Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-03-28
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Mr.. Sumner obeyod the subpoena OF the
Arms committee yesterday, and appeared oo-
fore that body. He again leotured the COM
mittee on constitutional law and parliament ;
sry precedent entering another protest |
against their examination Of himself or any [
one else, against their competency 70 conduct
the inquiry which they have been ordered 70
make by the Senate. lie cited numerous Eng
llsh parliamentary precedents to strengthen
his position. He discoursed learnedly about
"Cushlng's Lex Parliameutaria Americana
Lord Melyllle's impeachment, and 90 on. He
undoubtedly added 10 hia reputation as
student Of parliamentary history, but the
people Of the country who have listened 10 or
read tho reports Of Mr.. Summers indictment
Of certain high public officers care nothing
for all this. An that they see In these out
bursts Of Mr.. Sumner Is an avoidance Of the
issue behind bundle Of dry teehnicalliies, an
attempt 10 escape aud shlrk the investigation
which was so loudly and dedanily demanded.
They will regard his course rs childish, pctu-
liant and unworthy Of him.
For years and years Mr. Sumner has been
proclalmlng his adherence and fidelity TO truth
and Justice. We glvo him full credit for all
this, and believe that he Ia as sincere and dwor-
thy gentleman as ever sat In thesenate. But
the trouble In all this arms business Is that
be has been led Ostray. His animosiiy and
bitterness toward President Grant have
bluuted his sonse Of fair play and Justice, and
blinded his otherwise clear and honest judg-
ment He feels that he has been defeated In
this matter, but he Is too proud to acknowl-
edge defeat. He knows that he erred In
presenting his resolution; that he was fooled
by unscrupulous and nnprinclplcd persons,
but he Is too obstinate 10 admit that be has
been Imposed upon. The true and manly
course for Mr.. sumner 10 take would be 10
frankly withdraw his charges, and confess
that In making them he was wrong. Instead
Of adopting this &C arse, which would be
commended by every party, ho prefers TO
Shirk and shuffie-to dodge the question, and
throw around Il q mAss Of irrelevant matter.
Mr.. Summers testimony, under protest, I"
amounted 10 nothing He was agaln and
again reminded by the committee that he was
giving argument, not evidence The peo-
pie will indorse this just criticism. They do
not want eloquent dissertations on parliamen-
tAry law from the Massachusetts Senator, but
the truth, aud the whole truth. Mr.. Sumner
shields himself bshihd his Senatorial pryi-
legos-or what he deems to bo his privileges
and declines to give the desired information.
He inslnuates that he would produce witnesses
II he were chairman, or II somebody else were
chairman, but declines 10 furnish them 10 the
committee as at present constituted. 1t twould
be mere waste Of time and words to argue
this pslnt
To use a slang and vulgar phrase, Mr..
Summers course Is too thin" The evidence
which he gave yesterday, or rather the evil
denee which he did not give, ls his own con-
demnStion. It cannot possibly be regarded
In any other light He told nothing because
he had nothing TO tell. He said nothing be-
cause he had nothing to say. He has broken
down In his charges when challenged 10 the
proof. His brilliant Indictment In the
Senate as q piece Of rhetoric was su-
porbi as proof on which to convict
any one Of the smallest offence, II was a
lamentable failure. He mado charges which
he Is unable TO substantlate; accusations
which have no foundation In fact As We
said, Mr.. Sumner can now redeem his char
acter and reputation only In onewAy, namely,
by retracting the arralgnmeut he has made.
In any court In the country he would, on his
own showing in this case be nousuited, and
q verdict would be rendered against him.