa-
ton. $3.50 -.,.f..
| And now / am brought directly to the prac-
teal application of this simple statement.
have already said that the duty of tie hour
was in protection to the loyal and patriotic cit
liens against the President. Surely this can
not be doubted. The first duty of the Govern
ment is protection The GROWING glory of the
Republic is that it leaves no nan, however
humble, without protection. Show me man
exposed to wrong, and show you an occasion
IOr Jne exercise Oh all Tile power Iuat NtOu anu
the Constitution have given you. 1t will not
do to say that the cases are too numerous, or
that the remedy cannot be applied without in
terferlng with a system handed down from our
fathers; or, worse still that you have little
sympathy with this suffering This will not
do. You must apply the remedy or fail in
duty. Especially must you apply it when, as
on the present occasion, this wrong is a part of
plan of usurpation in the interest of recent
rebellion. The question then recurs, are you
ready to apply the remedy, according to the
measure of your power? The necessity for
this remedy may be seen in the rebel States,
and also in the loyal States, for the usurpation
is felt in both. If you look at the rebel States
you will see everywhere the triumph OF tyran-
NY. There is not mail which does not bring
letters without number, supplicating the exer-
else of all the powers of Congress against the
President; there is not a newspaper which does
not exhibit evidence that you are already tardy
in this work of necessity; there is not q wind
from that suffering region which is not freight
ed with voices of Distress and yet you hesitate.
l shall not be led aside to consider the full rem
edy of this usurpatiOn, for it is not my habit to
travel out of the straight line of debate -
Therefore / confine myself to the bill now I'M
der consideration, which is applicable alike to
the loyal and to the rebel States.
AT this point Mr.. Sumner took up an amend
ment he had moved in the bill under consider
alton, viz, that regulating the Presidents pow
er of appointment and removal, and from the
standpoint of the foregoing remarks he pro-
ceeded to urge its adoption. - -1