Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-08-16
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Senator Sumner thus replies to Speaker
Blaine:
Dear Sir ii have seen the letter address
sed TO me, by you, through the public
prints, and I notice especially that while
animadverting upon my support of Horace
Greeley, you say not one word in vindica-
tion Of that compound Of pretension known
as Grantlsm, in contradistinction to Re-
publicanism, which you would install anew
in the government. You are greatly con-
cerned about the company I keep. To
quiet your solicitude, beg TO say, that in
joining the Republicans who brought for
ward an original abolitionist, I find myself
with so many of those devoted to the cause
I have served always, that had not missed
you, until you hastonod to report your abb
sence. Nor had / taken an account of the
Southern Secessionsts who, as you aver,
are now confederating with me, in support
of the original abolitionists, except to re-
oice that If among my former associates,
some like yourself, hesitate, their places
are supplied in an unexpected quarter.
Yea entirely> tnisunderstaud me when you
introduce an incident of the past and build
on 1t an argument why l should not sup
port Horace Greeley What has Preston
Brooks TO do with the Presidential election?
Never, while sufferer, did anybody hear
me speak of him in unkindness, and now, ;.
after the lapse of more than half genera
| ton, will not unite with you in dragging
him from the grave, where he sleeps, to ag-
gravate the passions of political conflict
and arrest the longing for concord. And
here is the essential difference between you
| and me. At this juncture I seize the op-
portunity 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 to-
ward each other, while the rights of our
| colored fellow citizens have been in perpet-
ual 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 people shall be my pco-
pie, and thy God my God" l declare my
preference for an original Abolitionist as
President, and you seek TO create divi-
sion, by crying out that the Democrats will
support him. To which l reply: So much
| the better. Their support is the assurance
that the cause he has so constantly guard
ed, whether of equal rights or reconcila-
| ton, is accepted by the Democrats, and this
is true union beyond anything in our
history. 1t is a victory of ideas, without
xvb oil bnp xictn,iao f,tl To in
| tensify your allegation you insist that am
ranged with Jefferson Davis and Robert
Toombs. But pardon. Nobody knows
how the former will vote, while Robert
Toombs is boisterous against Horace Gree
ley, and with him are Stephens, Wise and
Mosby. This is all very poor, and mem
| ton it, only 10 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 courage
to assert, as within my knowledge, that by
the election of Greeley, Congress 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, ] know no such thing, and you
should be sufficiently thoughtful not to as
sert it. / am entirely satisfied that cam
vass like the present. 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
Congressional representatives, sincerely
devoted TO the rights Of the colored citizen,
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, en-
powering Congress to enforce the same by
appropriate legislation. But besides the
Democrats, there will be Liberal Republi-
cans pledged likewise, and also your pecu-
liar associates who, trust, will not betray
the cause. Senators and Representatives,
calling themselves Republicans have been,
latterly in large majority in both hou-
ses, 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 Democratic opposition,
than from Republican lukewarmness, and
the want of support in the President. The
decide in November, is on the President
and nobody knows better then yourself
that the House of Representatives, chosen
at the same time, will naturally harmonize
with him. So it has been in our history
Now harmony, with Horace Greeley, in
wolves what / most desire. With such a
President, Congress will be changed. For
the first time since the war, the equal
rights of all will have a declared represen-
tativc at the head of the Government
whose presence there will be of higher
significance than that of war: being not
only testimony, but a constant motive
power in this great cause. Opposition,
whether open hostility or more subtle
treachery, will yield to the steady influence
of such a representative. Therefore in
looking to the President, l look also TO
Congress, which will take the character in
large measure from him. In choosing
Horace Greeley we do the best we can for
the whole government, not only in the
executive but in the legislative branch;
while we decline to support nepotism, the
repayment of personal gins by official pat
ronage, the seizure of the war powers aud
indignity to the Black Republic and the
various incapacities exhibited by the Presi
dent, and the rings by which he governs,
none of which can you defend. You know
well that the rings are already condemned
by the American people. For myself, l
say, plainly and without hesitation, that 1
prefer Horace Greeley, with any Congress
possible, on the Cincinnati platform, TO
President Grant with his pretenslons, and
his rings, vote for whom involves the
support OF all the pretensions, with pro-
longed power in all the rings. There must
be another influence and another example.
The administration in all its parts is inn
pressed by the President. Let his soul be