The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-08-03
AN OPEN LITTER TO SUMNER,
BY Hon. J. G. Blaine, Of Maine.

OuuueE tO'uAg r... T. .-y#
AUGUSTA, Ju,y, 81, 1879.
To Hon. Charles Sumner, o. 3. Senator:
DEAR sIR-Your letter published in
the papers Of this morning will create
profound pain and regret among your
former political friends throughout New
England. Your power to injure General
Grant was exhausted in your remarkable
speech In the Senate. Your power TO in
jure yourself was not wholly exercised un.
til you announced open alliance with the
Southern, Secesslonlsts In their efforts 70
destroy the. Republican party Of the ma
ton. l have butrecently read with much
interest the circumstantial and minute &C.
count given by you in the fourth volume
OF House records. OF the manner in
which you were struck down In the Senate
chamber in 1855, for defending the rights
of the negro. The Democratic party
throughout the South and according to
your own showing, 10 some extent In the
North, also approved that assault upon
you. Mr.. Toombs, Of Georgia, openly an.
nonnced his approval oI 1t in the Senate
and Jefferson Davis, four months alter Its
occurrence, wrote letter to South Caro-.
lima in fulsome eulogy Of Brooks, tor hay.
ing 80 nearly taken your lie. 1t Is safe To
say every man In the South who rejoiced
over the attempt TO murder you, was found
In the rebel conspiracy TO murder the
Nation. 1t is still safer to say that every
one Of them who survives, Is to-day your
fellow laborers in the support OF Horace
Greeley. In 1855 he would indeed have
been rash prophet who predicted your
iast alliance sixteen years after with
Messrs Toombs and Davis in their
efforts to reinstste their own party in
power. In all the startling mutations Of
American politics nothing so marvellous
has ever occurred ss the fellowship Of
Robert Toombs, Jefferson Davis and
Charles Sumner in joint effort to drive
the Republican party from power and
hand over the Government 10 the prac-
.tical control oil those who 80 recently
sought to destroy IL It Is Of no avail for
you to take refuge behind the Republican
record Of Horace Greeley. Conceding, for
the sake OF argument, as I do not in fact
believe, that H. G. would remain firm
in his Republic principles, he would be
powerless against the Congress that would
come into power with him In the event
Of his election. We have had recent
and striking illustration in the case Of
Andrew johnson, Of the inability OF o
President to enforce q policy or even a
measure; against the will Of Congress
What more power would there be
in, H. G. 70 enforce a Repub,
lican policy against q Democratic Con.
-grcss than there was in Andrew johnson
to enforce q Democratic policy against q
Republican Congress, and besides Horace
Greeley has already in his letter Of &C
ceptance taken ground practically against
the Republican doctrine, 30 often en-
forced BY yourself of the duty Of the ma,
tional government to secure the nights O.
every citizen to the protection Of life
persons and property. In Mr.. Greeley!
letter accepting, the Cincinnati nomina
tion, he pleases every Ku.Klux villain il
the South by repeating the Democratic
cant about local self government, anC
inveighiDg in good rebel parlsnce agains
Capitalization, and finally declaring thG
there shall be no Federal subversion o
the international policy Of the Sourtherr
States and municipalities, but that eact
shall be left tree TO enforce the rights and
promote the well being Of its inhabitant
by such means as the judgment of its owl
people shall prescribe. The meaning O
all this in plain English, is that no matte
how the colored citizens of the Suutl
may be abused, wronged and op
pressed, Congress shall not interfere
for their protection, but leave them L
the tender mercies Of local self govern
ment, administered by white rebels. ID
you, as friend to the colored man, ap
prove the position Of Dir. Greeley2 You
cannot forget, Mr.. Sumner, how otter
during the late session Of Congress you
conferred with me in regard TO the posi-
bility of having your civil rights bill
passed by the House. It was introduced
by yonr personal friend, Mr. Hooker, ant
nothing prevented its passage BY thu
House except the rancorous and fac
ushostility Of Democratic members, /
l have correctly examined the Globe, thu
Democratic members on seventeen differ
ent occasions resisted the passage Of thu
civil rights bill by parliamentary process
known as tillibustering. They would no
even allow II to come to q vote. Two in
telligent colored members from Soutl
Carolina, Elliott and RaineY, begged o
the Democratic side Of the House Il
merely allow the civil rights bill
TO be voted on, and they wert
answered swiths az denial so absolut,
that 1t amounted to a scornful jeer OF thc
rights Of the colored man, and now you
lend your voice and influence 10 the re-
election Of these d. ocratic members wit
ore cooperating with him in support o
Nj. Greeley. Do you not know, Mr.
Sumner, and will you not as q candil
man, acknowledge that with these mel
lin power in Congress the rights O
the rcolored men are absolutely sac
rifced SO far as these rights depend OF
Federal legislationi Still further, tn,
rights OF the colored men in this countr,
are secured, II secured atall, by threi
great constitutional amendments, tn
18th, 14th and 18th. To give thesC
amendments full scope and effect legisla
ton by Congress Is imperatively required
as you have 80 often and 30 eloquently
demonstrated, but the Democratic part,
are on record in the most conspicuou
manner against any legislation OF
the subject, and It was only Il
1.-The month Of February last, that m,
colleague, Mr.. Peters, offered a aresolutiol
Iin the House Of Representatives affirming
the validityo the Constitutional amend
ments, and Of such reasonable Legislation
OF Congress as may be necessary to max
them In their letter and spirit the mos
efectual. This resolution, very mild an
guarded - you will pee, was adopted b
1874 yeas to 5s nays. Only eight OF th
yeas were Democrats, and all OF the nay
were Democrats. The resolution Of NJ
Peters was followed aweek later by on
offered by Ar. Stevenson, Of Ohio, as 70,
lows: - - -, T. -, - "a I, :. -, 10
RIsOlued, That we recognize as vail