The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-08-01
Summers Scorcher.


Senator Sumner does not strengthen his
position, with the people at large, by treat
ing the proposed annexation Of San Domln-
go as "an outrage upon eight hundred
..,,......-l hla.l-s --h----.~-~ ~-d-o-a T. A.
.great experiment Of self-government'"
There is no reason for supposlng that the
Haytians are capable Of governing them.
selves wisely and we'll, and the objections
to the annexation upon which President
Grant set his heart are more serious than
those which are founded on chronological SEN
timentality alone. Nor were the people
especially exasperated because President
Grant did not choose to invite Fred Doug
lass to dine at the White House, although
Mr.. Sumner regards this as an act OF grave
disrespect. This is small matter, at best,
when the question Is the choice Of the Chief
Magistrate OF forty millions OF people, and
it is pleasant to pass on to the sound and
logical arguments which require, in the de-
liberate opinion OF Mr. Sumner, that the
colored people should refuse to sanction the
reelection OF Mr.. Grant, and should put
their trust in Mr.. Greeley.
Mr.. Sumner draws Q striking contrast be-
tween the two candidates. President Grant,
pro-savery Democrat, who voted for Buch-
anau, has never shown any. sympathy with
the colored race, aud never did anything
against slavery except by the accident OF
his profession. Mr.. Greeley, from the time
that he could think upon public affairs, was
an Abolitionist- champion, then as now,
of emancipation, suffrage and amnesty: In
this comparison, and in the consideration OF
the nature and effect of the alliance between
the Liberal Republicans and the Democrats,
lies the force OF Mr.. Summers letter. Ii Is
| idle, as he shows, to say that Horace Gree
Icy is any less Republican because he ac-
cepts Democratic nomination, or that the
Democratic millions abandon their party
faith in voting for Mr.. Greeley. 1t is, in
deed, the hardihood OF political falsehood to
assert that, under Horace Greeley, the
freedmen will be enslaved. They who vote
the Liberal ticket pledge themselves not to
disturb the settlements growing out OF the
war. The Democrats in accepting the Gin
clnnali platform, give guarantees to the
colored people which these never had be-
fore. Mr.. Sumner, jealous as he is OF any
interference with the privileges OF the newly
enfranchised class, is satisfied that the Lib
eral candidates will carry into the National
Government 'san answering devotion" to
the rights of the colored race, "not to be
sdisturbed by partisan dictation or sectional
"prejudice" And what satisfies Charles
Sumner, upon this point, should satisfy the
most exacling negrophilist in the country.
The letter or appeal OF Mr.. Sumner comes
too late to rave any marked effect upon the
North Carolina election which takes place
to.day; but it will consolidate the Liberal
column in both New England and the West,
where the old-time Republicans require the
assurance that neither Republicanism nor
the negro will be the loser by the defeat OF
Mr.. Grant. This assurance Mr.. Sumner
gives them, and the weight of his words will
soon be felt. Aye! In Massachusetts, the
Administration party will need to look to
their laurels.
The Southern negroes who can will GER
taiply read Mr.. Summers letter; but it is
impossible to foretell the measure of it's in
Auence. Those colored voters who know
who and what the Massachuse It's senator is,
and who believe his letter to be an honest
expression Of his views, will find it hard to
resist his invocation. The masses OF the