The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-08-09
Blaine to Sumner.

Blaine to sumner.
WASHINGTON, August 2.-The fol-
lowing letter was handed to Senator
Sumner to-day:
AUGUSTA, Me, July 81, 1872.
Hon. CHARLES SUMNER, .. S. 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 Gen. Grant was ex-
hausted in your remarkable speech
in the Senate. Your power toinjure
yourself was not fully exercised until
YOU announced your alliance with
the southern secessionists in their
efforts to destroy the Republican
party of the Nation. l have but re-
Gently read with much interest the
circumstantial and minute account
given by you in the fourth volume
of your works of the manner in
which you were struck down in the
Senate Chamber in 1856 for defend
ing the rights of the negro. The
Democratic party throughout the
South, and according to your own
showing, to some extent in the
North also, approved of that assault
upon you. Mr.. Toombs of Georgia
openly announced his approval Of it
in the Senate,and Jefferson Davis,
four months after its occurrence
wrote a letter to South Carolina in
fulsome eulogy of Brooks for having
so nearly taken your life. 1t is safe,
so say that every man in the South
who reioiced over the attempt to
murder you, was afterwards 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 follow laborer in support
of Horace Greeley. In 1856 he would
indeed, have been a rash prophet who
predicted your fast alliance sixteen
years after with Messrs. Toombs and
Davis in their efforts to reinstate
their own party in power.
Ia all the startling mutations OF
American politics, nothing so mar
velous has ever occurred as the fel
lowship Of Robt. Toombs and Jefer-
son Davis, and Chas. Sumner, in 8
Joint effort to drive the Republican
party from power and hand over the
government to the practical control Of
those who so recently sought to de.
stroy it. It is of no avail for you tC
take refuge behind the Republican
record of Horace Greely. Conced
ing for the sake Of an argument, as
1 do not in fact believe, that Horace
Greely would remain firm in his Re
publican principles, he would be pow
erless against the Congress thai
would come into power with him, il
the event of his election. We have
had recent striking illustration il
the case of Andrew Johnson, of th'
inability of the President to enforce
policy or even a measure agains
the will of Congress. What NOR
power would there be in Horac'
Greely to enforce the Republican
policy against a Democratic Con
gress, than there was in Andrew
johnson to endorce a Democratic
policy against Republican Con
gress, and besides, Horace Greel,
has already in his letter of accept
ance taken ground practically
against the Republican doctrines 81
often enforced by yourself, of tht
duty of the National Government tt
secure the rights of every citizen
to the protection Of life, person and
property.
In Mr.. Greeley's letter accepting
the Cincinnati nomination, he pleasel
every Ku Klux william in the Soutl
by repeating Democratic cant abOu
local self government, and inveigh
ing in good rebel parlance agains
Capitalization, and finally declaring
that there shall be no Federal super
vision of the internal policy of tn
several states and municipalities
but that each shall be left free t.
enforce the rights and promote tn
| well being of its inhabitants by sucl
measures as the judgment of it's owl
people shall present. The meaning
of all this, in plain English, is tina
no matter how the colored citizen
of the South may be abused, wrong
ed, and oppressed, Congress shal
not interfere for their protection bu
leave them to the tender mercies o
local self=government, administers
by white rebels. Doyou, as frienC
of the colored people, approve of thi
position of Mr.Greeley?
You can't forget, Mr. Sumner, hoV
often during the late session of Con
gress you conferred with me in re
gard TO the possibility of having
your civil rights bill passed by the
House. 1t was introduced by you
personal friend, Mr.. Hooper, ant
nothing prevented its passage by tht
House except the rancnrous anC
factious hostility Of the Democratic
members. III have correctly exam
ined the Globe, the Democratic mem
bers, on seventeen different occa-
sions, resisted the passage of the
civil rights bill by the parliamentary
process known as fllibustering
They would not even allow it to come
to vote. Two intelligent coloreG
members from South Carolina, Elliott
and Raney, begged the Democratic
side Of the house to merely allow the
civil rights bill to be voted OF, and
they were answered with denial sc
absolute, that it amounted to scornfu
| jeers at the rights of colored men
Now you lend your voice and infu-
ence to the reelection of those Dem
ocratic members, who are co-operat-
ing with you in support of Mr.. Gree
ley. So you know, Mr.. Sumner, an6
will you not as q candid man ae
knowledge, that with these men il
power in Congress, the rights of the
colored men are absolutely sacrificed
so far as those rights depend on Fed
eral legislation. Still further, the
rights of colored men in this country
are secured, if secured at all, by the
three great Constitutional Amend
ments, the 18th, 14th and 18th, so
give these amendments full scope
and effect, and Legislation by Con
gress is lmperatively required, as