The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-03-24
From the Natioual standard.


From the National Standard.
A blow sometimes stups . druu1nrd
into sobriety. Possibly the insult Of
fered and the peril brought to the Re-
publican party by the removal Of Mr..
Sumner may have this effect on the
nation. We may see the loyal men
of the North rally to the defense Of tho
Union. If not, then the-e ID but. one
thing more for Congress to dc Ia order
to sign the death warrant of tho Reput.
lican party, and possibly of the Union.
Let Congress now adjourn without au-
thorizing martial law at the South to
curb the Ku-Klux, and they have as
sured the election of q Democrat to the
Presidency. Indeed, the mood Of
Washington in regard to the anarchy
of the South is such that we consider
the matter about settled. The thirty
three Republicans who last week re-
moved Mr.. Sumner from his post elect
ed a Democratic President for 1872.
Whether Grant will consent to run ON
a Democratic ticket is, ofcourse, uncer-
tain. Probably he does not himself
know yet. But evidently Buffers bill
on the Ku-Klux is not likely to become
a law. The same subserviency that
ate dirt in the Sumner matter stands
ready to defeat that. Any substitute
that sends Southern assassins to be
tried by jury of fellow assassins Is q
mockery. Nothing short Of shooting
hog q dozen Southern milli0Rdires at
the drum head scW a,ce the Ku-Rlur
into submission.
There seems no likelihood of such vig-
or either in Congress or at the White
House. The San Domingo collar on
Senatorial necks shows that they be
long to man who has entered on the
course where Andrew johnson, perish
ed. How far he intends to advance on
that pathway he does not himself now
know. But the descent is fatally easy.
We did not expect much from General
Grant. But when he so uEexpectly
rose to the level of craftsmanship In
the matter of the Fifteen Amendment
and of the Indians, we smothered all
our doubt and gave him large conf
dence. The last few months, capped
by this insOlent interference of Con-
gress, reveals the man. We persisted
in believing that Mr.. Motley was re-
moved for adequate cause until Mr..
Secretary Fish's clumsy letter dispeIl-
ed the illusion. That act, seen in the
light of this attack ofMr. Summer. was
evidently dictated simply and solely by
spite toward the great Massachusetts,
Senator. James the First said, when
he came to London to mount his
throne and found only laundering Of
ficials, They have given me a secreta-
ry who cannot write, and a speaker
who cannot speak,"
affiiction. And the Massachusetts, rem
egade, who helped Mr.. Fish to his bow.
ish rhetoric, did his work SO poorly that
he betrayed the secret, and let the
world see that, after six months irlcu-
baton, the department could not hatch
2 decent excuse. Just as that discretl-
liable act was floating away into obIiy-
ion comes this usurpation, which puts
the present Executive into the compa-
ny OF Jackson's Lank intrigues and
JOhnson's attack on Stanton. The
it makes of the serviIitv of
tine Senate is disheartening to ali low
erS OF free government. Ereyv r,nn
sno'cs that each Senator tClo rofed for
Mr. Set71ner's renlOUdi did so solefu be-
cause the President had let hin, under
stand that only on that condition could
ne hope to hare any influence at me
ia securing office for h;s
friends. We tell only what is an open
secret at Washington. Politicians
there, attitudinizing on the floors Of
Congress, use words in a Pickwickian
sense and varnish base acts with come
y phrases But 1T is fit the people
should know the plain truth. The
President has bought off his opponents
all winter to listen, in the mat
Ter OF appointments, to the recommeu-
1atlons OF any member of Congress who
voted with MIR. Sumner. The onIv ex-
use individual Congressman make for
changing their votes is that to be iauor-
ID at the departments, when asking
,fiices for their supporters, is death to
heir political hopes. If San Domin-
90 is annexed. Grant secures il bv
threats and bribes. The poorest MEM
,ry will need but little effort to recall
he very embassy that bought a Kew
tone vote--the Judgeship which won a
Noiverine-and the herring post that
made another Senator put on the Do
ningo collar.
or course when a party becomes
merely ring" to divide the spoiIs. IL
ouches it downfall. 1t is sad to think
hat the power of great party should
ave fallen into hands of such low.
nercenary selishness. Ii is said that
We can oppose to outlaw assassins at the
'outh, banded together, mercilessIy
nd at every sacrifice, for at least a
reat .ooJect-secessiol-that we can
ppose to them only a gang of Swiss
hamelessly exhibiting the themselves.
DR. sale to the highest bidder.
And so cheated of Lalf our gains. be-
rayed In the house of our friends We
lust rally for another such fight as
hat Which crushed Davis and banked
ohnson. Oprevent the choice of a
,emocratlc President may be impossi-
lie. But our effort must 90 deeper
ian that. We must begin to educate
ie people into the determination that
encouraged by rebel President, Sc
'sslon ever lifts its head again at the
!uth, the North will sweep rebeIdom
ith the bosom of utter destruction and
ave 1t no ruler but the sword until
'ery now living white man is i'm his
AVE- WENDELL PHILLIPS.