New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-15
Garrison's Reply to Sumner.

ply to it. They must necessarily be very
brief. We first quote Mr.. Gsrrison's re-
ference to what he considers an unsounded
claim of MIR. Sumner to be the especial cham
pion Of the colored race He says:
sit affords you much qualification to be
singled out by your colored interrogators as
the special advocate of their rights But
this is an assumption which Justice, as we'll
as becoming modesty, should have led you
to disclain, even if was meant only to de-
scribe your Congressional career. Similar
advocates have from time to time stood
bravely up, both in the Senate and. in the
House Of Repressntatives-Wilso Hale,
Wade, Chase, Giddings, Mann, Lovejoy,
Julian, Palfrey, Thaddeus Stevens, Gerrit
smith, and others--who, If not rs copiOus
and ornate in speech az yourself, have been
as uniiinching, and in their turn most bitterly
denounced, to say nothing of the thousands
of antl-slavery men and women whose lot it
was to pass through the heat and burden Of
the conflict, pleading, in season and out Of
season, nearly score of years before your
voice was heard in support of their holy
cause; your advocacy of it has been great
md mcritorious but to claim it as peculiar
and almost sinslc-handed, is a personal APP
preparation very far removed from self-abne-
CATION, and quite unwarranted."
Mr.. Sumner 10 also reminded Of tho fact
that he was not anon: the earliest recruits
who Joined the liberatlns army:
"And I always deeply regret, too, Gas I
am quite sure you now do,) that for so many
years after the commencement of tho strug
glo to effect that deliverance, when the
elements wore melting with feryent heat, and
mobocratic violence for tho suppression of
anti-slavery discussion was everywhere prov
alent, not eXceptin. in your own native city,
you took no active part in that conflict, at
tended no anti-slavery gatherings, gave no
visible sign of a lively interest in its success;
for the first time bearing your public testi-
mony against slavery in opposing the annex
alton of Texas. When elected to the United
States Senate, in 1851, you sat nearly eight
months in that body speeches. in respect to
the fugitive slave bill, eliciting strong remon-
strances against your prOtracted silence, SEQ
ing that, as the successor of Mr.. Webster,
your election was regarded as an important
gain to the cause of impartial freedom"
Senator Summers eulogy of Gratz Brown
as determined Aboltionist," while he
studiously avoids any mention of his col
league, Senator Wilson, the opposition candi-
date for Vice President, furnishes provoca-
ton for the following:
SIN nothing Of courage and vigilance, of
zeal and fidelity in securing equal rights for
the colored race, has your respected cO-Sena-
tor Henry Wilson been outstrpped by you,
and no member of Congress has done more
for them. Nay, long before you were seen or
known in opposition to slavery, he was ac-
lively engaged in the noble strife under the
banner of immediate and unconditional eman-
cipation. During thirty-six years OF public
life he has made the freedom of the race, so
long peeled and trOdden down, paramount to
all other political considerations. Instead of
persistently stunning anti-slavery meetings,
he was a frequent attendant upon them, and
freely participated in their proceedings. Now
that he has been deservedly nominated by
the Republican party for the Vice Presidency
of the United States, and if elected may pos
sibly, in the turn of events, be the acting
President, it should be matter of pride and
gratitude on the part of colorcd voters to give
him their united sutirages. AS he is a Mas
sachusetts Senator, like yourself, has been 4
warm personal friend and faithful coadjutor,
and stood up undauntedly in your defense
when bloody violence sought your life, l think
it is discreditable to you that you have not
only evinccd no satisfaction with the choice
of the Republican party in this particular, but
have treated it as unworthy of recognition"
The plea put forward by Mr.. Sumner that
Horace Greeley was "honest'' Gas if this
was a rare virtue) meets the following re-
Spouse from Mr.. Garrison.
"In the ordinary dealings of business life,
no doubt, Mr.. Greeley is honest; he will
neither cheat nor pick your pocket. But in
his political management he has been and
continues to be far from upright, s::hs tituting
a low expediency for answering rectitude.
In the treatment of public affairs he is unre-
liable, and without vision or Judgment. The
latest exhibition of his slipperiness is seen in
his high protection dodge at Cincinnati to
reconcile free traders to his nomination He
seems to be quite destitute Of moral sensi-
bilty, and when occasion iavors can easily
he duped. His clamor for universal amnesty,
and for total oblivion of the causes and
consequences Of the late dreadful war, is
directly in the interest of another Southern
rebellion; and should he be our next Presi-
| dent, as he has repeatedly proclaimed his
belief in the right Of secession, if agreed upon
by controlling sectional majority, there is
reason for the gravest apprehensions as to
what may transpire under his administration.
There need be adduced no cause for greater
distrust or stronger condemnation than is
Southern whites--loyal in form by necessity,
not choicc-are eager for his success, while
as large proportion of the Southern freed
men are trembling in fear of it, for they i'll
stnctivsly perceive what will be the sad con,
sequences to themselves. They may not
indeed, be again reduced to bondage; but
short of this, there will be little rgard paid
to their personal or political rights"
Mr.. Summers display of masnanimity to-
ward the South, ELECTS the following:
"Why this gushing display Of fraterna
feeling? Have you hitherto been animated
by spirit of vengeance? In your present
amicable state Of mind, wherein do you differ
| from the whole body of the people of the
| North? To insinuate that any portion o
| thcm-that President Grant or the Repub
can party--havc at any previous periot
cherished or do now cherish, any wrath, OF
malice, or unkindness toward the people o
the South, is to libel them grievously. Tt
accuse them of wishing to fan ancient flames
into continued lifc,' to pursue the policy o
hate is to bear false witness; for there \
among them but one universal feeling OF good
will, and they desire nothing so much as Il
let by-gones be by-gones' in good faith"
Mr.. Garrison closes his letter by express