Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-04-06
Our Washington Letter.
WAsHINaToN, d. O., March 81, 1871

to be nothing at first, as it assumed great
er dimensions, it was regarded as only a
gust which would soon die away, causing
hardly ripple along the "sands of
time" Still later, when it struck like
Pat" the general conclusion was, not
much of shower after ALL" The ex-
periences of the hour show the follies of
the past, and this experience is useful on
ly'as future guide. Thei General is gov
erned in his maneuvers by the action of
the enemy, and the mariner is governed
by the premonitory indications of the
very elements from which he fears des-
truction. Such guides seemed to have
been discarded in the contest which re-
suited in the removal of Mr.. Sumner.
Those who are pleased to be called the
leaders of the Republican party, and con-
sequently the maneuverers of party policy,
seemed alike insensible to the advice of
their party minority, and the portentious
willingness of their political enemies.
We listened to the fret engagement in
this family warfare, and while brothers
of the same household of political faith
clutching furiously at each others Threats
we saw beam of satisfaction overspread
the common enemy-the entire Demo-
cratic side of the House. Later, the
question of his removal came before the
Senate for the purpose of ratifying the
action of the caucus. Trumbull with bis
usual logic and unpassioned reasoning OPP
posed the motion and warned his party
of the dire results to follow the removal,
predicting party ACKNOWLEDGMENT if not
total ruin. Wilson, Schurtz and others
endorsed his prediction, but not all of
these spake with half the force that did
the Democrats in refusing to vote upon
the question. His removal could not
have transpired if they had voted against
it. Their sense of justice was against the
act and thus they stated. From every
indication they regarded the martyrdom
of Mr.. Sumner equal to thousand stump
orators for their cause, satisfied with let
ting things take their course, they de-
clined to vote at all. OF course, if it had
not been for their interest they would
have opposed it in every way. and their
interest means harm to the Republican
cause, hence I repeat had Republican
leaders consented to have learned from
their enemies this muss would have been
avoided.
A Washington correspondent-in litera-
ture Justly pre-eminent-to the New
York Independent says: when our
friends do badly it is better not to speak
of them at all" We would be the last to
indulge in captious criticism upon any
one, especially the author of the quota
ton, whom we daily see noiselessly enter
ing the ladies' gallery, and from some re-
tired position eagerly scanning the pro-
ceedings below; life's sun in meridian,
frail in appearance, a keen, kind face
upon which is written the golden char
acters of an exalted life, at the same time
the telltale of trials to which her nimble
pen is doubtless an entire stranger. She,
a woman contending against all the dis
advantages of the sex, lords it over US
lords of creation by writing "Woman's
Letters from Washington" which we
fain would emulate.
Rnt that santanoa, wri.ten in tho ut
most kindness of heart, is better guide
for the missionary than the journalist.
- Of hnfr
constituents, whose right it is to know OF
their official conduct, whether it be folly
or condensed wisdom. The press should
be the unbiased medium of information.
Gan we, Mr.. Editor, withhold the wrong
acts of our official friends, whom we love
personally, without wronging our readers
whom we love collectively, and who look
to US for true statements of facts? May
we cay peace, or may we say nothing at
all simply because it is our friends that
are on the rampage" Does not the
bringing to light of one wrong act sup
pressed do more harm than half dozen
wrong acts promptly exposed and
thoroughly ventilated by party friends !?
The one may do favor to friend, the
other is but simple justice to all our
friends, and essential if we would retain
their confidence.
Never since the days of impeachment
have we seen such intense public interest
as that manifested in the Senate on Mon
day, during Mr.. Summers speech. Hours
before the Senate convened every availa-
BILE nook was taken by the eager crowd.
Seats were filed, aisles, doorways and
halls outside iammed, and still they came.
They even mounted to the inches in the
wall above the galleries intended for the
of eminent men in statu-
ary, and there stood, living statues OF
interest and curiosity intensified. All
this we had seen before, but there re.
NAMED something new. Soon ladies were
seen filling up the cloak rooms, and steal
ing chances in at the main doors. AS If
by degrees, and upon the
"inch ard ell" theory, the doorways were
soon flied, and more too. Ladies actually
entered and took seats upon the Senate
Aoor. Mr.. Summers speech was delivered
in his elaborate and commanding style OF
ora tory. The enunciation of his high
toned principles, his apparent honesty OF
pnrpose and utter fearlessness of manner
called forth repeated applauses from the
galleries until promise to clear them
awed the orewd to becoming silence.
Saying but little to the direct question OF
annexation, he arraigned the President for
assumption of power and disregarding
constitutional restraints to carry ont
pet project which the people had once re-
iected. He spoke with great ectdt and
supported his points by official reports
and orders. He was followed en- the two
succeeding days by Senator Schurz, who