Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-03-17
Mr.. Sumner and the Senate Committees.

MI. OuIlUeI tiIu tllt OtAdlt Committees
The debate in the Senate on Friday over
the removal Of Mr.. sumner from the chair
manship of the committee On Foreign Rela
tons. reached Us by telegraph in fragmen-
tary and imperfect form. We supply the
following interesting portions of the discus
/ sion
Mr. Morrill, Of Vt, said he was one of those
who regarded the change as unwise but he
thought all the usual means Of opposition had
now been exhausted, and he deemed it quite as
-unwise TO make further opposition. He there
fore hoped the Senate would 60 on and complete
its reorganization a. recommended by the ma
jority.
Mr. Schurz vas sorry to hear the Senstor
from Vermont express the opinion thst all oppos
ing means we're exhausted. and that nothing
was left but quiet submission 10 what great
many considered net only q wrong but blum
der He (Schurz) did not give up so easily. II
was perhaps now time for the Republican party
to consider whether they were ready to sacrifice
their cause to the whims Of one single man.
Mr. Eimunds eatirely concurred in the last
sentence Of the romsrks of the Senator from
Missouri He, too, desired to inquire whether
the President Of the United States and the Re
publican party were ready to sacrifice their sense
Of duty ''to the whims Of one man. whether
he came from New-Englsnd. Missouri or any
where else The Senator Schurz) had argued
altogether On the mistaken basis that Alr Sum
ner was removed for ZONE cause or other, where
AZ he had simply been transferred from one
sphere Of usefulness to another, in the ordinary
Encouragement of the committee which, under
the rules, took place every two years. These
changes Of chairmen and committee men had
often given dissatisfaction, but no Senator had /
supposed himself entitled to his former position
as a matter of right. The Senate had been ac- Z
tuated by desire to select such chsirmen as
would best facilitate public business, and had l
not been Influenced by Presidential or any other 1
outside influence.
Mr. Schurz explained that he had not charged |
the President with using corrupt means, but he /
did know that the President had personally ex
erted himself in the way Of argument and press
ure upon Senator's 1t was asserted in the news
paoers as coming from responsible Senators,
thsi the change was made st the Presidents in
stance Ii was somewhat remarkable that the
senator {SGmner) should be struck down by
men of his own party, in the same seat he Occu-
pied when assaulted by a Southern ruffian, and
where be shed his blood for the liberation of the
slave Applause in the galleries
Mr. Howe denied the right Of Schurz TO SIT in
Judgment upon his political associates and TO de-
nounce their seton as 81 wrong and blum
der" He desired to state that he had been told
by the Secretary of State and by Senator that
the Senator from Massachusetts had refused to
reply to question addressed to him by the for
mer upon public business
Mr.. Sumner-It must have been in the light
est possible whisper. Laughter
Mr. Howe-I am told that the Senator him
self told Of the circumstance after its occurrence
The Senator knows as much about il as | DO,
and. think little more.
Mr.. Sumner-And | know nothing-nothing.
Renewed laughter
Mr.. Howe proceeded to review in detail the
alleged personal disagreements between Mr..
Sumner and others, which had rendered selec-
ton of new Chairman Of the Committee on
Foreign Relations necessary. He denied the
CORRECTNESS Of Mr.. Schurz's assertion that the
Santo Domingo scheme was at the bottom Of the
whole matter, snd maintained that the Senate's
action bad no significance other than he had
indicated.
Mr. Nye regretted having had anything to do
with the matter, and wished the appointment of
the committees had been vested in the Vice
President. But in regard to the point that WAS
raised he denied that any senator had been
Z" struck down." All that had been done was to
change the chairman Of committee. so as to
bring an important committee into harmonious
relations with the executive. There WAS nothing
republican party, as had been intimated in the