The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-09-10
Tho Presidential Election.

Tho Presidential Election,
Senator Sumner sailed from Boston on
Tuesday for Europe. in the steamship
Malta. Before leaving he confided to T.
W. Bird, Chairman of the Republican
State Committee, speech which he in.
tended to deliver at Fanueil Hall on
Tuesday night. but was prevented by il]
health. The address is very long, and is
entitled ''The Presidential Election
Greeley or Grant"
MIR. Sumner says, while dealing with
the issue before US with perfect frank
ness, he can say nothing which is not
prompted by sincere desire to serve the
country, and especially promote that err
OF good Will when the assent of all shall
be assured TO the equal rights of all. BY
the operation of the electoral system and
the dlctation OF the national conventions.
the choice for President is narrowed to
Grant or Greeley. No prefere nee for
another could be made effective. Pre-
ierrlng Greeley, he states his reasons at
iength tor believing Grant unfit for Pre-
| sluent. His reelection would undoubt-
| ediy be regarded as an endorsement of
ABUSES and unrepublican pretensiops.
put his supporters, while admitting bis
Iallures, abuses and pretensions, so noto-
rious IN his civil life, commend his re-
election as necessary to uphold the Re-
publican party. The Senator's doubts
as to the proper course for him to pur-
sue were at once removed when he snw
the Democratic party adopt the candi-
date opposed to President Grant, who
was an original Republican, and already
nominated by Republican Convention,
ana at the Same time accept the Republi-
can platform on which he was nominated.
An old party which had long stood out
against the Republican cause now placed
Itself on Republican platform, the best
ever adopted, with Republican oandi-
date who was the most devoted Republi-
can ever nominated, thus completely &C.
ceptlng the results of the war and offer
ing the hand of reconciliation.
In considering the reasons which ia
vor Greeley, he finds two reasons, differ.
ing In character, but of chief impor-
tance: First, Greeley represents the re-
formed civil service. with the one-term
principle, without which this reform ie
a sham; secondly, he represents reconci.
ilatlon, not only between sections. but
between races, which is essential to the
repose OF the country and the safeguard
OF equal rights. To these must be added
that he does not represent those personal
pretensioas 80 utterly inconsistent with
republican government, which are now
known as Grantism. Mr.. Sumner then
relterates and amplifes his previous
charges OF nepotism against President
Grant, condemns gift-taking. denounoes
the San Domingo business, advocates
the one-term principle and civil service
reform. He then speaks of reconcilia-
ton as follows:
"From the practical question of civil
service reform, pass to reconciliation,
being the most important issue ever pre-
sented to the American people. Recon-
ciliation not only between two once
warning sections. but also between two
races. This issue, 80 grand and beauti-
ful, was distinctly presented when Ho-
race Greeley, accepting the Republican
nomination at Cincinnati, wrote these
memorable words:
In this faith and with the distinct
understanding that, if elected, shall be
PRESIDENT not OF party, but of whole
people, 1 accept your nomination in the
conndent trust that the masses OF our
countrymen, North and South, are eager
20 clasp hands across the bloody chasm
which has too long divided them, for
e"S Why hoSO O66u 6u6LQI6S In
the joyful consciousness that they are
and must henceforth remain brethren. >"
The issue was again presented, when.
after the Democratic party, in National
Convention, acting under an irresistible
movement of the people, nominated the
author OF those words, the supporters of
the administration rejected the proffered
hand. II not war, they would preserve
ut least the passions of war, and instead
OF peace would scatter distrust and de-
fiance. For Sumner there was but one
course. Had he failed to sympathjze
with this endeavor he would have been
false to tho record of his life. He re-
viewed bis record, devoting much space
to extracts from his speeches, showing
that peace and reconciliation were ALWAYS
his ultimate ideas. While insisting on
the abolition of slavery, urging en-
reimbursement, vindicating equal rights
OF all, he has constantly declared these
were for no purpose of vengeance or
punishment, but for the security of the
citizen and the establishment of tue
Government on just foundations. I'm
able to vote second time for Grant
and confident that the choice of Greelev