Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-04-05
LETTER FROM WASHING TON.
WASHINGTON, March 80, 1871.

LETTER FROM WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, March 80, 1871.
Washington is chaotic and as a natural
consequence this letter will lie chaotic.
This is time when the best and brayest men
of the Republican party tremble for the flu
ture of that party of grand moral ideas, and
they have cause to tremtle for here at its
fountain head its stream has become turbu
lent with hatred and passion and jealousy.
Its great moral leader, Charles Sumner has
arrayed himself with relentless andl asting OPP
position to the President and his policy.
Neither will yield though the heavens fall.
That there never can possibly be friendship
again between Gen. Grant and Charles Sum-
ner has become a fact; and in view of the
great influence of Mr.. Sumner as national
man this is no light matter in party point of
view. Gen. Grant expects denomination,
and had not this unfortunate San Domingo
quarrel arisen there would have been scarcely
any doubt of his receiving one; but now this
cloud looms dark and threatening over the po-
ltical sky and no one can tell when the
storm will end. All Summers influence will
be thrown against Grant; and should he be
able to WELD that influence which he now
possesses at the nominating convention there
will not be harmony there. Unfortunately,
designing men, not only of the Democratic
party, but of the party in power, are covertly
encouraging the spirit with the hope of profit
ing thereby. The Democratic press and poll
tcians are in high glee over what they expect
will be the breaking up of the Republican or
ganization, and Sumner has suddenly become
in their eyes almost saint, and they now 60
to the extreme Of praise as they have been
accustomed to of censure. There is, undoubt-
eddy, blame Oh both sides as there is in every
quarrel but we believe that when the smoke
of battle has cleared away, and the people
have chance to calmly look over the matter
they will stand by the President, and that he
will be fully indicated, as he was in the case
of ExSecretary Cox. We are sure that Mr..
Sumner does not deserve all the sympathy
which has been lavished upon him, and which
his vanity is now feeding upon. He arrayed
himself in hostility to the President, the Sec
rotary of State and large majority of the
Senate. He clogged the wheels of Govern
ment in his position as Chairman of the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations. What was to
be done? Clearly one of two things: Mr..
Sumner must resign his position voluntarily;
or he must he turned out, or rather some 9TH
er man must be chosen to fill his place. 1t
was physically, morally and mentally impos-
sible for Charles Sumner to remain Chairman
Of the Committee on Foreign Relations, by
virtue of which he could have free access to
the files of the State Department, and at the |
same time for Mr.. Fish to remain Secretary
of State. Under the circumstances it would !
have been a very humiliating thing for the !
President to have been compelled to accept
Mr.. Fish's resignation. The only fault to be
found with the President is that, becoming
greatly interested in the acquisition of San
he has allow ed his zeal to carry him
farther than perhaps his cool reason would
dictate. Intent himself in doing what he hon
estly believes will prove great advantage to
the country he looses sight of a fact patent to
tuc uHlhtSiSetSu anu uhpiSJuuiSeu HiuuAHd
the people of the country really care very lit
tie about whether San Domingo becomes
part and parcel of the United States or not
A majority of the people of the whole country
no doubt would oppose it if they were now
called upon TO decide. Prejudice and passion
seem to rule the hour-men and women stand
up for Sumner because they have great re-
spect for his character and imagine him abused.
He is great man, but not greater than the
Republican party and if he cannot rule the
President he will not be justified in running
the party. Grant is not a Julius Caesar and
Sumner is not a Brutus, though there appears
to be a likeness between them, in that Sum-
ner attempts to play the part of the old Ro-
man But Grant the man of the people, who has
risked everything for his eountry's sake, and
who by his courage and genius has done as
much as any other living man to save his
country, is not going to be put down by any
man or set of men however formidable, when
he has made up his mind that he is right.
He will fight it out on this line; and, Judging
by his past success, he will win, as he de-
serves to if he is right. More anon.
CHARMING.