The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-08-20
CRUSHING an EGG-suELh.
The Last of mar. Speaker Blaine
of Maine.


Speaker Riain e--The Gospel OF
Peace Fgstead of HE Spirit of
war--Tbe Liberal Movement a
Pledge Of reconciliation.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5.-Senator Sum
ner thus replies to speaker Blaine:
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 1872
DEAR SIR: have seen the letter ad- |
dressed to me by you through the pub
lie prints, and l notice especially that,
while animadverting upon my support
Of Horace Greeley, you say not one
word in vindication Of that compound
of pretensions known as Grantis.n, in
contradistinction to Republicanism,
which you would install anew in the
Government. You are greatly con,
cerned about the company l keep. To
quiet your solicitude beg 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
had not missed you until you fastened
to report absence nor had ] taken ac-
count of the "Southern Secessionists"
who, rs you aver, are now cooperating
with me in support of this original Alb
olitionist, except to rejoice that, if
among my former associates some like
yourself hesitate, their places are sup
piled in an unexpected quarter.
BLAfNE's MISTAKE.
You entirely misunderstood me when
you introduce an incident Of the past
and build on it an argument why /
should not support Horace Greeley
What has Preston Brooks to do with
the Presidential election? Never while
a sufferer did anybody hear me speak
of him ir unkindness; and, now, after
the lapse of more than half genera
ton, | will not unite with you in drag.
ging him from the grave where he
sleeps TO aggravate the passions Of a.
political conflict and arrest the longing
for concord. And here is the essential
difference between you and me at this
iuneture. seize the opportunity to
make the equal rights of all secure
through peace and reconciliation But
this infinite boon you would postpone.
A SPIRIT OF PEACE, NOT HATE.
Seven years have passed since we laid
aside cur arms, but unhappily during
all this period there has been hostile
spirit toward each other, while the
tights of colored fellnw.citizens have
been in perpetual question. Seven years
mark natural period of human life
Should not the spirit be changed with
the body? Can we not after seven years
commence new life, especially when
those once our foes repeat the saying,
Thy people shall be my people, and
thy God my God Y / declare my pref
erenee for an original abolitionist as
President, and you seek to create di-
version by crying out that Democrats
will support him; to which ] reply. so
much the better, their support is the
assurance that the cause he has SO con-
stantly guarded, whether of equal rights
or reconciliation, is accepted by Demo.
Gratis, and this is the pledge of a true
union beyond anything in our history.
1t is a victory of ideas, without which
all other victories must fall. To iuten-
sify your allegation, you insist that
am ranged with jefferson Davis and
Robert Toombs; but, pardon me, no
body knows how the former will vote,
while Robert Toombs is boisterous
against Horace Greeley, and with him
are Stephens, Wise, and Mosby. This
is all very poor, and / mention it only
to exhibit the character Of your at,
tempt.
| TIE RESULT OF A LIBERAL VICTORY.
| In the same spirit you seek to avoid
the real issue by holding up the posi-
bility of what you call Democratic
Administration, and you have the cour-
age to assert as within my. knowledge
that by the election of Greeley Con-
gress is handed over to the control of
the party who have positively denied
the rights Of the black men. You say
that know this. Mr.. Speaker, 1 know
no such thing, and you should be suffi-
ciently thoughtful not to assert it.
am entirely satisfied thata canvass like
the present, where the principles de-
c}ared at Cincinnati are openly accepted
on one side and not contested on the 9TH
er,will result in a larger number Of Con-
gressional representatives sincerely de-
voted to the rights of the coored ,citi-
zens than ever before. The Democrats
will be pledged as never before to the
ruling principle that all men are equal
before the law, and also to the three
constitutional Amendments, with the
clause in each empowering Congress to
enforce the same by appropriate legis
lation. But, besides Democrats there
will be Liberal Republicans pledged like
wise, and also your peculiar associates,
who trust will not betray the cause
Senators and Representatives, calling
themselves Republicans, have been lat
terly in large majority in both Houses !;
but the final measure Of civil rights to
which you refer, though urged by me
almost daily has failed to become law,
less l fear from Democratic opposition
than from Republican lukewarmness
and the want Of support in the Presi-
ldent.
THE ISSUE TO BE DECIDED.
The great issue which the people are
called to decide in November is on the
President, and nobody knows better
than yourself that the House of Repre-,
sentatives chosen at the same time will
naturally harmonize with him, So it
has been in our history, Now, harmony