Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-12-25
Senator sumner's Views on Disftan.
chiscment; impeachment and Gen
Grant

Three delegates to the late council of the
Loyal League-Messrs. Moss, Mackey and
Pillsbury-cailed on Senator Sumner to-day
to learn his views about matters pertaining to
the government ofthe South. In replyto the
question whether it would be better to adhere
to the Congressional plan of disfranchisement
or 60 further and dsfranchise still more, The
Senator replied that the safest policy, and the
one calculated to secure loyal interests and
loyal governments, would be more extern
sive scheme of disfranchisement, embracing,
besides those who formerly held Offices in the
federal service, all who took an active part in
furthering the secession movement and all
who were in any sphere leaders of the people
and carried the crowd with them. He felt
outraged in reading, a few days ago, the pro-
ceedings Of the Conservative Convention as.
sembled in Richmond, in which such men as
Hunter, Rives, Letcher and others of that class
appeared and dared to dictate policy to the
American people.
Such'men should never again obtrude them.
selves on public notice, aud should especially
refrain from attempting to offer advice or de-
liver opinions on the affairs of the nation.
He felt particularly incensed against the OBJ
structionists in Congress-the so.ealled con.
servative fepublicans:.-whose timid time serv.
ing action had already proved the baue of the
party. BE and Ben Wade had done their
utmost to carry out the true principles of the
party, but they invariably found themselves
thwarted Gy tho progressive and less sincere
men on their own side. The two great mis-
takes of the republican party were the failure
to ilnpeach the President and the failure to
pass Political Rights Bill. In avoiding the
execution of these two measures, they placed
the spoon in the hands of the democracy with
which to stir up the prejudices of the masses
and misrepresent the motives of republican
ism. he contended that when Congress par
sed the Civil Rights Bill, the SAME argh tients
used to enfore it could have been Just as well
employed in the passage of Political Rights
Bill, which would have given suffrage to all
the colored people throughout the country.
|sHe believed that the constitutional amend
ment abolishing slavery gives Congress- thu
right to pass this Political Rights Bill, and
had they done so the colored people could
have voted in the recent elections, thereby
taking away from the democracy the argu-
ment they used with such effect in different
Estates of the North by holding up the bugbear
of negro supremacy. Speaking of General
iGrant, he said he considered him good SOL
Idier, and no more. There was no record of
his ever having expressed political axiom or
an idea which could afford the people so in
sight of his capacity for craftsmanship, or of
the course he would be likely to pursue if he
were elected President. He was therefore op
posed to endorsing him as a candidate for,thc
highest Office in the gifs of the people, Re-
Herring to impeachment, he expressed himself
Iianguine that if the House had passed the
fBnl, the Senate would have done its duty in
lrpporting them. One of the deputation
aid they felt apprehens:ve in South Carolina
That if they framed too Radical Cons itu-
Jon it might be rejected by Congress, to
which Mr. Sumner replied that they should
ntertain no fears on that head, as Congress
has aware that the members Of The Conven-
ion. living in the State knew what was
ieeded better than they did, and would not
berefore, reject any Constitution on account
d is being too Radical.-Specia1 Dispatch
Il New York Herald.