The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-27
SPIRIT OF TEE PRHss.
Editorial Opinions ofthe Leading Journals
upon Current T Topios-Compiied Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph
GRANT AND SUMNER.

fortune or bad fortune OF Tree legislative
governments that public business was trans
acted with nothing but shield of the most
transparent glass between it and all the world
beside. That is in great part true, and as to
internal administration of q country 1t Is
certainly we'll enough, but as to external
affairs one sometimes thinks 1T would be
better if everything were done by responsible
officers in session profoundly secret as to
the machinery of doing, only revealing the
result of what is done-in the San Domingo
business, for example, only announcing the
resolution finally adopted.
We have entertained and frequently ex-
pressed the opinion that in all foreign affairs
partisan politics should stop with the boun-
Diary of our marine Jurisdictions and in that
sense our Secretary of State should by absti-
nence from home partisanship so conduct
himself as to be able, in the administration of
his Office, TO command popular support from
every one who agreed in the wisdem of his
measures apart from local prepossessions on
internal affairs.
Mr.. Sumner, by his long public service in
the Senate, his early dedication to the extir-
patton of slave labor, his pursuit of that OBJ
jeot undeterred by popular or social obloquy,
and his conspicuous association with the
triumph of the great cause, has achieved for
himself an enviable European reputation,
apart from what would naturally flow from
his Senatorial relation for so many years to
speaks, therefore, from the throne of exten-
sive general reputation not less than the seat
of power. Probably no man in the country,
in Office or out has to-day, or had yesterday,
q more potential voice in Europe than Mr.
Sumner. His education, training, habits of
thought and expression are essentially Euro
pean, while his patriotism is at the same time
unchallenged, however much we may distrust
his judgment and temper.
He has, too, bulwark of strength in his
good name for pecuniary integrity. He is
not rich, has been the recipient of no large
fees as q lawyer while Senator, and the in
vidious public can point to unexplained
accretion of property, as it can in too many
cases in the Senate. For all these, and a
hundred other like reasons, the public every
where, on either continent, official and unoffi-
cial, who take interest in our affairs, will read
what MIR. Sumner says of the conduct of the
Executive, and vast majority will believe it
to be literally and strictly true. No man can
estimate what moral effect the debate in the
Senate will produce in Europe as to the JUS
tlce OF the propositions of President Grant in
respect, for example, to our British differ
ences. Senators Conkling, Carpenter, Nye,
and SO on, are unknown persons there. Mr..
Morton has recently been before Europe as
nominee to London, but as declining the Office
only to keep Democrat from occupying his
Senatorial chair-a repute not conducive to
foreign lands of Summers speech for all of us
is the dni1nuS which he attributes to Grant
and makes him capable of in all foreign
transactions If this affected only Grant
personally it would be of little consequence;
but unfortunately, by sort of reflex action,
it taints the nation and its whole government.
To say that Sumner is self-asserting, arro-
giant, and insolent of speech does not mend
matters, because ever since the Gaming by
Brooks for violent assault in words on
Senator Butler the whole Republican party
has vindicated the purity of his motives and
guileless conduct. 1t will excite suspicion
abroad to say now that his lifelong nature
has SO suddenly changed, and that while
honest in denunciation of Butler he is dis
honest in dealing with Grant; that the desire
of Brooks to vindicate his insulted relative
was wrong and that of Babcock to avenge
Grant in the same manner is right.
But has not Grant charged Sumner with
infdelity, possibly falsity, in respect to the
Baboock treaty Has he not asserted that
Sumner promised to sustain it, and know
ingly misled him ? Grant is a little given to
charging falsehood on others, if we mistake
not. He said as much of President Johnson,
it will be remembered, in connection with
the Stanton War-ofice affair.
The fact is that Grant has utterly broken
down in that important part of the duties of
President which is to secure corporation
and good understanding, first between him
self and his Cabinet, and next between the
Executive and Congress, by informal consul
tation and personal intercourse. He has
failed where Lincoln succeeded, for the latter
worked in harmony with Sumner. In respect
to his Cabinet, nothing has been or seems
likely to be permanent. Everything shifts as
in a kaleidoscope. Few members remain
long enough even to get familiar with the
habits of mind of their subordinates, to say
nothing of their colleagues. ALI is ddGntertna.
Reflect on the Cabinet changes since his in
auguration Each, except Mr.. Fish, seems
to make it but stepping-stone to something
else. The last appointed member-Akerman
only accepts to talk of leaving, and even
spends his little time in Office in engineering
an election. Clearly something is wrong in
such condition of things. Why is every
one so eager to dissolve the association?
If a President cannot in quiet and digni
fed way commend his measures to the sup
port of his own party in Congress, the pre-
sumption must be that either the measures
are bad or he is unfit to be chief Tried by
this Just test, Grants career is a lamentablC
and unique failure. He has prevailed il
nothing, except in the Cuba discussion il
the House last summer, when Butler cam'
to. the rescue of the administration from tn,
pitiless pounding of Banks. Here is a stan
dard and measure of Grants fitness which
the public would do we'll to reflect upon
The duty of the President to prevent tn
recent Senate outbreak, so humiliatinj
to the country, was and is so clear tina
he will and ought to be held responsible fo
the injury. If Sumner was perverse re
specting San Domingo, he should have beef
conciliated instead of challenged to publ
fracas in an annual message, or by uplft