New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-08
SUMNER,
His Farewell Speech Before Leaving for
EurOpe-A StatesmanIike Effnrt.

His Farewell Speech Before Leaving fOl
Europe-A StatesmanIike Effort.
Boston, September Ex-senator Sumner
before leaving for Europe. confided to F
W. Bird, of the Liberal Republican State
Committee, for publication, speech which
he had intended to deliver at Fanueil Hal
this afternoon.
Senator Sumner in his note to Mr.. Birl
says: Il had confidently hoped returning
| to meet my friends in that venerable home
SO dear to us and TO all, and to speak once
! more on the great questions involving the
welfare of our country, but recurring symp
toms of painful character warn me
against any such attempt. Ny physicians
advise that | must not for the present make
any public effort, and he prescribes rest"
The address is entitled "The Presiden
tial Election-Greeley or Grant" and com.
mences:
Fellow-citizens-It is on the invitation
of the State committee Of Liberal Republic
cans thai | have the honor of addressing
you, and | shall speak directly to the issue
before it. If l am frank and plain, [ will
be only according to my nature and re-
quirements to duty at this time; but there
is nothing that | can say which is not
prompted by a sincere desire to serve nv
country, and especially to promote good
will and equal rights TO all. an the ap-
| preaching presidential election the people
| have choice between two candidates, and
| by the operation of our electoral system,
| superaded by the dictati0n OF the national
| convention, the choice is practically limited
| to President Grant and Greeley, so that no
| preference for another can be called affec-
| ton, as one Of these must be taken. Pre-
| ferring Greeley, | have no hesitation in
| assigning the reasons that lead to this con-
! clusiOn.
Believing the present incumbent unfit
60 +c+4 i'll l.
| a second term, and knowing that vote for
him would be regarded as sanction of
abuses and pretensions unrepublican in
character, | early saw the difficulty of TAX
ing any part for his reelection. | declared,
while recognizing party as an essential
agency, that | could not allow it to con
strain my conscience against what deemed
the requirements of the public good. Re
garding always the substance rather than
forms | have been Indifferent to the name
by which might be called, and was not
impressed by the way in which candidate
was urged. His supporters, while admit
ting his failure and even abuses and pre-
tensions, so notorious in his civil life. com
mended his reelection as necessary to up
hold the party with which / have been as
ISOLATED, but it is easy to see that all who
vote for such a candidate for such a reason
was to do evil that good might come,
which is forbidden in politics as well as in
morals.
Two courses seemed open: One was to
abstain from voting, and | confess that this
was my first inclination. but it is not easy
for me to be neutral certainly where
wrong-dOing is in question: nor is it my
habit to shrink from responsibility, but the
doubt that beset Inc was removed when |
saw the Democratic party adopt candi-
date opposed to President Grant who was
not an original Republican and already
nominated by the Republican convention.
aud at the same time accept the Republi-
can platform on which he was nominated. |
An old panty which had long stood out |
itself on the Republican platform,
the best ever adopted, with Re
publican candidate who was the most |
devoted Republican ever nominated, thus |
accepting the results of the |
war, and offering the hand of reconcilia-
tIOn. At once the character of the contest |
changed. This was no common event.
Pardon me if | say that to me it was one of
peculiar interest. For years l have sought
to establish in the national government the
great principles of the Declaration of In
ay0Wing always that when
this was done nobody should surpass me in
generosity toward former rebels, not only
by the logic of my life, but by constant
speeches; and | was bound to welcome
unOSC w HO fjIdtCl LutiISGIN rs on LllS Go
rIous Old platform The extent of this
obligation will appear before l close, and
now its performance harmOnizes with the
opposition to the prolonged misruIe of the
present incumbent. Evidently d am not at
liberty to abstain from voting.
In considering the reasons in favor of
Horace Greeley, l find two differing in
character, but of chief Importance: Firstly,
hat he represents reformed civil service.
With Tha JlTjDrir,I0
his reform is too much like a sham; and,
ecOndIy, that he represents reconciliation
lot only between the two sections, but be-
ween the two races, which is essential to
he repose of the country, and a safeguard
+ equal rights. To these must be added
hat he does not represent these personal |
retensiOns so utterly inconsistent with a
epublican government, which are now F.,
nOWn as Grantisns In voting for Horace
'reeley you will not sustain nepotism; you
i'll not sustain gitttaking, rewarded by
tficiaI favor, and Will not lend your sane
on to San Domingo Vaccinations, with its
unconstitutional usurpations, its violation
International law, and its indignity to
le black republic.
Mr.. Sumner then reiterates and simpIifes :
IS previous charges of nepotism against :
le President condemns gift taking. de-
ounces the San Domingo business, and adj :
)cates the One-term principle and civil =
form. He then speaks of reconciliation =
follows: "From the practical question of +
vii service reform ! pass to reconciliation,
ling the most important issue presented
the American people" Mr.. Sumner en- \
rged upon this point, and said we seemed o
behold for the first time the dawn of n
,tter era, when equal rights for all will be q
aced under assured peace and reconcilia- 0f
On; and that the choice of Greeley will h
nd to assure the triumph of peace. The q
nator said that every interest of the +
party would lead them to ad- a
re to the covenant made at Baltimore ii
d concluded as follows: q
Instead Of irritation and pressure, let 7
ere be gentleness and generosity Men in n
is world get only what they give-preiu- re
&c Tor prejudice, animOsity for luminosity.
te for hate; likewise, confidence is re-
rned for confidence good will is returned IL
: good will, friendship for friendship. On Sc
Is rule which is the same for a nation as tc
an individual, would now act. So will is
: republic be elevated to new habits of h;
rai grandeur, and our people will mani is
t that virtue, the greatest of all, which fir
ound IN charity. Above the conquests d.
all others, will be the conquest of our al
ves nor will any feIIow-citizen suffer in to
hts, but -all will find a new safeguard in ~
nprehepsiye fellowship. 81
+. Greeley as a Paciicator-Boss Tweed.