Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-08-09
BLAINE TO SUMNER.
An Open Letter from Hon. ]. g.
Blaine to Chas. Sumner.
Tho Dangers Of Greeley ms President

AUGUSTA Me-, July 81, 1872.
Hon. Charles Sumner, United States Senators:
DEAR SIR-Your letter, publish
ed in the papers Of this morning
will create profound pain and re-
greet among your former political
friends throughout New England.
Your power to injure General Grant
was exhausted in your remarkable
speech in the Senate. Your power
to iniure yourself was not fully
exercised until you announced an
open alliance with the Southern
secessionists in their efforts to
destroy the Republican party Of
the nation. / have but recently
read with much interest the circum-
'sssttantial and minute account given
by youiriHN the fourth volume of
your works ottthe manner in which
you were struck dow, in the Senate
chamber in 1856 for defending the
rights of the negro. The Democratic
party throughout the South, and
according to your own showing to
the same 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 Carolina, in full
some eulogy Of Brooks for having
SO nearly taken your life. 1t is
safe to say every man in the South
who rejoiced over the attempt to
murder you was afterward found in
rebellious conspiracy to murder the
nation. 1t is still safer to say that
every one Of them who survives is
to-day your fcllow-laborer in sup
port of Horace Greeley. In 1856 he
would indeed have been a rash pro-
phet who predicted your alliance
l8 years after with Mcssrs. Toombs
and Davis, in their efforts to rein
state their own party in power. In
all the startling mutations of Ameri-
can politics nothing SO marvellous
has ever occurred as the fellowship
Of Robert Toombs, Jefferson Davis
aud Charles Sumner in a joint effort
to drive the Republican party from
power and hand over the Govern
inent to the practical control Of
those who so recently sought to
destroy it. 1t is of no avail for you
to take refuge behind the Republi-
can record of Horace Greeley. Con-
ccding, for the sake Of argument,
as ! do not, in fact, believe, that
Horace Greeley would remain firm
in his Republican principles, he
would be powerless against the Con-
gress that would come into power
with him in the event ofhis election.
We have had recent and striking
Illustration In tho case Of Andrew
johnson Of the inability of the
President to enforce a policy, or
even measure, against the will Of
Congress. What more power would
there be in Horace Greeley to en-
force Republican policy against
Democratic Congress tnan there
was in Mr.. johnson to enforce
Democratic policy against Rcpub
lican Congress? And besides,
Horace Greeley has already, in his
letter of acceptance, taken ground
practically against the Republican
doctrine, so often enforced by your
self, Of the duty Of tho National
Government to secure the rights OF
every citizen to the protection of
life, person aud property. In Mr..
Greeley's letter accepting the Gin.
cinnati nomination, he pleased all
the Ku-Klux in the South by repeat
ing the Democratic cant about
local self government, and invcigh-
ing in good rebel parlance against