Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-08-08
cracy. But we needed no such avowal.
1t was the consequence natural and inc
vitable, painful as it is to the contempla-
tor of disjointed mental condition.
Another Letter from Senator Sum-
ner.
WASHINGTON Aug. 5.
Senator Sumner thus replies to Speak


Senator Sumner thus replies to Speak
er Blaine:
WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, 1872.
Dear Sir Il have seen the letter adj
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 pretension known as Grantism, in
contradistinction to Republicanism,
which you would install anew in the
government. You are greatly concerned
about the company / keep. To quiet
your solicitude, beg to say, that in
joining the Republicans, who brought
forward an original abolitionist, [ find
myself with so many, of those devoted
to the cause | have served always, that
l had not missed you. until you has
tened to report your absence. Nor had /
taken an account of the Southern Seces-
Sionists who, as you aver, are now
onfederating with me, in support Ofthe
original abolitiOnists, except to rejoice
that if among my former associates,
some like yourself, hesitate, their places
are supplied in an unexpected quarter.
You entirely misunderstood me when
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 any body hear me speak of
him in unkindness, and now, after the
lapse of more than half generation,
will not unite with you in dragging him
from the grave, where he sleeps, to ag-
grevate the passions of political con-
flict and arrest the longing for
concord And here is the essential
difference between you and me. At
this juncture l seize the opportunity to
make the equal rights of all secure,
through peace and reconciliation. But
the infinite boon, you would postpone.
Seven years have passed since we laid
aside our arms, but, unhappIly, during
all this period there has been hostile
spirit toward each other, while the rights
of our colOred fellow citizens have been
in perpetual question. Seven years mark
a natural period of human life. Should
not the spirit be changed with the body
Can we not, after seven years, commence
a new life, especially when those once
our foes repeat the saying: THY peo-
pie shall be my people, and thy God my
God" l declare my preference for an
original Abolitionist as President, and
you seek to create a division, by crying
out that the Democrats will support
him. To which l reply: So much the
better. Their support is the assurance
hat the cause, he has so constantly
guarded, whether of equal rights or re-
cancellation, is accepted by the Demo
rats and this is a true union beyond any
hing in our history. 1t is victory Of
IDEAS, without which all other victories
must fail To intensity your allegation
you insist that am ranged with Jeffer-
son Davis and Robert Toombs. But
pardon. Nobody knows how the for
mer will vote, while Robert Toombs is
Iboisterous against Horace Greeley, and
with him are Stephens, Wise and Mos
by. This is all very poor, and mention
it, only to exhibit the character Of your
attempt In the same spirit you seek to
avoid the real issue by holding up the
possibility of, what you call, Democratic
administration: and you have the cour-
age to assert, as within my knowledge
that by the election of Greeley, Congress
is handed over to the control Of the par
ty who have positively denied the rights
of the black men. You say that know
this. Mr.. Speaker, | know no such
thing, and you should be sufficiently
thoughtful not to assert it. l am entire
ly satisfied that a canvass like the pres
ent, where the principles declared at
Cincinnati are openly accepted on the
one side and not contested on the other,
must result in a larger number Of Con-
gressional representatives, sincerely de-
voted to the rights of the colored citi-
zen, than ever before. The Democrats
viii 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 leg
islation. But besides the Democrats,
there will be Liberal Republicans pledged
likewise, and also your peculiar associ-
ates who, trust, will not betray the
cause. Senators and Representatives,
calling themselves Republicans have
been, latterly, in a large majority in
both houses, but the final measures of
civil rights, to which you refer, though
argued by me almost daily, has failed to
become law, less, | fear, from Demo-
cratic opposition, than from Republican
lukewarmness, and the want of support
in the President. The great issue,
which the people are called to decide in
November, is on ,he President. and no.
body knows better then yourself that
the House of Representatives chosen at
the same time, will naturally harmonic
with him. So ii hasbeen in our history.
Now harmony, with Horace Greeley,
involves what most desire. With such
a President, Congress will be changed
For the first time sine the war, the
equal rights of all will hive a declared
representative ut the heaaof the Govern
ment, whose presence there will be of
higher significance, than hat of war;
being not only testimony, but a con-
slant motive power in this great cause
Opposition, whether open hstility or
more subtle treachery, will yiId to the
steady influence of such a rep
resentative. Therefore III look
ing to the President, I loGk also