The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1872-08-14
Letter of Senator Sumner, to Speak.
er Blaine. s. .....4.
WASHINGTON, August s, 1877:

WASHINGTON, August 8, 1872.
Dear Sir: have seen tho letter addressed
to me by you, through the public prints, and
notice especially that while animadverting
upon my support of Horace Greeley, You say
not one word in vindicatic Of that compound
of pretentions known as Grantism, in contra
distinction to Republcansm, which you would
install anew in the Government. You nre
greatly concerned about the company I keep.
TO quiet your solicitude, beg leave to say
that, in joining the Republicans, who brought
forward an original Abolitionist, find myself
with so many others devoted to the cause
have served always, that l have not missed
you, until you -hastoned to report absence /;
nor had I taken account Of tho Southern SO.
cessionists, who, as you aver, are now coop,
Grating with me in support of this original
Abolitionist, except to rejoice that, il among
former associates some, like yourself. hesitate,
their places are supplied in an unexpec ted
quarter. af .a. g... E....
o. You entirely misunderstood me when you
introduce an incident Of tho past and build on
1t an argument why should not support Hor-
ace Greeley. What has Preston Brooks to do
with the Presidential election2 Never, while
n sufferer, did anybody hear me speak Of him
in unkindness and row, after the lapse Of
more than half n generation, will not unite
with you in dragging him from tho grave,
where he sleeps, to aggravate the passions of
political conflict, and arrest the longing for
concord. And here is the essential difference
between you and me at this juncture. seize
the opportunity to make the equal rights of
all secure, through peace and reconciliation !;
but this infinite boon You would postpone
Seven years have passed since wo laid aside
our arms but unhappiy, during all this Pc
riod, thore has been q hostile spirit towards
each other, while the rights of my colored
low-citizens have been In perpetual ques-
tion. '
Seven years mark a material period Of bu-
man life. Should not the spirit bo changed
with the body? Can we not, after seven years,
commence a new life, especially when those
once our foes, repeat the saying, /" Thy people
shall be my people, and thy God my God 2''
I declare my preference for an original Abol.
itionist as President, and you seek to create n
diversion by crying out that Democrats will
support him to which / reply, so much the
bettor. Their support is the assurance that
the cause he has so constantly guarded, wheth-
or of equal rights or reconciliation, Is accept
cd by the Democrats; and this is the pledge
of true union, beyond anything in our his.
tory. 1t is victory Of ideas, without which
all other victories must fail.
To intensity your allegations, you insist
that am ranged with Jefferson Davis and
Robert Toombs; but, pardon me: nobody
knows how the former will vote, whilc Robert
Toombs is boisterous against Horace Greeley !;
and with him are Stephens, Wiso and Mosby.
This Is oil very poor, and mention it only to
exhibit the character Of your attempt. In
tho same spirit you seek to avoid the real is
sue, by holding up the possibility of what you
call Democratic administration, and you
have the courage to assert, as within my know
ledge, that by the election Of Horace Greeley,
Congress is handed over to tho control of the
pdrty who have positively denied the rights Of
the black men. You say that / know this.
Mr.. Speaker, know no such thing, and you
should be sufficiently thoughtful not to as.
sert it. g..
am entirely satisfied that q canvass like
the present, where tho principles declared at
Cincinnati are openly accepted on ono side,
and not contested OF the other, must result in
= larger number Of congressional representa-
tives sincerely devoted to tho rights Of the
nst Al k.c