New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-10-15
MASSACHUSETTS.
X Oh.

THE SENATORIAL QUESTION-MH. StMNkks RE-
ELECTION A. CERTAIN As CEN. GRANT ,
ELECTON-THE DESIRES AND DISAPrOINr-
MENT or THE HON. c. =. ApNMs-riIAr
HISTORIC ADAMS FAMILY 10 RECEIVE \
SEVERE LETTING ALONE.
IRON OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Boston, Sept. 23-Thc fact that our Republican
State Convention thought proper to nominate Ma.
Sumner as a candidate for reelection to the /. : Sen
ate-for that is the plain English Of lis action-has
caused some comment in other States; and perhaps
it may not be aniss to explain the of its pro-
ceeding. Ever since Mr.. Sumner has been in public
life he has been object of dislike to certain men,
some of whom very fair Republicans. You
will recollect that he became prominent early in
1851 The Democrats and Free-Soilcrs formed a
coalition in 1919 but il was not successful till $780,
when they carried the Legislature, which had to
elect L. s. Senator at the session of ISL Mr.
Webster, in the preceding Summer, had vacated his
seat in the Senate to take the Office of Secretary of
State in the Fillmore Cabinet. and Gov Briggs
appointed Mr. Winthrop to fiji the vacancy till the
Legislature should meet: and Mr. Winthrop having
10 leave the l. 5. House of Representatives lac was
succeeded by Mr.. Eliot apro-Slayery Wing II was
well understood that if the Wings shOnld sue
coed at the election OF 1870, Nh. Winthrop
would be chosen to succeed Mr. Webster, not
only for tho remainder OF the atters term.
but for the new term, which would begin the 4th
~ March, 1851 Hence the Importance of the contest
in 1850 the Free Sellers avOwing their intention 10
place Mr. Sumner IN the Senate, should their cOa
tion succeed, while Mr.. Boutwell, should have the
GOyenOrShip. The coalition did succeed, aud had
maiOrities IN both branches Of The Legislature. Mr.
Boutwell, was made Governor without delay; and
with the exception OF one Democrat ali the anti
Wing members of the Senate voted for Mr.. Sumner
as Senator, and sent him down so the House of Rep
fesentatiYes but some Democratic Representatives
not prepared 10 vote for him, and q contest
ensued that lasted for about three months, when Mr.
sumner was chosen by a bare majority. This was
I Ea first he hun all. IN .la
except that Mr.. RantOul had been chosen To serve
out the remainder of Mr. Webster term They took
their defeat much TO heart, and they never foreave
Mr. Sumner the part he had IN bringing il upon them.
They vowed revenge, and think they would have
fulfilled their VOW had not our national politics
taken the strange turn that led To the civil war.
YOu will excuse this brief narrative of old world
facts, because without some knowledge of them II
is impossible fully 10 comprehend our present stua
ton; and they may be new TO some OF your younger
readers The events Of 1852 - not only broke up the
Wing party, but they carried most OF our Democrats
and majority OF our Wings, after brief solOum
with the KnOw-NOtlings into the Republican party |
The Wings who went into the new movement took !
with them of their old prcjudiccs among which
was dislike for Mr.. Sumner; and he would, l am
convinced, have encountered very opposition
in the Legislature of 1851, had il not been for the
sault made on him in 1886 by Brooks. That lnfa- |
nous outrage had the effect OF arIaying every Mas
no had any self respect on the side
of Mr.. Sumner, and lie reelected in the most fiat
terng manner But it is not the less trne that il was
intended to oppose lis reelection, and according 10
i'll Will toward him by shamming i'll when the vote
was taken. But this may have been only gossip
The state of affairs that existed in 1862 was favor
able to the opponents Of Mr. Sumner Ii will be re-
Inembered that the Republicans that year did badly
~ number of States-n Ohio, and New-Y0rk, and |
elsewhere and the next Spring they were IN minor
lty OF the popular vote in New Hampshire In Mas
sachusetts, all the anti-Repubcans Of every hue,
shade, and complexion rallied in support Of Gen.
Ievens, who was the Conservative candidate for |
Governor and the General obtained very large |
vote. Nevertheless the Republicans though rudcly |
shaken by the storm, showed they hid oak like quail
tiles. They would not bend to the blast and they
were neither uprOoted nor overthrow. Their pop |
ular majority was good and their legislative MAJOR |
tiles were great. The Senatorial question had en- |
tered directly into the contest and il was the hope
Of the opposition that they should be able to defeat
Mr.. Sumner that made them so active. lie took q |
very conspicuous part in the cOnfict-mOre so than
ever before since-and he had put the abolition
OF slavery forward the grand issue the
assumed an historical character. illustrating his |
argument IN favor Of amiBg slaves by reference 10
the acti0n OF Caus Marius he was charged with per-
yerting homan history; and The Boston Post came
down upon HIM with sort of fury saying that ii was
an Insult 10 ms audience that he should have dared TO
auude 10 such ruiflan as Mariusl-whch was hard.
considering how much of Democratic favorito
Marius used TO dc III the Bancroft BrOwnson days of
the party. But the people were bent on Mr.. Summers
notwithstanding he was Marian: and
his reelection took place in the Winter of 1863 much
to the chagTin of some gentlemen of his own pOlit-
zeal iatl who thought that two terms IN ia" Senate