Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-08-09
Response to Mr.. Sumner.
A scATHING REPLY.

The Hon. James G. Blaine, Speaker
of the House of Representa- ives, prompt
ly made complete and scathing reply to
Charles Summers letter, which we copy
as follows:
AUGUSTA, Me-, July 81, 1872.
Hon. Charles Sumner, y. S. Senator:
Dear Sir-Your letter, published in
the papers of this morning, will create
profound pain and regret among your
former political friends throughout all
New England. Your power to injure
Gen. Grant was exhausted in your re-
markable speech in the Senate. Your
power to injure yourself was not fully
exercised until you announced an ALI
ance with the southern Secessionists in
their efforts to destroy the Republican
party of the nation.
/ have but recently read with much
interest the circumstantial and minute
account given by you in your Works,
of the manner in which you were struck
down in the Senate Chamber in 1886,
for defending the rights of the Negro
The Democratic party throughout the
South, and according to your own show
ing to some extent in the North also,
approved that assault upon you. Mr..
Toombs of Georgia openly announced
his approval of it in the Senate, and
Jefferson Davis, four months after its
occurrence, wrote letter to South Car
olina in fulsome eulogy of Brooks for
having so nearly taken yoaer life. 1t is
safe to say that every man in the South
who rejoiced over the attempt to murder
you, was afterward found in the Rebel
conspiracy to murder the Nation. 1t is
still safer to say that every one of them
who survives to-day is your fellow labor
in support of Horace Greeley. In 1856
he would indeed have been a rash proph-
ct who predicted your fast alliance six
teen years after with Messrs. Toombs
and Davis in their efforts to reinstate
their own party in power. In all the
startling mutations OF American politics
nothing so marvellous has occurred as
the fellowship of ROBERT TOOMBS,
JEFFERSON DAVIS and CHARLES
SUMNER in a joint fellowship to drive
the Republican party from power and
hand over the Government to the prac-
teal control of those who so recently
sought to destroy it.
Its of no avail for you to take refuge
behind the Republican record of Horace
Greeley. Conceding, for the sake oil
argument Gas do not in fact believe)
that Horace Greeley would remain firm
in his Republican principles, he would
be powerless against the Congress that
would come into power with him IN the
event of his election. We have had q
recent and striking illustration in the
case of President johnson, of the ina
bility of the President tosupport a policy
or even measure, against the will of Con
gress? What more power would there be il
Horace Greeley to enforce Republican
policy against Democratic Congress
than there was in Andrew johnson tt
enforce Democratic policy against {
Republican Congress And besides
Horace Greeley has already, in his let
Ter of acceptance, taken ground practi
cally against the Republican doctrine 81
often enforced by yourself, of the duty
of the National Government to secur,
the rights of every citizen to protection o
life, person and property. In Mr.. Greeley
letter accepting the Cincinnati nomination
he pleases every Ku-Klux villain in tn,
South by repeating the Democratic can
about "tocat self government" and in
Weighing in good Rebel parlance agains
"cent1atisdtion, and finally declarin,
that 'ttere shall be no FEDERAL SUB
VERSION OF THE INTERNAL polio
of the SEVERAL STATES AND MUNICIPAL
titles, but that each shall be left free t
, enforce the rights and protect the wei
being of its own inhabitants BY sUCl
MEANS AS THE JUDGMENT OF ITS owl
PEOPLE SHALL PRESCRIBE"
The meaning of all this in plain Ell
, glish is that no matter how the colore
citizens of the South may be abused
; wronged and oppressed, Congress shall
not interfere for their protection, bu
leave them to the tender mercies of 9Th
local self government" administered b
!, the white Rebels. Do you as a frien
!. to the colored man approve this positio
of Mr.. Greeleyf
s You cannot forget, Mr.. Sumner, ho'
V often during the late session of Congre'
!. you conferred with me in regard to til
!. possibility of having your Civil Right
n Bill passed by the House. 1t was intr,
o duced by your personal friend, NJ
Hooper, and nothing prevented its pa
sage by the House except the rancorol
= and faetious hostility of the Democra
= ic members. If l have correctly exam