The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-03-23
REMOVAL OF MIR. SUMMER.
What Wendell Phillips has to Say,
From The National Standard.

A blow sometimes stuns a drunkard into
sobriety. Possibly the insults offered aud the
peril brought TO the Republican party by the
removal OF Mr.. Sumner may have this effect
on the nation. We may see the loyal men Of
| the North rally TO the defence Of the Union.
II not then there. Is but one thing for Congress
10 do In order TO sign the death warrant of the
Republican party, and possibly Of the Union.
Let Congress now adjourn without authorizing
martial law at the South 10 eurb the ku-klux,
and they have assured the election Of a Demo
crat to the Presidency. Indeed, the mood of
Washington in regard TO the anarchy of the
| South IL such that we consider the matter
about settled. The thirty-three Republicans
who last week removed Mr.. Sumner from his
post, elected Democrat Prssident for 1871.
Whether Grant will consent to run on a Dem
ocratic ticket is Of course uncertain. Probably
/ he does not know himself yet But evidently
Buffers bill on the ku-klux Is not likely to
become law. The same subseryiency that
ate dirt in the Sumner matter stands ready to
defeat that Any substitute that sends South
ern assassins to be tried by jury OF fellow as
sassins is a moekery. Nothing short Of shoot
/ ing half dozen Southern m.llionaires at the
drum head will awe the ku-klux into submis.
I sion.
! There seems no likelihood OF such yigor
4 either in Congress or at the White House The
/ St Domingo collar on Senatorial neeks shows
that they belong 10 man who had entered on
| the course where Andrew johnson persisted.
/ How far he intends TO advance on that pa thway
be does not himselfnow know. But the descent
| Is fatally easy. We did not srpeei much from
J General Grant. But when he so Unexpectedly
rose to the level Of statesmanshp in the matter
of the Fifteenth Amendment and Of the Indians,
/ we smothercd all our doubts and gave him
large confidence. The last few months, capped
| by this ihsolsHt Interference pih Congress, RE-
yEALs ms MAN. We persisted in believing that
1 Mr. Motley was removed for adequate cause,
until Mr.. Fish's clumsy letter dispellcd the
Illusion That act, seen in the light Of this at
\ tack on Mr.. Sumner, was evidently dictated
simply and solely by spite towards the great
Massachusetts, Senator. james the First said,
4 when he come to London to mount his throne
and found only laundering officials, "They
! have given me n secretary who cannot write
/ and speaker who cannot speak" Grant is
understood to be In the same affection. And
| the Massachusetts renegade, who helped Mr..
| Fish to his boyish rhetorick, did his work so
/ poorly that he betrayed the secret, and let the
| world see that after six months incubation,
/ the department could not hatch a decent ex-
/ erse. Just as that discredilable act was float
( ing away into oblivion comes this uaurpatioA,
\ which puts the present Executive into the COM
! pany Of JaeksOn'a bank intrigues and John
sons attack on Stanton. The revelation 1t
makes OF the seryility Of the Senate is dshear.
| tening TO all lovers offree government. Every
Mr.. Summers removal did so solely because
| the President had let him understand that only
| on that condition could he hope to have any
| influence at the Departments in securing Office
| for his friends. We tell only what is open se-
cret at Washington. Politicians there attitn-
dinizing on the floors of Congress, use words
| III Piekwtckian sense and yarnish base acts
/ with comely phrases But il Is fit the people
know the plain truth. The President has
bought % his opponents by refusing all winter
to listen, in the matter of appointments, to the
recommendation OF any member Of Congress
who voted with Mr.. Sumner. The only excuse
/ individual Congressman make for changing
their votes is that to be ignored at the depart
menis, when asking Office for their supporters,
Is death to their political hopes fist Domingo
1 Is annexed Grant secures it by threats and
4 brides. The poorest memory will need but
little effort to recall the very embassy that
\ bought Keystone vote-the jndgeship which
won WolveriEe-and the herring post that
made another Senator put on the Domingo
1 collar.
I or course when a party becomes merely a
firing" to divide the spoils il touches its down
fall. IL is sad to think that the power Of a
\ great party should have fallen into the hands
of s"oh toc, R'eresHary selfskness Ills said that
we can oppose to outlaw assassins at the
| south, banded together, mercilessly and at
| every cAeribce, for at least great object-se-
eession-that we can oppose to them only a
| gang OF swiss shamelessly exhibiting them
selves for sale for the Highest bidder.
| And so, cheated Of half our gains, betrayed
in the house Of our friends, we must rally for
another such fight as that which crushed Davis
and baked johnson. To prevent the choice of
Democratic President may be impossible.
But our efforts must 60 deeper than that. We
must begin to educate the people into the deter
r'ination that, u encouraged By rebel Presi-
dent, secession ever lifts its head again at the
| South, the North will sweep rcbeldom with the
bosom OF utter destruction, and leave Il no
ruler but the sword until every nuy living
white man is in his grave.
WENDELL PHlLLips