New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-08-06
ANTI-GREELEY BOURBONS.
AN ORIGINAL ANTI-SLAvERY LEADER REPU-
DATES REFORM


HORACE GREELEY DESTITUTE OF MORAL
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES THE SOUTH UN-
WORTHY OF TRUST.
Bosros Aug ., 1872.
DEAR Mr.. SUMNER: Though | should be
strongly induced, by the friendship subsistng between
us, TO avoid taking position antagOnstical to your
own, under ordinary circumstances, deemed it
erroneous yet all personal considerations must be sub
ordinated to the public welfare when seriously i'm.
pered You do not believe In silence In crisis Ike the
present do In your recent letter to certain col
ored citizens OF Washington, you have spoken plainly
vehementy and with rhetorical application mot for the
me in utter condemnation Of the President Of the
United States; and your advice to the whole body OF
coored voters s that they concentrate their suages
upon rival candidate In the person OF Horace Greeley
Ia reviewing your letter propose to speak with equal
painness, and as earnestly 10 counsel my cOlored
cOunrymen to follow your lead in this matter but,
as voters, to move untedy Tor the reelection OF Pres
dent Grant, for consideration pertaining TO their
safety and happiness, TO the GAUGE OF equal rights and
to the fnrtherance OF national peace and unity In
apologizng for your delay IN answering the letter
he aided by the information which time might supply"
The kind of information you desired or expected to
gain in the brief space Of II days Is left to con-
jecture but in view OF your long ayOwed enlargement
from the present Chief Magistrate could not have been
needed 10 intensity your hostility to his administration
Your reply dated July 49, and It appears to have been
carefully timed TO influence the election IN North caro-
lima the st Of gust before anything could ne 1One
TO neutTalize its effect, your Grant indictment
speech in the senate 10 determine the action OF inc Fd
accidental bu yOn must not be surprised II, owing to
the wellknOwl nGammable state OF your mind, general
belief obtains that you have unfairly ayaed yourself OF
opportunities to work fatal division III the Republican
ranks.
your colored inteOgatOrs the special advocate OF
their rights" But this assumption which justice,
rs well becoming mOdesiy should nave led you 10
discaim even If it was meant only 70 describe your
Congress career: Similar advocates nave IRON
time time stood brayey up both IN the senate ana
In the House OF Representatlyes-Wilson Hale Wade,
Chase, Giddngs, Mann, Loy9ioy, Julian, Palfreyj
not as cOpi0us and ornate IN speech yourself have
been as unnchng and their turn most bitterly de-
nouBced to say nothing OF the thousands OF AnSaVery
men and women whose lot 10 TO pass through the
heat and burden Of the conflict pleading In season ana
ont or season. nearly Of years before your voice
was heard In support Of their holy cause You have
rendered eminent service to that cause your a
claim it as peculiar at tins late dy as though you stoO
alone and almost susie-Aahueu i peFroml dpptOpIl
unwayranted.
INFINITE WRONGS OF THE BLACKS THINGS OF THE PAST
The Republican party 0he product OF 80 years moral
and religious agitation for the overthrow OF Slavery has
crushed a vast sectional rebellion for the erection " an
independent slave empire; emancpated 100000 Of
bOnGmen aud elevated them TO the plane Of American
citizenship; has reconstructed the rebellOus States
common constitutional basis, with universal LID
erty mas Di0Asnt of9er OUT Of GlaQs, genera
ampled prosperity cut OF rghtful devastation and has
advanced the banner Of liberty and equality far beyond
the expectation or nope OF any man nVhg Ten Years
ago. The day has gone 10y, therefore, for any one to
exhibit remarkable courage or conscuity IN the adyo
cacy OF any measure IN DehaI OF inc Hsn.S
and interests OF our eolored population except,
exercises mastery az the south Nof Is u per
tiuent 10 the occasion 10 tax OF Their minute
wrongs" now that they are enancpatcd ana eIllIan
cHsed, supplied with mutudlnous schools ana teach
ers, free to make their own contracts as independent
labOrers protected husbands and wives, bound
together Us parents and children, voting anu Delns
voted Tor, pursuing successfully All PROFESSIONAL en-
pigments. steadily augfuentlnS thclt nome Comforts
ana laying up wealth, occupying stations OF trust ana
enolument and having their representatives, IA every
Southern Legislature AID on the oOr OF congress True
digDes and sometimes 10 horrible OutraSeSi put these
at the south just now ia happy animation with
yourself 70 place Horace Greeley Ia the Presidential
a strong prejudice against social equality ire
spectye of color; but this is steadily yielding and IN
exures5 sympathy for the "mite wrongs OF tue col
0red race was when they had few to interfere for their
the drivers CORY LASH from CALLING yOkes ana tor
turing thunbCrew5 from the iangs OF pursuing blood
incOcevaDo agOnies ut tie burning sake ana Wnen 10
Remember those IN bonds rs bound Win tDem leu
anywhere else than TO the high places OF the country
sUAINER INACTIVE N TIE SLAVERY CONFLICT.
And always deeply regret, too (as am quite sure
you now dol that for so many years after the COM
mencement of tie struggle to effect that deyerance,
when elements melting with feryent heat, and
noDocrac violence for the suppression Of Anisalyery
discussion was everywhere prevalent, not excepting IN
your own native city, You took no active part in
chat conflict, attended no Anti-5ayery gatherings,
gave 10 visible IN Of lively interest in its success;
for the first time bearing your public testimony against
slavery In opposing the annexation of Texas When
elected to the United states Senate In 1851 you SAT
neary en- t Pugtlve slaVe hill eeifi5e strong
reoDstrances against your pr0traeted silence seeing
was regarded important gain 10 the cause OF
impartial freedom. Your silence was the more ineXpi
furnished Just Tor uneasness, because in
speech made by you before going to Washington you
said "The subject Will not admit of postpontnen or
hesitation II i; the subject OF subjects From tins time
forward 1t will be entertained by Congress- t VIII be.
as 4 Werc Of the orders OF the day IL cannot Dc
passed over or forgotten. - We demand first and fore
most the instant repeal OF the Fugitive Slave bill" You
took seat tine Senate, Dec. 1851 II was not until
the 2h OF July 1852, that you 10 advocate that
repeaL apologeticaliy prstacing your remarks by
saying: "Had | attempted this duty at an earlier
day 1t might have been SAID that as newcomer
ana mex perenced In this without dehberaon,
hastily rshy, recklessiy pushed this question before
tie country" surely no true TREND OF humanity Wouiu
have made such ding, and the possible sneers OF us
enemies we're not deserving a moments cohsiueIaton
Besides. the discussion had Deen going on thOuShout
the lani ever since passage OF the Fugitive slave
bill, that 20 talk OF pushing tho question upon Tue
public attention was "A mlsbppllcatVh OF lnSua-e
VII soS As rRUE A FRIEND OF THE NEGRO AS SUMNER.
Nevertheless once putting your hand to the plow you
did not look back breaking the painful silence,
you have not ceased to speak, with great holiness and
rare eoauence for the complete acknowledgements OF the
coored race have failed to stand by you through
evil reror and through good report. cheering you on,
AMI both IN public and in private yndicatng you nom
the unjust attacks OF your Pro-5layery traduoers
NV reference the early days OF AntlSayery tra IS
not ~ tear your brow OF the aurels with when
IL Is so hOnOraby bound; but whentO make your lnlu-
ence potential cOlored electors to their
votes for Mr. GreeleylIr Greeleys organ, The lRIB-
USE, untruthiuily prOclalms you to have been bthe
foremost enemy OF human slavery when 'aOoiltionist
was term OF reproacb from end Of the country to
the other -" the best and wisest friend OF the freed
men in the trying years since emancipation - loved
ana trusted BY the coored above all other men ~
America "-ustce requires that the deception should
be exposed and the whole truth told In nothing OF
securing equal rights for the coored race,
has your respected ex-senator, Henry Wilson,
been ontgiripped bv vou and no member of Congress
has done more for them Nay long before You
known IN opposition 70 slavery he was actively
en- gagged IN the noble strife under the banner OF lmmed
ate and unconditional emancipation During SO years OF
public lie he has made the freedom OF the race,
so long peeled and troddon down, paramount