The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-09-27
Speaker lllaine's HRtter % Senator
Summer.


AUGUSTA, Me-, July 13, 1872.
Hon. Ghas. Sumner, United States Senator:
DEARSIR: Your rlctterpublished In the
papers Of this morning will create pro-
found pain and relsret among YOUR former
| political friends throughout New England.
Your power to injurp General Grant was
exhausted In your remarkable speech in
the senate. Iourpower o mjure yourself
| was not fully exercised until you announc-
! eu your open alliance With Southern seces-
| sionists in their efforts to destroy the Re
| publican party of the nation. ! have but
recently read, with much interest cir
cunstantin aud minute account, given by
You in the fourth volume OF your works,
OF the manner in which you were struck
| down in the Senate chamber in 'l6 for de-
tending the rightsof thcnegro. The Dem
| oclutic party throughout the South, and,
according 70 your own showing, to some
| extent the North also, approved Of that
| assault upon you. Mr.. Toombs, of Gcor-
| gia openly announced hisapproval oft in
the senate, and Jefferson Davis, four
| months after lis occurrence wrote u letter
| to South Carolina IN tulsonle eulogy OF
Brooks for having so near taken your life.
1t is safe TO say that every man in the
South who rejOiced over the attempt 10
murder you was af'tcrward found in rebel
IL
il still safer to say that every one of them
who survives Is tO-diry your fellow laborer
in support of Horace Greeley
In 1876 he would indeed have bcena rash
prophet who predicted your alliance, six
teen years after with MeSSrs. Toombs and
Davis in thcirelforts 10 renstate theirown
party in power. In all the startling muta-
tons of American politics nothing so mar
vicious has ever occurred as The fellowship
Of Robert Toombs, Jefferson Davis and
Charles sumner in Il joint effort TO drive
the Republican party from power, and
hand over the Government tothepractical
control Of those who so recently sought to
destroy it. Ii is of no aYail for you to take
refuge behind II Republican record. Horace
Greeley COnccding Tor The sake of argu-
ment, as do not in fact believe that Hor-
ace Greeley would remain firm in his Re
publican principles would be powerlcss
against the Congress that wouldco into
power with him in The event of his cleo
tion. We have had n recent and striking
Illustration, in the case of Andrew john
son, of The inability of a President 10 en-
force apolicy or even measure against
the will OF Congress. What more power
would there be in Horace Greeley to en-
force n Republican policy against il Demo
cratic Congress than there was in Mr.. john
son to enforce Il Democratic policy against
a Republican Congress- and, besides, Hor-
ace Greeley has already in his letter Of ac-
ceptance taken ground practically against
the Republican doctrine so often enforced
by Yourself of the duty of the National
Government TO secure the rights ofevery
citizen TO the protection Of life, person and
property.
IN Mr.. Greeley's letter accepting the Gin
cinnati nomination he plcases AL the Ku-
rl,rx i,, 4, I'm
ocratic can't about local selfgovernment
and in good rebel parlance against central
ization, and finally declaring that there
shall I've no Federal subyersion of the in
ternal policy of the several States and mu-
inequalities, hut that each shall be left free
to enforce their rights and promote the
welLbeing ofits inhabitants by such means
as the Judgment of its own people shall
prescribe. The meaning of all this, in
plain English, is, no matter how the color
cd citizens of the South may be abused,
wronged and oppressed, Congress shallno
interfere for their protection, but leave
them 10 the tender mercies OF local self
government administered by white rebels.
10 YOU, as a friend of the colored man, APP
prove of the position OF Mr.. Greeley? You
cannot forget, Mr.. Sumner, h@w often DUR
ing the last session of Congress you con-
ferred with me in regard TO the possibility
of having your Civil rights bill passed by
the House. Ii was introduced by your
personal friend, Mr.. Hooper, and nothing
prevented its passage by the House ex-
cepttlle ancorous and factious hostility
of the Democratic members. II l have
correctly examined the GLOBE, the Demo
cratic members on seventeen different oc-
casiOns resisted the passage of the CIvil
Rights bill by the parliamentary process
known as tillibustciing. They would not
even allow il to come toa vote. Two in
tclliyent coiored members from South Car
olina Elliott and Rainey begged OF the
Democratic side of the House to allow the
Civil Rights bill to be voted on, and they
were answered with a denial so absolute
that ii amounted toa painful jeer OF the
rights of The colOIHd man. ana now you
lend your voice and influence TO ihc ic-
election Of these Dcmocnltic members who
are cooperating with you in support OF
Mr.. Greeley. Do you not know, MI sum-
ncr. and will yon not, as candid man,
acknowledge that, with these men in |
mower In Congress, the rights of the color
cd men are absolutely sacrificed so far as |
those rights depend on Federal legislation? |
sin further, the rights of col0red men
In this country are secured, II secured ut
m BY the three great Constitutional
the Thirteenth, Fourteenth
and Fifteenth. Togive these amendments
full scope and effect, legislation by ton-
gress isinpemtively required, as you have
n often and 80 elOqucntly demonstrated.
But the Democratic pary are on record
in the most conspicuous manner against
nv legislation on the subject. II was only
N the month of February last that my
q league, Mr.. Peters, offered n resolution
II the House of Representatives Affirming
he validity of the Constitutional amend
nents, and of such areasonable legislation
# Congress rs may be necessary to make
hem in their letter and spirit the most
influential. This resolution Is very mild
nd guarded, as you win see, and was
dopted by l24 yeas to 5S nays. Only eight
4 the yeas were Democratic. All the nays
vere Democratic. The resolution of Mr..
'eters was followed u week later by one
tfered by Mr.. stevenson, OF Ohio, az fol-
Dws.
r ,Sl,eF, That we recognize rs valid and
inding all the existing laws passed by
ougress for the enforcement OF the Thir-
zenith, Fourteenth and Fifteenth amend
1ents of the Constitution of the United
tatcs, and for the protection of citizens
4 their rights under the Constitution as
mendcd.
On a vote upon this resolution there
'ep l07 yeas to g. nays. All the yeas
ere Republican, and they are now unan-
nous IN their support of General Grant
IL the nays were Democrats, whoare now
1ually unanimous In their support of Mr..
ieeley.
ii Is idle to affirm, rs some Democrats
Id In the resolution offered by MI. Brooks,