New-York tribune., 1868-10-31
SPEECH or THE HON CHARLES SUMNER.
ISSUES OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
After allnding to various personal matters.


After alluding to various personal matters,
Mr.. Sumner said
Though formal criticism has tardiiy died out, there ia
sometimes a warning against of idea," with
nngcr-pOint myself Hero meet my accuser face to
face WHAT duty have failed to performs Let IL be
specified What interest have neglected. Has it been
fnancei The Globe will show my earnest and elaborate
effort the beginning OF the war; warning against
convertible currency. and simiar effort made recently
to the return TO specie payments Has IL been
taxation railroads, or business in any Of
It's forms, foreign relations, with which, as chair
Of the Senate Committee this subject Ihave been
particularly connected On all OF these refer to the re-
cord What then have negeced 1t IS true that, while
bearing these things in mind and neglecting none felt
supreme duty my country against the perils
from Slavery and to insist upon reversble guarantees
for the security Of ALL especially those freedmen whom
cOnd consent TO sacrifice without the OSt shame
ful ingratitude Az the urgency was great also
gent IN season and out OF season, ut a times In all
upon the abolition OF Slavery and the completion
places here at home and in the Senate, insisted
OF this great work by the removal Of its whole brood OF
inequalities that 10 shalt not reappear IN another fOrn
But my and constancy only mperfccty rep
resented hc There could be no excess nothing
too strong The Republic menaced; whore was the
limit TO patriotic dutY Human Rights were IN jeopardy;
who that had heart 10 feel could be Indifferent No
body coud do much This not possible No wisdom
great angelic, courage too perseYer-
ing OF course. claim no merit for eOit IN this behaf;
but appeal to YOU fellow citizens that the time for
reprOach this account Is passed We must be prac-
tical," the critic. Very well Here agree. But,
pray who has been practcalP Ist those hRgards VINO
after cngng to Slavery then secuted the power OF Con
gres and denied the equal rights OF the freedman
Permit say mat tho practical statesman f0resees
the future and provides for It, Whoever does anything
with his whole heart makes for the time his one idea
Every scOverer every inventor every poet every ar
tis every orator general every statesmen is aD
sorbed In his work and he succeeds just IN proportion as
for the time 1t becomes his one idea Ihe occasion
must not be un worthy or petty: but the moro complete
the selfdedicaton tho more effective Is the result
know no better instance OF one Idea puIsueu 70 d tr
umphaut end than when our candidate, aiteI piaihK
his campaign. announced that he meant 10 Igh u CUT
this line fit took all summer Here was no occasion
for reproach except from Rebels. who would have been
glad 10 him fail In that singleness o. dea which
gave HIM the victory. There are other PAGES
where the same singleness is needed and the
idea il less lofty The Senate Chamber has It's battles
aso and the conflict embraces the whole country Per
sOnaily haye nothing to regret, except my own made
quacy. would have done more II could Call u one
idea" That idea is nothing less than country Win Win
all that is contained In that inspiring word, and with
the infinite vista OF the same blessings Tor all mankh
The Reconstruction acts err ron what lhey Sl W uu,
rather than from what they do Ihey DO 700 niue Tathe
than much They should have secured pee & V
mingled for generations IN the SOL ana they snoun
have secured system of common schools open 10 All IN
these delOaDds, In every OtbeF measure O
ton would do nothing IN severity or Triumph nothing
10 pun sh humble Nor is it only IN justice to the
freedman, who has Dlll against MS FORMER master lo
unpaid wages ud also against the country for an hhhte
debt but for the good of all constituting the com.
munity. including the former master Nothihg can De
truer than that under such Influences society VIII De i'm
proved character will be elevated and tho general re-
viii he enlarged Only IN thls way VIII o par
barsm OF Slavery be banished, aud tu0 civilization be
organized place. by contributing 10 this work, by
labDring for its accomplishment ny sending ~ our Col
speed perform service at once Oi the highest charity
aud the ghet patriotism, which hereafter the children
of the south enanciptted from error, viii TeJOlce 70
recognize with human rights under permanent safe
guard be limit To prosperity As under ths
sunshine the land yields its increase aud the gardens
bloom with beauty, while commerce and manufactures
enjoy new life, they Will confess thdt We aia
the increased glory OF the Republic. If.
s In ancient Rome, demanded the heads of senators
aud orators H. a. in England took the fe aud estate
Of AL II al
with slaughter aud cried havoc" H. As n France we
set up guotines aud worked until the blood stood
in pmidles beneath; II. AZ IA AL these historic
countries We acted with pitiless VENGEANCE; II.
in ANYTHING we have done or attempted, there
was one deed OF vengeance then we, too, might
deserve chasteung ccuSure. But an that we nave
done next sfter the safety Of the Republic is for the
good OF those who were our enemies aud who despite
fully used IA. The words of Holy wit may be echOcd by
n. l. H. build these cities and make about them
walls and towers gates and bars while the land is yet
eury so sublime never before "A rebel people
rounded by benthceuce comprehensive Great as was
the Republic IN arms, It j. greater stu IN the
majesty OF its charity. So far as the Recon
sfryction acts have been assalled [ ready
defend them against all coiuefs Ana relei at tue
outset every charge suggestion OF hasncss They are
not harsh unless II Is hArh TO giye every man his due
IL they are hatsh then is benehccnco harsh then IS
charity har,h IL Is only by outraglng every principle Of
Justice stnlng every sympathy with Human Rights, and
,in m the sncrd obligations OF country fhaf We can
submit 10 see political power tho hands of Rebels No
Judgment h too terrible Tor ur II we consent 10 me -er
former scr Tor the sake of ALL and for the sake OF the
Republic this must not be- Therefore, we're the Recon
-iruciion nets adopted by Immense maoftes Ia both
Houses Cougrc-, the guarantee OF peace Tue uspi
ration Of our candidate VAS IN every hhe ana "Oid
Two question, arc presented by the enemies OF these
acts fret, on the power OF Congress aud, secondly On
the tquu Rights of the freedman.
Toe often have asserted the pleLary power ~ Con
crrss with arguments that have never been answered 10
feel II necessary now 10 occupy time on hs head The
case may be proved n many ways that difficult
know which to select. Whether the power II derived
nom the Necessity of Tie case because the Rebel states
klil llu .tt L. IuL
by chief Justice Marshall for the jurisdiction of Con
rights OF war following the sublccuOn Of beiligrr-
cnts land, or from the obligation OF the tmted
statct guarantee republican government 20 each state;
or from the constitutional amendment hbOllshmg slavery,
with tts supplementary clause comforting upon Congress
powrr 10 enforce this abolition; whether the power il De
that exists As well say that the power over the Terri
tories the war power. the guarantee power, and the
power to enforce tue abolition OF slavery DO not exist
well Say that the Constitution isclf does not exist IL
nscded 10 might be found In tho practical admissions or
& nar" r,,,.tr1cii," J2 n in the mama ~
The Nation. In The prosecution OF tins u>nf fpatiun,
he summoned conventions Of delegates made eligible by
with the right of suffrage; and through these conveu-
ons. 10 which he gave The Law by tclcgrapmc WIRE as-
suuied 10 institute local governments. Thus hrs he
while with ab-urdy OF preeuslOp, which history Will
condemn more. than any cOtempOrary Judgment,
has been oycrthrown. but his testimony to the
power Of the nation remains. When tho nation
It's Senate and people Senats FOpnsqle, RomGnHs IN
whose went forth those great Gccrers which ruled
the world In considering the cunstitutionaly OF the
Reconstruction acts there is distinction recognized by
repeated judgments OF the Shpremo Court which has not
beon snficicutly regarded even by our friends The
Rebel party, especially n their platform at NowIOrk
forgot IL entirely They tell us that the Reconstruction
acts are unconstitutional revolutionary, aud void."
and Wade Hampton boasts that he prompted TINS decar
atlOu. have already exhibited the OF Congress
la four different sources but beyond these Is the pnci
pie that Congress IA the exercise OF political powers
not bc questioned 20 says the supreme Court Thus u has
been decided general terms " that the action of the
political branches Of the Government IA matters that hr
long them II conclusive" And famous cn-e of
Luther Boron it IL announced, that where the
tOnal Government interfores with the domestic
OF State, the Constitution far it has provided
for emergency Of this kind has the subject AZ