New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-17
Removal of sumner.

| The Albany Ere,.iag Journal regards the
removal OF Sumner from the chairlnanship
of the Commit, r. O. for - : fairs rs an
unfortunate necessity. inc journal says:
The majority of the American Senators
! have deemed it eXpediert that Mr. Sumner
! should no longer remain at the head of the
| Committee on Foreign Relations. If there
| We're simply Il difference of opinion between
! Mr.. Sumner on the one hand and the ma
,jority and the President on the other, there
would have been no change. But Mr.. Sum-
ner has dritted in'o an attitude toward the
administration prccludins personal inter
course and involving personal antago1ism.
To continue him under such circumstances
in IA position where he is practically part
of the administration on foreign affairs was
believed to be prejudcial to the public in
tereSts.
At the same time we fully recognized the
objections to MIR. Summers removal, and we
are not insensiele to them now. The action
is justitiable for the reasons we have stated.
Whether it was polite, whether these rea-
sons preponderated over those which pro-
nounced against teposing the distinguished
Senator, could better be judged by these
immediately upon the scene. Republican
Senators, equally sincere. patriotic, and jul
dicious, differed i'll Judgment. But all
must concur that Mr.. Sumner has
suffered himself to be drawn into an
attitude most unfortunate for himself Had
he been content with q fair and candid OPP
position t. measures which did not com
lnand his approval, none would have ques.
toned the propriety of retaining him i'll the
position he has filled with SO much lustre,
as none now question his honesty and
ability. But when he suffered his feelings
10 betray him into an attitude Of rancOrOus
hostility. he compelled the questions now
presented.
The New York Commercial I9rer:tser
says on the same subject:
What is to come out of the removal of
Sumner from the Committee Of Foreign
Relations! His friends and the Democratic
Oracles predict a terrible disaster ta the
party We have no idea that anything
serious or damaging will result from trans
terring Mr.. Sumner from one committee to
another. There is nothing in this, as Sena-
tor Nye, observed, 'to rack the nation or
to break up the Republican party" People
who will look back on the history of parties
i'll this country will be reminded that
nearly every statesman who has attempted
to play the part Of the malcOntent has
found himself outside of his party
ignored. deserted, fallen to. rise no
more. 1t seems to be an intirInity Of
our great men that, when they reach
certain age, they become irritable, lnprac-
ticable. dictatorial, and possessed with the
idea that without the advantage of their
wisdom and experience, the party and
country would go to the dogs" When
ever any one of our distinguished men be-
gan to exhibit these signs Of halluciuation,
which have been manifested by eccentri-
cities and independence of action, they have,
in nearly every instance, worried them
selves out of the party. Need we remind
the reader of the fate Of Webster Douglas,
Seward, Chase, and many more lesser
lights! Sumner, for some time past, has
been exhibiting signs of the disease that
carried the above named gentlemen outside
of their parties. One step more, and Sumner
will find himself exclaiming, in the language
of the great expounder Of the constitution.
"where shall goF