The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-06
WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON TO
CHARLES SUMNER.
The Old Abolitionist Reviews the Career Of the
Massachusetts, Senator and Compares It with
That Of Henry Wilson-His Opinion
Of Greeley and Gratis Brown. id
BosroN, August 9, 1872.

Boston, August 9, 1872.
DEAR Mr. sUMNER-Though should be strongly
induced, by the friendship subsisting between us
to avoid taking position antagonistical to your
own, under ordinary circumstances, even II
deemed it erroneous, yet all personal considera-
tons must be subordinated to the public welfare
when seriously imperilled. You do not believe
In silence in crisis like the present, nor do /.
In your recent letter to certain cO0red citizens OF
Washington you have spoken plainly, vehemently
and with rhetorical application mot for the first
time), In utter condemnation OF the President OF
the United States, and your advice to the whole
body Of colorcd voters is that they concentrate
their sufrages upon rival candidate In the person
OF Horace Greeley
In reviewing your letter propose to speak with
equal plainness, and as earnestly to counsel my
colored countrymen not to follow your lead in this
matters but, as voters, to move unitedy for the re-
election of President Grant for every consideration
pertaining to their safety and happiness, to the
cause OF equal rights and to tho furtherance OF
national peace and unity.
In apologizing for your delay In answering the
letter Of inquiry referred to you state that you
"wished to be aided by the information which
time might supply" The kind Of information you
desired or expected to gain In the brief space OF
seventeen days is left to conjecture; but In view
OF your long.avowed arrangement from the
have been needed to intensity your hostility to
his administration. Your reply is dated July 20,
and IL appears to have been as carefully timed to
influence the election in North Carolina on the LIST
Of August before anything could be uone to neu.
| traize Its effect, as was your Grant Indictment
speech in the Senate to determine the action OF the
Philadelphia Convention. These condolences may
have been accidental but you must not be surprised
| If, owing to the well-knOwn lnnammable state Of
your mind, general belief obtains that you have
unfairly availed yourself OF opportunities to work
| q fatal DIVISION IN the republican ranks
1t affords you much qualification to be singled out
by your colored interrogators as the special adyo
cate oftheir rghts But this is an assumption which
justice, as well as becoming modesty, should have
led you to disclain,, even nit was meant only to
Gates have from time to time stood bravely up,
botn in the Senate and IN tho House Of Represent
Stevens, Gerfis smith and othersUwhO Il not as
been as anainchng, anu ii their turn most bitterly
denounced to say nothing OF the thousands OF anti
through the heat and burden OF the conflict, Plead
ing, In season and out OF season. nearly score OF
years before your voice was heard In support Of
service to that causes your advocacy Of 1t has been
great and mertorious; but to claim 1t as peculiar
at this late day. as though you stood alone and al
most single-handed, is q personal appropriation
very far removed from sefabnegation, and quite
The republican party (thc product OF thirty years.
moral and religious agitation for the overthrow OF
mas crea yt say snr o
Il Se 2sosH o aeS Ss;asa
mon constitutional basis, with universal liberty;
has brought order out of chaos general tran:
PROSPERITY out s Of gntai Sevasaton and has
advanced the banner Of liberty and equality far be-
ts aV
| one to exhibit remarkable courage or cOnspicuity
IN the advocacy Of any measure In behalf Of the
cept indeed, where the old ehOlding spirit still
exercises mastery at the South Nor is It pertinent
| now that they are emancpated and enfranchiscd,
supplied with mutitudin0us schools and teachers,
free to make their own contrasts as Independent
laborers, protected as husbands and wives, bound
together as parents and Children voting and being
for ssadv all San e
forts and laying up wealth occupying stations OF
trust and q, emoupent and having their repres .
floor Of Congress. True In certain localities they
are stu subjected to many indignities, and
inflicted by that class of ncOrrgble miscreants
at the South who are just now In happy aflilia-
Presidential chair. True there is still thfoughout
the country strong. prejudice against social
yielding and in many cases has ceased to operate.
The special time to express sympathy for the "nf
few to interfere for their deliverance nom the
auction block and slave caune, from the slave
drivers CORY lash, from calling yokes and tor Irlng
hounds, from the clutches of prOwllng kidnap
pers from tncOncevable agOnies at the burning
stake; and when to "remember those In bonds as
bound with themn led anywhere else than to the
high places of the country. And always deeply
regret, too las am quite sure you now dol, that
for SO many years alter the commencement Of the
| struggle to effect that deliverance, when tile
y %s"s yA the asa
was
conflict, attended no antislavery gatherings,
gave no visible sign Of lively interest In Its sue
mony against slavery in opposing the annexation
| OF Texas. When elected to the United States Sen
ate in 1851, you sat nearly eight months in that
bill, eliciting strong remonstranccs against your
protracted silence, seeing that as the successor OF
portant gain to the cause OF impartial freedom.
Your silence was the more inexpcabe, and
furnished Just cause for uneasiness because, in
speech made by you before gong to Washington,
you said 1.-THE subject will not admit OF postpone
inent or hesitation. 1t Is the subject OF subjects.
From this time forward 1t will be entertained by
Congress- 1t will be, as IL were, one OF the orders OF
the day; It cannot be passed over or forgotten.
OF the Fugitive Slave BILL" You took your seat in
the Senate December 1, 1851; it was not until the
saying:-'IIad l attempted this duty at an
conner and inexperienced in this scene, without
deliberation, hastily, rashly, recklessly, pushed
this question before the country" Surely no true
friend of humanity would have made such a ding,
and the possible sneers OF its enemies were not
deserving moments consideration. Besides, the
discussion had been going on throughout the land
ever since the passage Of the Fugitive Slave bill
so that to talk OF pushing the question" upon the
public attention was Interpolation Of language.
Nevertheless, once putting your hand to the
plough, you did not look back; once breaking the
painful silence you have not ceased to speak, with
great boldness and rare eloquence, for the CON-
plete enfranchsement OF the coored race; nor
have failed to stand by you through evil report and
through good report, cheering you on, and both IN
public and In private vindicating you from the un-
just attacks or your prOslavery traducers. Ny ref
erencc TO the early days OF antslavery trial is not to
tear from your brow one OF the laurels With which 1t
Is so honorahly bound; but when-to make your
influence potential with the colored electors to Sc
cure their votes for Mr.. Greeey-Mr. Greeley's
organ, the tribune, untruthfully procaims you TO
have been "the foremost enemy OF human slavery