New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-15
.'To Hrr r. Es.snsa--TO Forgive
Divine"

WASHINGTON, August 5, 1872.
10 tie Eiitcr cf the Ne,s National Era
The agony at length is over, and thousands
Of expectant hearts beat less anxiously, now
that the torture of suspense is past, and tn,
truth, however unwelcome, is at last made
known.
When the sentiments Of Mr.. Sumner were
declared, and his all-impOrtant letters flashed
over the wires, revealing to all men OF every
section the attitude he had assumed. there
throbbed not a loyal iiberty-loving heart
from the Atlantic to the Pacific that did not
swell with grief for the step so fatally, so
irretrievably taken.
Many had cherished the hope that, though
irnplacablc in his sentiments toward Presi
dent Grant, his lifelong devotion and I'M
swerving fidelity to the principles Of the
Republican party would have influenced him
at this important crisis to sacrifice his per-
sonal hostility on the altar made sacred to
human rights and the cause of the oppressed
but, alas, for human nature blinded, led
captive by his enmity to Grant, he ignores
the fact that, in indorsing Greeley, he strikes
hands with our common fees and rivets anew
the letters which it has been his life-worl to
sever.
1t is not our purpose at this juncture to
discuss the political aspect Of the case, fol
even did we possess the ability to do so, eX-
tremely limited time would forbid; yet we
would ask-lives there one, even the Bit
g 10 fnn Il
that in this, as in every act of his public life.
he is animated by conscientious motives to
do what seems to him to be the right? Who
is there that does not know that every throb
of his great heart is as true to the cause OF
the oppressed as when, in the dark days OF
old, he fell stricken to the earth by the das-
tardly blow of the ruffian Brooks; or when,
standing nobly alone, he battled for our lib
critics and our rights, and, in the might OF his
own moral and intellectual manhood, wrought
out in our behalf triumph more wonderful
more glorious, than any which the annals OF
past history can afford:
While we cannot but deplore his course.
which, from his altitude of greatness, is rem.
dered doubly important, and which will be
regarded with regretful surprise by the noble
and good of tie Old World % Of the New,
and, whi!c We sorrowfnlly take to our hearts
the conviction, that from the union Of pur.
pose, at least, we are henceforth by this rash
deed divorced--and, though our faith and
trust in the Republican party undergoes nc
change, and our convictions Of dnty remain
the same, may we not feel that something
is due to the memory of the past-a past
which, though darkened by the record of our
wrongs and our struggles, is yet Illuminated
aud made sacred by the fearless words, the
heroic deeds of the dauntless Sumner? Though
language may fail to express the regret
which saddens each heart, yet over this
single mistake let loving hands cast the man.
tie of charity-let us mourn for him as fol-
the loved whom we have lost and let his
name, ever to be revered and honored in our
households, be spoken with subdued utter
ance, tender and forgiving. And palsied be
the hand, forever silenced the voice, that
shall be raised in denunciation of the negro's
noblest, truest friend, the man whom each
one loves, whom we all mourn.
EUSAN PAUL, VASHON.