The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-08-16
Blaine Answered.
A VIGOROUS REPLY FROM SENATOR
SUMNER.

" if'hp'' iNfW E'ANhi WV |
SUMNER.
Senator Summer thus replies 10 Speak
or Blaine:
WAsuINGToN, Aug. o, 1872.
DEAR SIR:-I have seen tho letter
public prints, and | notice especially
that, while animadverting upon my
support of Horace Greeley, you say not
one word In vindication of that com
pound of prctcnsions known rs Grant
ism, in contradistinction to Republi-
canism, which you would install anew
in the Government. You are greatly
concerned about the company keep.
To quiet this solicitude, ] beg to say
that, in Joining the Republicans who
brought forward an original Abolition
list, find myself, with so many others,
devoted to the cause have served al,
ways, that had not missed you until
you fastened TO report absences; nor
had taken account of the "Southern
Sccessionists," who, as you aver, are
now cooperating with me in support of
this original Abolitionist, except to re-
ates, some like yourself, hesitate, their
places are supplied in an unexpected
quarter.
PEACE AND RECONCILIATION RATHER
THAN OLD ENMITIEs.
You entirely misapprehend me when
you introduce an incident of the past
and build on ii an argument why l
should not support Horace Geeley.
What has Preston Brooks to do with
the Presidential election ? Never while
4. n l., yt,an
of him In unkindne5S, and now, alter
the lapse of more than half generation,
l will not unite with you in dragging
him from the grave where he sleeps, to
aggregate the passions of political
conflict, and arrest the longing for con-
cord. And here is the essential differ
ence between you and me at this juno
ture. / seize the opportunity to make
the equal rights OF all secure through
peace and reconciliation. But this in
finite boon you would postpone. Seven
years have passed since we laid aside
our arms but unhappily during all
this period there has been a hostile
spirit toward each other, while the
rights of cOlored fellow-citizens have
been in perpetual question. Seven
years mark natural period of human
life. Should not the spirit be changed
Wipu tue uouy Sah WS nOeS oieSA oOvoh
years, commence new life, especially
when those once our foes repeat the
saying, "Thy people shall be my peo.
pie, and thy God my God ?" declare
my preference for an original Abolition
ist as President, and you seek to create
diversion by crying out that Demo.
Gratis will support him. To which re-
ply, so much the better. Their support
is the assurance that the cause he has so
constantly guarded, whether of equal
rights or reconciliation, is accepted by
Democrats, and this is the pledge of a
true union beyond anything in our
history. 1t is victory of ideas, with
out which all other victories must fail.
To intensity your allegation, you insist
that am ranged with Jefferson Davis
and Robert Toombs; but pardon me,
nobody knows how the former will
against Horace Greeley, and with him
are Stephens, Wise and Mosby. This
is all very poor, and l mention it only
to exhibit the character of your at.
tempt.
GREss.
In the same spirit you seek to avoid
the real issue by holding up the possi-
bility of what you call a Democratic
Administration, and you have the
courage to assert, as within my knowl-
edge, that by the election of Greeley
Congress is handed over to the control
of the party who have positively denied
the rights of the black men. You say
that know this. Mr.. Speaker, 1 know
a;ontI;l no sHeh tthing and you should be sufli.
entirely satisfied that canvass like the
present, where the principles declared
at Cincinnati are openly accepted on
one side and not contested on the other,
must result in larger number of Con.
gress representatives sincerely devoted
10 the rights of the colored citizen than
ever before. The Democrats will be
pledged as never before, to the ruling
principle that all men are equal before
the law, and also to the three Constitu.
tional Amendments with the clause in
| each empowering Congress to enforce
the same by appropriate legislation.
But, besides Democrats, there will be
the Liberal Republicans pledged like.
wise, and also your peculiar associates,
who, trust, will not betray the cause.
Senators and Representatives calling
themselves Republicans have been lat
terly in large majority in both Houses /;
but thO hh0i AACdouhO Vi SANll 1slS ut5
to which you refer, though urged by
me almost daily, has failed to become
law, less, fear, from Democratic op.
position than from Republican luke
warmness and the want of support in
the President.
THE FIRST PRESIDENT REPRESENTING
EQUAL RIGHTS.
The great issue which the people are
called to decide in November is on the
President, and nobody knows better
than yourself that the House of Repre-.
sentatives chosen at the same time will
has been in our history. Now, harmo.
ny with Horace Greeley involves what
I most desire. With such President,
Congress will be changed. For the first
time since the war the equal rights OF
all will have declared representative
at the head of the Government, whose
presence there will be of higher signifi.
canoe than that Of any victor of war,
being not only a testimony, but con-
slant motive power in this grea' cause.
Opposition, whether open hosI ty or
more subtle treachery, will yield 10 the
| steady influence of such a representa-
tive. Therefore, in looking to the Pres.
ident, / look also to Congress, which
Will take Its character in large meas
ure from bim. In choosing Horace
Greeley, we do the best we can for the
whole Government, not only in the
Executive, but in the Legislative
branch, while we decline to support
nepotism, repayment of personal gifts
by official patronage, seizure of the war
| powers and indignity to the Black Re-
public, and the various incapacity ex.
hibited by the President and the rings
by which he governs, none of which
can you defend. You know well that
the rings are already condemned by the
American people.
GREELEY WITH ANY CONGRESS PREF.
ERABLE TO GRANT WITH HIS RINGS.
For myself, say plainly, and with.
out hesitation, that / prefer Horace
Greeley with any Congress possib lie, on
| the Cincinnati platform, to President
| Grant with his nretanaiona anl Ii