Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-06-05

made speech on President Grant and his
which, coming at this time
and from a man of Mr.. Summers position
must be classed among the most remarkable
utterances of the day. We follow the text
of a short but fair synopsis as we find it in
the Free Press of Monday.
Mr.. Sumner commenced by announcing
that he was member of the Republican par
ty, and one of the Straightest of the sect.
He had never failed to sustain its candidates
and advance its principles. Not without
regret could he see it suffer, nor without
a pang could he see it changed from its
original character, for such change is death.
Therefore, he asked, with no common feeling
that the peril which n,enaceS it may pass
away lie stood bv its cradle and was not
willing to follow its hearse. He then pro-
ceeded to detail the rise and progress of the
party and his connection with it, as a party
necessary and permanent and al ways on the
ascending plane. But, alas, how changed :
Once principle was inscribed on its victorious
banners and not name only.
1t is not difficult to indicate when the
disastrous change eXalting the will of one
man above all else became manifest. Already
it had begun to show itself in personal pre-
tensions, when suddenly the President,
elected by the Republican party, preciPitated
upon the country an IL considered and Ill
Omened scheme for annexation of portion
of San Domingo, in pursuance OF treaty
negotiated by one of his own household. 1t
was pressed for months by every means and
appliance of power. Reluctant senators
we're subdued to its support while treading
under foot the constitution in one of its most
distinctive Republican principles the Pres
ident seized the war powers Of the nation,
instituted foreign Intervention and capped
the climax of uSurpation by menaces Of ylo-
lence to the black republic of Hayti, thus
adding manifest outrage Of international law
to manifest outrage of the constitution.
He (Mr. Sumner) would gladly leave this
matter to the judgemnt already recorded
were it not put in issue again by eXtraordl-
nary efforts to place its anthor for a second
| term as President and since silence gives
/ consent all their efforts are his Efforts. They
/ become more nOtewo thy when 1t Is cOnsd-
cred that the name of the candidate has
become a sign Of discord, dividing instead of
uniting the Republican party. Let the
party split" says the President. " viii not
| renounce my chance Of 4 second term On
" hat meat does this our Caesar feed, he that
should assume so much2 No honor for vic
tory in war can Justify disobedience to the
1 Constitution and to law, nor can it afford the
] least apology for any personal immunity,
! privilege or license in the Presidential office.
\ President must turn into King before II
can be said Of him that he can do no wrong.
/ He Is responsible always. As President, he
/ is the foremost servant Of the law, bound to
obey Its slightest mandate. As the elect OF
the people he should be not only the example
of willing obedience, but also of fidelity and
industry in the discharge of his conspicuous
Ill al w.,
nothing for self but all for the country
and now. as we regard the career of this
candidate, we find to our amazement how
/ little it acco~ds with this simple requirement.
/ Bring it to the t0uchstone and it fails. Not
only are Constitution and law diSregarded,
/ but the Presidential office itself Is treated as
/ little more than a plavthing and perqu lSlte
! When not the former then the latter.
Here the details are ample showing how
from the beginning this exalted trust has
dropped to be personal indulgence where
1 palace cars, fast horses and seaside loteringS
/ figure more than duties. How personal aims
and objects have been more prominent than
the public interests. How the Presidential
office has been used to advance his own
family on q scale of nepotism dwarfing eve
rything Of the kind in our history, and hardly
/ elualied in the corrupt governments where
this abuse has most prevailed. How, IN the
same spirit office has been conferred upon
those from whom he has received gifts or
benefits, thus making the country repay his
personal obligations. How personal devotion
To- himself rather than public or party ser
vice has been made the standard of favor.
/ How the vast appointing power conferred by
the Constitution for the general welfare has
been employed at his Will to promote his
schemes to reward his friends, TO punish his
Il
second term. How all these assumptions
have maturcd in personal government
>emi-militarv in character and breathing the
military spirit, being a species of C1sariSm
f or pcrSOnaliSm abho~re- Il to Republican IN
StituuonS, where Subservicnce to the PreSi-
dent is the supreme law. How in maintain
ing this ~ub~cryicnce he has operated by a
system of combinations having their orbits
abodt him, 50 that, like the planet Saturn,
he is surrounded by rings.
Nor does the similarity end here, for his
rings, like those of the planets, are held in
position by satellites. How this utterly I'M
republican CeSari~m has mastered the Re
publican party and dictated the Presidential
viii stalking into the Senate Chamber
itself while a vndictjve spirit visits good
Republicans who cannot submit How the
President himself, unconscious that a PreSi-
dent has no right to quarrel with anybody
insists upon quarreling until he has become
the great Presidential quarrcler, with more
quarrclS than all the other Presidents togeth-
er, and all begun and continued by himself
How his personal followers back his quarrelS :
insult those he insults, and then, not de
parting from his spirit cry out with Shaks-
peare, " We will have rings and things, and
fine array" and, finally, how the chosen
head Of the Republic is known chiefly for
Presidential pretensions utterly indefensible
in character, derogatOry to the country, of
evil influence, making personal objects a
primary pursuit, 50 that instead Of a benefi-
cient presence he is bad example, through
whom Republican institutions suffer. and the
people learn to do wrong.
NJ. Sumner argued that person al govern
ment in all its forms, and especially when it
seeks to sway the action of any other branch.
~ ovcrturn its constitutional negative, is
hostile to the first principles of republican
institutions and an unquestionable outrage.
That our President has offended in this wav
IS unhappily too apparent. After some
what lengthy allusiOn to Grants habits as a
soldier, Mr.. Sumner related an interview
with Secretary Stanton, while the latter was
on his death bed when he said % know
General Grant better than any other person
in the country can know him 1t was nv
duty to study him, and did so night and
day, when | saw him and when did not see
him; and now | tell you what know He
cannot govern this country" The intensity
Of his manner and the pOsitiveness of his
judgment surprised me, for, though | was
aware that the late Secretary Of War did not
place the President very high in general ca
pacity, was not prepared for judgment so
strongly couched.
At last, after some delay occupied in med
itating on his remarkable statement, | OBJ
served q" What you say is very broad "
" 1t is as true as it is broad" he replied