St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-04-07
.fT. !SHIIIicr'S COM titiffcn.
= EEMINISCENCE IY ''PEELEY.

len years a"o-ihc second Tuesday of
March, lS6l-Mr. Sumner first took
his seat ut the head Of the table of the
senate committee ON foreign relations a5
lis chairman, Il position which had for
some years preceding hrcA filled by thc
impcrious James Nj. Mason Of Nirninin.
When the Senate met for executive bu,i-
ness, ON tlIc llh Of March, the rrpubli-
cans found themselves in Il ma aiuIitv, al
thnu"h the attendance of senators WAS
small, because Of the previous mclo-dra-
hatic withdrawal Of jefferson Davis and
Il portion "l his followers, leaving n few
a 4 r,ur Guard TO shirmish with the
yictors. And by this turn OF the polili-
cal wheel, Mr. Summer, who had been
at the very foot of the committee on
turcl"n relations, was made its head, and
consequently the recognized leader OF the
Senate. MIR. Sumner, on learning that
lie Was 10 be chairman OF the committee
on foreign relations, kindly proposed TO
appoint me clerk TO the committee.
having during the preceding Congress
/ been clerk Of the House committee on
/ foreign affairs, of which Gov. Tom Cor
win WAS chairman. But before making
the appointment, hc wished me ascertain
whether it would be acceptable to
Mcssrs. Hrcckinrid"r, Douglass and Polk,
the democratic members. My personal
relations with MlessrS. Brcckimrdnc and
Folk lad been Of SUCH q friendly nature
that felt sure of their acquicSccnrc, but
| knew that JnI Yc Douglas had not been
pleased with some newspaper comments
of mine on lis political course, and
thought that hr might consequently op-
pose my appointment. TO ascertain his
views | went out 10 hi house in what
WAS then called Minnesota row, built
with the profits Of three con"rcSsnlrn in
Il Minn,-oi land speculation, and was
u>hcrrd int" the library. The 'Iillle
Giant was shaving, was informed,
but would soon be down, and in Il few
moments he mad" his appearance, in his
shirt sleeve. -; unrc ~;ateI my cr-
rand, iranLl y ai.,Iilu@ TO ~ newspaper
criticisms, and concluded by a-hing if
my appointment I> clerk OF thc commit
tee on lurci9u relations would Le accept
able TO him. ''.\c :crtabIc,' sad he,
''why oi cousc it viii Le. lIy only OBJ
jcction to serving o.. the committee has
been that | feared SUmEcr woalI send t.
Boston for a Ill Tree ti..cr for clerk,
aud / shall he dlii.hlrd +" have yuu III
the committee room
The committee MT the Ic\t .l.a"uin-,
and the cid mrmhtrs ;.uni matter. de-
c.drdly changed. \ small bullet ii a.
corner, which had always contained 4
supply of whi-hy, Lad already baen ban !
i-hrd 10 the lumber room, anG there WAS /
no lom-cr Il box of cigarS on the inan;!t- |
piece. Instead ol n rambling conversa- /
tion, cnlIvcnrl by drinks and cigars, Mr.
SUMMER had the business OF the commit
tee brought forward scria;im, the opin-
ions Of all were surccssivcly asked for,
and then the ayes and nays were called.
Ii was parliamentary business, and not
chat, thus inau@uratod 10y the MasSachu-
sets thcroi>t, of whom it had been
tauntin2ly declared that lac had only one
idea, and tllat was the "ni%4er" Pco-
speaking of persons of African descent,
but they have %o!ten over that bravcly
now, especially those who humbly solicit
the votes OF tlrc~c who ten years 400
Were ''thaltcl-." At that time the most
respectable colorcd persons could not en-
ter ihs capitol, except rs menial, or be
abroad after nine o'clock without being
fined or whipped.
The commlttc" was principally occu-
pied, durr~ that brief session which pre-
cc,lcd tn bursting of the war cloud,
with the consideration OF nominations for
foreign appointments transmitted by the
president In some OF these Mr. Seward,
who had jU-t entered upon his dutic, ~
secretary of slate, tock such Il personal
interest that he used 10 come 10 the com
mIttcc room 10 confer with MIR. Sumner
about them. There was one nominal
ton, we'll remember, 10 which ohiec-
ton WAS made ON the Ground that the
person WAS drunkard, and leading
senator came one morning before the
committee 10 Tvtutc the charmr. lie
made quite an argument, closing by say
in%, ''Nu, gentleman, he Is moi Il drunk
arL He may occasionally, aS | do my
self, take Ylass Of wine, but | assure
you, on the honor of Il gentleman, hc
never gets drunk" !pon this rcprcscn-
tation the appointment was I;tvorably rc-
ported upon and confirmed, hut it WAS
soon evident that the person was an iu-
cOrrigiblc ,oi, and when it Lrrame alb
Solutcly Necessary 10 Icm0Ic him it leak
cd out that hc had retained and paid the
senator for youcling for his temperate
habits.
MIR. Sumner, durin@ the ten years
which he was chairman OF tie commit |
tee on foreign relations, has carefully |
ScruiiniZcd the nominations referred TO
that committee, and has thus done much
TO elevate our corps diplomalique, for il
was known at the White house that I'M
worthy appointments would be rejected.
Nor do think il improbable that his
opposition 20 the confirmation of men
whose rNpairilti"n was desired by soma
tors Tor personal or political reason was
the primary c;tns, OF lis deposition from
the position which lr has SO adorned i
BD.tDH .JnutuH
ARE WoMfN SnN,l ,-Dne "i tie
small ~inS ci women Mr. Linton ailirms
10 br s!iu"ii.c~<. and we are not "ulnI tG