Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-07-31
An Appeal from the COlOred PeO-
pie of the United States
for Advice-Grant
or Greeley.
The Senator's Reply-The Most
Important Document OF
the Campaign.
ii-T- HEG OF
A Careful Review of the Political
Antecedents of the Two
Candidates.
A Most Damaging Record of Pres
ident Grants LabOrS for
the COlOred People.
The Relations of the Political
Parties Carefully and
Clearly Defined.

"a WV CN@A
Clearly Defined.
! WASHINGTON, July 3O.-The follow.
ing correspondence has taken place be-
tween Hon. Charles Sumner ana the
colored citizens of the United States:
WAsHiHGToN, July Il, lS72.
SIR-We, the undersigned citizens
of color, regarding you as the purest and
best friend of urrace, andadmiring your
consistent, course in the United States
senate and elsewhere as the special ad-
vocate of our rights, and believing yom
course at this critical juncture in the
period of our citizenship would be free
from personal feeling or partisan preju-
| dice, have ventured 20 request your
opinion as TO what action the colored
voters of note should take in the Presi-
Dental contest now pending. The
choice of our people is now narrowed
down to General Grant or Horace Gree
/ ley. Your long acquaintance with both
and your observation have enabled you
| to arrive at correct conclusion as to
which of the candidates, judging from
| their antecedents as well as their present
position will, if elected, enforce the re-
quirements of the constitution and laws
respecting our civil and political rights
with the most heartfelt sympathy and
greatest vigor. We hope and trust you
will favor us with such reply as will
serve to enlighten our minds upon this
subject and impel our people to go
forward in the right direction. Our
confidence in your Judgment is so firm
that, in our opinion, thousands of intel
ligent eOlored voters of the country will
be guided in their action by your state
ment and advice. Hoping to receive a
reply soon, we have the honor to be,
with great respect, your obedient ser
wants,
A. T. August, NJ. D., David Fisher, ST.,
John H. Smith, Edward Cruiser, VIM.
A. Wormley, VIM. Wilson, r. w.
Tompkins, John II. Brown, Henry
Lace, w. H. Bell, ]. L. n. Bowen, NJ.
D., Jacob Dewitter, Samuel Proctor,
~. Ketchum, Charles n. Thomas,
VIM. H. Shorter, Henry Hill, Thur
man J. Shadd, George d. johnson,
Chris. A. Fleetwood, Chas. f. Bruce
David Fisher, jr., David King, VIM.
Polkery.
To Hon. Charles Sumner.
SENATOR SUMMERS LETTER.
WAsHINGToN, July %, 1872.
GENTLEMEN AND FELLOw-CITIzENs
If / have delayed answering your
communication of July eleventh, which
was duly placed in my hands by your
committee, it is not because the proper
course for you seemed doubtful, but be-
cause / wished to reflect upon it, and
4, H. to oII hrrs inf !, -,
time might supply. Since then l have
carefully considered the inquiries you
have addressed me, and listened to much
on both sides, but my best Judgment is
in harmony with my hearty conclusion.
/ am touched by the appeal you make.
1t is true | am a friend of your race, and
l am glad to be assured that, in your
opinion, i have held consistent course in
the Senate and elsewhere as the special
advocate of your rights. That course,
by the blessing of God, mean to hold.
/ know your infinite wrongs, and feel
for them as though they were my own.
You only do me simple justice when you
add a belief that my counsel, at this
critical juncture of your citizenship,
would be free from personal feelings and
partisan prejudice. In answering your
Inquiries, can have no feeling except
for your good, which most anxiously
seek; nor can any prejudice of any kind
be allowed to interfere-the occasion is
too solemn-and especially is there no
room for personal feeling or for parti-
san prejudice.
NO MAN OR PARTY
can expect power except for general
welfare, therefore they must be brought
to the standard of truth, that they may
be seen in life and act. You are right
in saying that the choice for the Presi-
dency is now narrowed down 10 Presi-
dent Grant or Horace Greeley. One of
these is to be taken, and assuming my
acquaintance with both, and my Obser-
walton of their lives, you invite my
Judgment between them, asking me es-
pecially which of the two, Judging from
their antecedents, as well as present
position, would enforce the constitution
and laws, your civil aud political rights,
with the most heartfelt sympathy and
greatest vigor. Here l remark that in
this inquiry you you naturally put your
rights in the foreground. So do L; be-
lieving most sincerely thst the best in
terests of the whole country are assOci-
ated with the
CoAIPLETEST RECOGNITION
Of your rights, so that the two races shall
live together in unbroken harmony.
also remark that you cali attention to
two things, the antecedents of the two
candidates, and secondly. their present
position. You wish to know from these
which gives assurance of most heartfelt
sympathy and greatest vigOr in the
maintenance of your rights; in other
words, which, judging from the past,
will be your truest fTiend2 Tho commu-
nication with which you have honored
me, is not alone. Colored fellow-cit
zens in other parts of the country, may
say, in nearly every State Of the Union,
have made similar requests, and some
complain that l have thus far Kept si-
lent. / am not insensible TO this appeal /;
'but if my opinion is given, it must be
candidly, according to my conscience.
In this spirit answer your inquiries,
beginning with
THE ANTECEDENTS OF THE TWO CANDI-
DATES.
Horace Greeley was born to poverty,
and educated himself in a printing Of
flee. President Grant, fortunate in early
patronage, became . cadet at West
Point, and was educated at the public
expense. One started with nothing but
industry and a character; the other
started with a military commission.
One was trained as a civilian; the other
as a soldier. Horace Greeley stood forth
as reformer and abolitiOnist. Presi-
dent Grant enlisted as a pro-slave-
Ty Democrat, and at the election
of James Buchanan, fortified by his
vote all pretensions of slavery, including
the Dred Scott decision. Horace Gree
ley, from early life, was earnest and
constant against slavery, full of sympa-
thy with the colored race, and always
foremost in the great battle for their
rights. President Grant, except as a
soldier summoned by the terrible aoei-
dent of war, never did anything against
slavery, nor has he at any time shown
any sympathy with the eolored race.
Horace Greeley earnestly desired that
our eolored fellOw-citizens should vote,
and ably ehampioned
IMPARTIAL SUFFRAGE;
but President Grant was on the other
side. Beyond these contrasts. which are
marked, il cannot be forgotten that
Horace Greeley is a person of large
heart and large understanding; trained