Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-03-10

That's the word used-"deposition--tho
II Il difficult to say just why. Deposing Is the
act OF dethroning. We use the word when .
dictator, or an autocrat who siezes power and
uses il arrogaItly or extensively, Is pulled down
by the will Of he people. But the Chairman OF
Senate committee Is not an arrogant dictator.
or ought not TO be. He is placed there for the
reason that he IL supposed to have qualities and
abilities fitting HIM for useful service in the
position. The craftsmanship of the Committee
on Foreign Relations is not place created
iOr the Qualification Of any individual.
The relations Of the chairman to the Admins
fTstiOD are naturally more delicate and con-
fiiential than these OF the head OF any other
committee. He stands 20 the government in
the confidential position of q Cabinet officer or
\ member of our diplomatic service, and when,
~ in the case of Mr.. Sumner. he Is On such
terms Of personal hostility TO the President and
Secretary OF State that he can hold no inter
course with them, II is manifest that his use
fulness Is not only destroyed, but that his con-
tinuing to occupy the position is a serious detri
ment to the public service. 1t Is of great i'm
poItance to the country, for instance, that the
negotiations Tor a settlement OF our difficulties
with Great Britain, so auspiciously commenced,
should have no impeachment thrown in their
way. Could it be expected that Mr.. sumner,
IN the attitude he occupies towards the Presi-
dent, would cooperate with any cordislity with
the Administration in this matter? On the
contrary, would not the whole tendency OF his
efforts be to embarrass and jeopardizs any set
Element OF this question calculated to give pres
tige to the Grant Administration?
This was the usual time-the opening OF a
new Congress-for the adjustment OF the SEN
ate committees in q way to make them efficient
working committees. Was IL not necessary that
the moet important committee In the Senate
should be adjusted 50 to make il mt for its du-
ties, or was 10 to be left In Q condition to en-
barrass, instead Of expeditipg, the public bust
ness, simply to save The self esteem Of one man?
IL seems to be expected by the partizsns of
Mr.. Sumner that his displacement will create
public sympathy for him. That 1t will do 30 to
any appreciable extent We doubt. 1he Ansri-
can people are eninsntiy practical, and do not
have much sympathy for mere sentimsntaI
appeals Of this kind They want The publie
work to 60 on, and IL Mr.. Sumner or anbodv
else. undertakes b occupy o position embar-
raising to the transaction OF important public
business. they will say at once, displacs hum.
And the citation Of the case Of the removal of
stephen A. Douglas from the chairmansbin oy
the Oon mittee on Territories by the B Buchanan
democrats, rs not IN point. A great national
issue was at stake in the Lecompton question.
and the whole anti-slsvery feeling of the cam
try Was aroused BY the removal of Douglas i'm
the slavery interest; but Mr.. sumner can elicit
no sympathy with the people over his flint
against the acquisition of San Domingo. ON
the contrary, the idea of the acquisition OF ter
ritory 10 . popular one with the people, and
President Grant has them all on his side