New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-07
A DUEL IN THE SENATE.

nE. CAgPESTTE FREAKS A LANCE AGAINST MR.
stMSER--CIvIL RIGHTS AND AMNESTY.
IRON 4 sPsfTNL CORRESPONDENT OF rus TRIBUNE
WAsuISGroN, Feb. 5-The tragic spectacle of
Senator Sumner overthrow and traInpled in the dust
by he Hpa Matthew II. Carpenter reused the Senate
IN d4, 10 something that may almost be called excite
n.eni Tue Gcba.e Amnesty and Civil Rights haa
dragsed through much dry discussion OF details and
forms and terOcutOry argument on minor points when
the Distinguished Massachusetts, Senator rose TO answer
Mr. Carpeuters objections TO the eonstitutonality Of
that nsr Of tRs Cvi Rights amendment which provides
that ,e doctrine of equality laid down by
tn Declaration Independence shall apply 10 the regu
Ltou church ORGANIZATIONS Incorporated By state or
federal avs. Nj. Carpenter holds that this PROVISION
Ia an uucaDstt, email interference with religious mat
;er. IL SEEMS 20 that he hypercritical but pre-
sume h. sincere; and could not help plying him
when Nc. sumner il one Of those eloquent passages
whereby be OGten rises above the dizziness OF
discussion and the t0wdry rhetoric OF commonplace
Congress harsn;ucs held him up advocate Of
caste the Christian church and placed him By inlai.
cation :he cat;sory with salisbury. Whatever COM
pas, the irg. sgence may have felt for the Wis
cOusin senator Under this severe treatment
d.>sipsci however. By his behavior Mr. Sumner,
al frtl1enets OF the Senate gallery well know Is
Acc1tonei - refer constantly 70 the Declaration Of
Independence rule Of Interpretation TO be revesently
TO- q w the stdy Of constitutional questions; Mr..
Carpeacr. whenever the Massachusetts, statesman
make th,s ah,on s the habit Of laughing. Moth
Ing cont have been more offensive than his manner of
don- TITS toby. sothing could have been eoarser
than hs sreclations alternately Of inattentOn and
amusement and when Mr. Sumner, after declaring that
tn N-1anr from Wisconsin, Ike John G. Calhoun and
Andrew JohssoD. never mad adequate idea Of the
1cc1faOn VI Independence" quoted speech In which
hr CsrshteT 1870 referred 20 the generalities OF
that Revolutionary pronuneamento." there a
Vsfsai acknowledgment that the punishment richly
deserved sin severe, and amusing. the
comparison OF senator Carpenters speech IN choice
eaaDt~f Of Petroleum Nasbys, with extract from
The reverend sasmastcr's religious verse which Mr.
edmasr rrie with capital effect
Nov. On the constitutional question SHALL not
thst sumner was certainly right-in reality. that
qaesiou had Very lttle part in todays debate
h. aunrr ltssr,her free from ths mperiOus bearing
which OCCASIONALLY Yritstes tlie sensitive OF hs
a-o a'es bet tsnre can be little difference Of opinion
about ne character ct Mr. Carpenters Spring
luz 70 hl, fee, with the wellknown CpeRterbouDoe DO
TEN nied hls antseOnist thai slavery abolished
!as,ic tiis cbsmiaT well Ou. OF IT," 81 caIne
hfTs, las essd, cracking whip ever Young
shoulders :" thou be proceeded to arTaipn Charles
hamLer al tue most dangerous aud persist MT
easm.as tLe Constitution who figured in American
history. The senatOr does seem to care for Clyl
R'ghs" he eEeiauped, docs not care very much for
Civil n shs, uUiess they can De accompanied with
sons th,gn whah tears int0 the Constitutions. Tlht
D. OT h The gis,e 6aYOr which eptsurcs rolish In he
iiai" 80 shttibg his dnGer al Mr. suUIsr's vCnrT-
abb ock," the BOsaeTses 81 dlwankee hold 20 tho
txertn % Iaanknd the b0aTy uiscreaO, whose years
oibrsBt the e.,iise " constitutional liberty,
Tbo a.etnug devotion - ,e weak suG opprea cd irc
ta0Sn ~ laaI ssrs o. The dsaLsd wor!d u was a