Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-15
MIR SIMMER. Position.

There has been much anxiety especially
among the democrats and disaffected republi-
cans, to learn Mr.. Summers position and inten-
tons in regard to the presidential canvass His
literary secusion in Washington has been ruth
lessy invaded by scores of reporters, eager to
obtain some distinct pledge that he would take
an active part in the campaign, or at least an
intimation of his desire for the success of the
Greeley ticket. Such interviewers have had but
indifferent success thus far. Several of them
have Published what purported TO be Mr..
Summers expressions, but they were carefully
guarded, such at least as appeared to deserve
any degree of confidence and amounted to little
more than that Mr.. Sumner was not prepared
TO declare himself, and in the meantime no one
was authorized to speak for him. Adispatch to
the Boston Advertiser of Saturday, gives an
apparently authentic account of a conversation
between Mr.. Sumner and General Shields of
Missouri, in which the senator's position is quite
clearly stated. General Shields endeavored to
persuade him TO speak in Boston and elsewhere
in favor of Greeley'S election. The dispatch
proceeds
After hearing various arguments which
Shields presented, Mr.. Sumner replied that
while he had strong sympathy with the Greeley
movement, there was one thing which caused
him TO hesitate, aud that was the probable
treatment of his colored wards by the democ-
racy. For these he had nothing to hope at the
hands of that party, and for himself he had no
intention of deserving them. He could not see
his way clear 10 cooperate actively with the
party that would never accent the PRINCIPLES of
his civil rights bill Last winter, when he with
some OF his associates were battling the admin
istration, and his civil rights bill was pending,
hewent over to the democratic side of the senate
chamber and appealed TO them there to vote
with him so as TO give him chance to 20
with the new movement, so that he could sup
port 1t consistently feeling that the rights Of the
colored race would be safe with the new party.
But in spite of his appeals and his reasons no
one OF the democratic senators would vote with
him. Now his only difficulty in joining actively
in the effort to elect Greeley was this refusal of
his democratic friends to give him the least as
surance that The rights of the colored men
would be respected. Shields in reply argued
That these senators belonged to the dead past
aud did not represent the democracy OF the pres
cnt, but Mr.. Sumner ended as he began by re-
asserting his doubts whether he could depend
upon the new party 10 do justice to the negro"
Every genuine republican can appreciate Mr..
Summers difficulty. While we think he unduly
magniHes some objections TO General Grant and
has in consequence assumed an attitude of per-
sonal hostility to him which considerations of a
public nature viii not warrant, we are as sure
now as ever that he will not desert his principles
and sacrifice the interest of the people whose
rights he has worked SO long and earnestly to
secure. Among the avowed objects of the DEM
ocratic party, with which Mr.. Greeley most fire.
quently and emphatcally declares his sympathy,
is the repeal of the kuklux and enforcement
laws, the only safeguard against the abominabe
ontrages upon political and personal rights in
some parts of the south. The democratic party
constantly, and now as much as ever, has main
tanned that it is better that white and black re-
publicans should be beaten and muir
dered without help and without redress,
than that their oppressors should be
restrained Or punishedf by United States laws
and United States officers. Mr.. Sumner does
not agree with them in this Greeley did not, a
few months ago, but the hope of being president
has changed his views on this rs on some
other subjects. The democratic party strenu-
ously opposed giving political rights
10 the negroes, and, when its opposition was
overcome, and those rights were guaranteed by
the constitution as amended, 1t withheld them
by force wherever it had the power To perfect
and supplement those rights by laws which will
put the colored people in all respects on legal
equality with white men, has been Mr. Sum-
ners chief desire and effort during the late ses-
sion of congress, and every democratic vote was
cast against him. Of course he can have no
sympathy with that party and cannot cooperate
with it. To the Greeley movement, so long as it
proiessed to be republican, Mr.. Sumner was no
doubt favorably inclined, but he saw farther
into its movements and tendencies than some
OF those who were led away by it, and therefore
declined TO commit himself until it should have
been developed more fully. Now that it has
thrown off the disguise, and is manifestly moth
ing but the democratic party under a new
leader, and with few generally discreditable
recruits, it is impossible for him to give it his
support.