The Van Buren press., 1872-06-11
Senator Summers Opinion of Grant,
A Treuchant Attack on the President a
Proclivities.
Synopsis Of the Speech Of Senator Sum
ner, on the 3lst

! Mr.. sumner tDGn nlOVtu lUat tHe dppTO-
| priaton bill be indefinitely postponed, and
] announced that on this motion he intended
( to make a speech in yindcation of himself;
| the Senate not having consented to give him
/ a hearing. At a more convenient occasion.
/ he was Obliged TO take advantage of this op-
portumty.
Mr.. Conklng called Mr.. Summers attention
to the tact that Mr.. IIamlin, chairman of the
committee on the French Arms Sales had
been called away by family aiiiction. and
chat Mr.. Carpenter, also member of the
committee, WAS not IN his seat.
Mr.. Sumner said he had heard of Mr.. Ham
I Inns atllictton and regretted it. lie observed,
however that Mr.. Carpenter, the author of
the French arms report. was now in his seat,
and, therefore, he would proceed. He then
went on to deliver his prepared speech.
Mr. sumner opened his speech by stating
/ that he was member of the Republican par
! tv, which. he hoped. would ever maintain its
/ integrity. He stood by its cradle but did not
intend to follow It's hearse. Its condition,
| however, was woefully changed; in place OF
principles it now inscribed on its banners
mere name. Personal pretcnsions had first
/ begun to show themselves when the Presi-
dent it had elected had endeavorcd to use bis
| delegated trust TO force on the country poll
| cy OF aggression in san Domingo, forcing by
every neiarious appliance reluctant senators
to indurschi, schemes, without regard to the
constitution or the people. The name of the
President had become an apple Of discord.
dividing instead of uniting the party to which
/ he owed his elevation, his only object being
to secure a SECOND term OF office. On what
meat doh this our Caesar iced that he should
assume so much, No successes in war can
Justify such assumptions. A successful gen
cral is rarely a good civilian, and the Presi-
dent is no exception to the rule lie must
turn into kingIeiore it can be said of him
. l.. Il. H.. 4
the people, their servant, and should Subor
dinate himsclft to We interests of the country.
| But how do9s our President fulfill these con
/ ditiuns? Every provision of the law and the
constitution is diSrcgardcd, and the presi-
dental office Itself is treated as little more
| than pcrquiSite In his daily routine, palace
| cars, fast horses and seaside loitcrings figure
more than his duties. His trust has been used
! to advance his family interests on scale un
cqualed in the corrupt government of Ma
/ poleon; Office has been bartered among to the
givers Of the richest gifts; personal devotion
D. to hinsclfhas been higher recommendation
than party or national duty; opposition to
his views has been furnished with all the
power placed at hi, disposal, his government,
semi-miltary in character has eliminated in
| a spirit of military despotism, repugnant to
every principle Of Republican government.
and in fine he has attempted to make his own
autOcratic will the supreme law.
! Forgetting the decent safeguards with
/ which the constitution surrounds his Office he
has obtained his will on the Senate, attempt
| ing 10 coerce debate and mixing in every
/ personal quarrel en@endered by discussion.
/ His personal followers have been inStgated
! to insult those whose might differ from his
views, destroying the first prestige of Rcpub.
/ lican institutions and degrading on free msti-
tutuus in the eyes of the world He now in
siSts on second term of office, but it is easy
TO see that Crsarsm i at a discount. and that
/ the people VIII not sHbmit to n second term
of his dictatorship.
I The senator continued by reviewing the
careers Of variOusgreat warriors who success
flll in the field, had proved themselves mis- 'r-
able incompetent to the administration OF
! civil affairs Grant, he said. had never 7otetl
but once in his life, and then for James Buc-
hanan. Duringhis retirement from the army
he was earning IA few hundred dollars year
by tanning hides n calling little calculated
. to improve him As a state man, and it was
only the fortune of war that gave him the
presidency. He then referred TO his interview
with Secretary Stanton when on his death
/ bed, in which the latter said: - have some
thing to say TO you; | know General Grant
better ihan any one in the country, and now
I tell yon that Know he cannot govern this
cOuntry,' tsaN bOur statement is very
broad" Tie replied: 1T is as true as it Is
broad"
As regards the corrupt preferences he has
shown for appointing relatives to office, the
worst feature l. that no Independent senator
can nope to get a fair inquiry into the sub
iect. lie has so cncetnaHy fixed his plans
that no motion looking 80 inquiry can hope
for success, The first hint Of such thing is
the signal for opposition and any motion by
a senator not known to be favorable TO his re-
election. would meet with the bitterest Oppo-
sition and he denounced as an assault ON the
I President.
The speaker then quoted from American
Al, thors on the subject OF nepotism and
show ed that bat one President adams had
ever appointed relatives to offices OF trust,
and hs had met with the severest condemna-
| ton for these appointments lie then renew
ed the mort, OF The appointments themselves
/ and showed that at least one ofthc PRESIDENT
| office ce-hoding relatives was tainted WIN
! fraud; another representing the Republic
abroad has been guilty fgross indiscretons; ;
others have proved themselves utterly un-
worthy of confidence, and yet all arc held in
their places FOR the simple merit that they
claim kilship with the President
/ lie then discussed, in detail, the notorious
! giCt-taking proCivities of the executive, and
/ said this had gone on to such an extent that
/ the poor Gal lena tanner of Il few years ago, is
/ now rich in houses, lands and stock far be-
yond the possibility of his salary, and Is the
] NealthlcSt Irr>luent since George Washing
| ton. lie has given cabinet offices in exchange
for gifts, without apparently, being able to
see the indeCcncy of the Transaction, some of
/ the gift bearing Greek not even having the
! recommendation of belonging to the Rcpub-
/ lcan party. Add to all this have described,
an iusensibiity to the honest convictions of
others and YOU have Il fair portrait of the
/ President of America.
/ The speaker then condemned the action of
/ the President in taking the officers OF the
/ army from their proper duties to surround
! hi. person, declaring that 1t was only another
/ instance Of his vanity and want Of Judgment.
The Senate agreed to tho request of the
I House for conference committee on the ta-
/ rim bin, and the Vice President appointed
! Messrs sherman and Morrill,. of Vermont
and Bayard the committee on the part of tue
Senate.
4 At the commencement Of Mr.. summers
I speech on the appropriation bill, he said it
! would probably give rise to Others, and lie
J would ask the unanimous consent to offer a
resolution resembling the resolution to ad-
/ ourn sine die on Monday. the third of June
Mr.. Hamilton of Maryland, objected, and
the resolution went over.
Mr.. Trumbull moved to take a recess until
/ : 80. Lost
Mr. Schurz obtained the floor and was pro-
Cccdhg to review the ma ioiity report of the
committee ON French Arms, when Mr.. Ferry.
/ of Conn, moved TO adjourn, saying it was not
I In accordance with the ordinary usages or
! cOurtcses of the Senate to compel Senator
to proceed with his speech, at so late an hour.
/ The motion was lost yeas 10, nays "a. Mr..
] Ferry then moved To take recess till I 30