The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-08-09
Twa,ldIe.

House Of Representatives has written
letter 10 Hon, Charles Sumner in re-.
ply to the recently published address
of tho latter to the colored people. Mr..
effort, which some of the Grant
papers call ian answer was evident
ly constructed rather as an electioneer-
ing document to be read on the stump
by demagogues, than as a logical and
deliberative letter for the convincing
of Mr.. Sumner and men of like mental
calibre. II seems impossible for any
Administration politician in his public
uttcrances to abstain from twaddle re-
garding what they please to call "the
rebels !" a term applied with the strict
est impartiality to every class of men
living south of Mason & Dixon's line
who do not support Grant. Mr.. Speak
er Blaine Is no exception to the rule
and his letter to Mr.. Sumner contains
neither more nor less than the speeches
of the average Grant stump speakers
or the columns of the officially edited
Grant newspapers. In speaking of the
Brooks assault on Mr.. Sumner in 1856
Mr.. Blaine says: "It 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. It is stills safer to
say that every one of them who sur.
wives to. day is your fellow laborer with
Horace Greeley. In all the
startling mutations of American poll
tics nothing so marvellous has ever oc-
cured as the fellowship of Robert
Toombs, jefferson Davis and Charles
Sumner in a joint effort to drive the
Republican party from power and hand
over the Government to the practical
control Of those who so recently sought
to destroy it," Now we submit that
that sort of thing is the veriest bosh and
nonsense. 1t is to be expected from
second rate orators stumpinga State for
money or hope of Office but that a man
of Mr.. Blaine's position, If nothing else,
should put such words in writing in a
grave, carefully prepared paper, to be
submitted to a person of such attain.
ments as Charles Sumner, is at once
ridiculous and pitiable. Does Mr..
Blaine expect any one sensible man in
these United States to believe that Mr..
Sumner, or Mr.. Greeley and the thou.
sands of eminent men who support
him, are traitors plotting the destruc-
ton of the nation and ready to "hand
over the Government TO the practical
control of those who so recently sought
to destroy it?" If so, Mr.. Blaine has
been so grievously warped mentally by
his political associations as to have lost
all power of appreciating fairly his
countrymen. Thank Heaven, the peo-
pie of this country have lost faith in
loyalty.shrieking patriots and day by
day their influence fades and wanes. The
strong common sense of the masses is
clearing away the mists of misunder.
standing which demagogues like Mr..
Speaker Blaine have spent years in ere.
ating. 1t is monstrous, however, that
there should be such effrontery in a
public man, as that displayed by Mr.,
Blaine in even constructively asserting
that the Union is in danger from the
election of man who was Republi
can, a good one, and, what is yet mor'
rare, an honest one before Mr.. Blaine
was politically weaned, and that Charles
Sumner is aiding him in turning over
tho y,aprooo IN tbo;r l;fo lopr, opop,io ioo
What insufferable rot There must be
many of Mr.. Blaine's constituents who
receive these charges very obviously in
view of the fact that Gen. N. P. Banks
of Massachusetts, Republican of good
standing and who has the advantage o.
Mr.. Blaine in that he is Statesmen
and soldier, has enrolled himself un
der the Greeley banner. If such docu
ments as this are to constitute the weap
ons Of the campaign, the Administration
is poorly armed indeed. Mr.. Blaine will
undoubtedly find his epistolary endeav
or about as successfully convincing
among the people at large as were tn,
recent oratorical efforts of Senator Will
son and Secretaries Boutwell, and Della
no to the voters in North Carolina befor
the late election.
i The subject is perhaps too contempt
} BILE for serious refutation but the officia
standing of Mr.. Blaine would seem t
/ make the necessity of mention. How
ever, Mr.. Sumner at the earnest solic
! tation of friends in Maine and Massa
chusetts, has replied at length to MI
J Blaine, and, as was to have been ex
pected, has completely andu tterly dif
, comfited the bumptious Speaker who's
} zeal as displayed in this uncalled fo
letter of his, plainly overran his di'
cretiOn. When, if ever, Mr.. Blain
. awakens to the fact that some at leas
. Of the issues of ten years since are Yer
, dead and that the disturbing of theI
} causes an intOlerable stencil in the no
, trils Of honest and patriotic men, b
will have taken great step forwar
l from the unenviable stand point whic
l he has at present chosen for himself an
l will meet the appreciation of betts
Q class of citizens than those which halle
] with demonstrative pleasure his lett,
r to Mr.. Sumner.