The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-04-12
Fresident-Mr. sumu..

Mr.. EDrroR,-I have been verv mnch
pleased with the view, expressed in recent ed.
itorial articles in the PRESS, arising out of The
st. Domingo question in relation to the con-
duct, both in word and action, of Senator Sum
correspond with my own. have always here
tofore been warm admirer of Mr.. Sumner
although many Of his proposed measures in
congress have been unsuccessful have be-
neseu .nat he was actuated by the purest
S[nnclpies OF Justice, humanity and patriotism
bv his ners;st ;sses more praise than he has won,
~. ~ LIZ ~, Pernssent and noble labors in behalf of
tne slave and for the cause of personal freedom-
IN sne present case "The gold has become aim
amS anu snS snS mos. nne gold changed. His gener
ouS ahd sympathetlc feelings seem ali at ono a
to have left him and the most bitter ana. a;.
to have taken their place. 1t is difficult tn ~
count for the change Except on the eronrd
that we have been deceived with regard to hs
philaDthropic character, and that his love of
equal rights and human liberty was more su-
pericial and cold than it was supposed to be.
There Is no evidence that his inimieal attack
on President Grant was warranted by any
thing which the latter had said or done. The
removal of the former as Chairman Of the
Committee on Foreign Relations, was the delib-
crate act OF very large majority Of the Sem
ate. 1t was generally regretted at the time by
most Republicans, but will probably hereafter
be justified, if not applauded by them, as
measure absolutely necessary for the harmony
of the Administration and the welfare Of the
country: II the President had improperly as
sumed the war power in directing instructions
to be given to the commander Of our naval
forces on the West India station, by requiring
him to inform the ruler of Hayti, that he muss
not interfere with our commissioners in their
preliminary negotiations for the annexation Of
Dominica, and Mr.. Sumner had introduced .
resolution IN the Senate, calling upon the
President for the reasons which induced him
% issue such orders. is might have been con.
whole matter might have been satisfactorily
exlained. Instead Of taking this course Mr..
Sumner openly charged him with wilfully and
unIustihably committing acts which endan-
gered the peace Of our own country and rem
dered it liable to be involved In war with for
eign power. Not only 90, he accused the
President of heading ku Klux band, to be
dreaded more than the nurderous one SO
much complained of for its atrocities in the
South. While his lips have been sealed in
defence OF the wanton charges against him his
friends in and out of Congress have nobly come
to his rescue and triumphantly shown, that
ne not only has done much to suppress the re-
bellion and preserve the government and un.
ion, but since his accession to the Office he now
holds, he has relieved the country of over two
hundred millions Of its war debt, and during
|. Justly construed as tending to injure its vel
fare or dishonor its credit. Instead Of show
| ing disposition to excite belligerent spirit
towards any nation his highest ambition has
been to accomplish his professed desire, "Let
us have peace" In addition to the precedents
cited by his friends to show that in sanction
ing the order issued by the Secretary Of the
Navy to Admiral Poor he was Influenced by the
purest motives to prevent difficulty, rather
than produce 1t, q circumstance may be mem
toned which happened some years ago, where
Captain Ingraham, ] think, the Commander of
one of our National ships, laid his vessel along
side of An Austrian fngate, and demanded the
surrender of man there held in durance, not
an American citizen, but who, it is said, had
made the declaration to become one. In case
Of refusal to give him mp his guns were pre-
pared, and the determination made known to
| take him BY force. This heroic act was univer-
l sally applauded all over our Country. The
parallel or inference need not be drawn.
1t is natural to consider and inquire, what
] the President. The future will undoubtedly
prove that it has resulted, as the rebel war was
terminated BY him, in the righteous defeat Of
bis enemies, consisting, not only of their Lead
er, few Republican symyathizers, disaproint-
ed office seekers aided as the rebellion was en-
couraged, BY the miscallsd Democratic party
all uniting for selfish and unavoidable ends.
Whatever may or should be the fate Of the an
nexation scheme, which the President has
recommended, the loyal people have an un-
shaken confidence in his judgment and in
tegrity, and cannot be made to believe that
he was actuated by any but the most houora-
BILE and patriotic motives in everything he has
done or said in connection with this scheme.
They have too much faith In and gratitude for
future support, and should he be renominated. I.
IS he probably will be, they will ltriumphantly
elect him in spite of all opposition.
| April B, 1871.