Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-08-07
SUMNER VS.. GRANT.
THE coLoREp MEN ADVISED TO
VOTE FOR GREELEY.
4 Singing Rebuke Of the Radical
Administration.

=" ioito" ing is MT. summers let
ter in reply to a note addressed +,
him by colored citizens, asking hi.
opinion as to what action the coloret
voters of the nation should take i,
the Presidential contest now pend
ing, as between General Grant aue
Horace Greeley:
WASHINGTON. July 29, 1872.
Gentlemen and F,elio,c-C Citizens:
II have delayed answering you,
communication of July IL. which Wa.
duly placed in my hands by Won,
committee, it is not because thu
proper course for YOU seems doubt.
full. but because | wished to reflect q,
it and be aided by the informatio,
which time might supply. Sine,
then have carefully considered til,
Inquiries You have addressed to me
listened to much on both sides, bu,
nv best judgment is in harmony
with my early convictions.
l am touched by the appeal YOU
made. 1t is true | am a friend OF
your race, and ] am glad to be assured
that i'll YOUR opinion l have held .
constant course i'll the Senate and
elsewhere as Il special advocate OF
your rights. That course. by the
blessing of God, | mean to hold So
long as life lasts. know vour inf.
mite wrongs. and feel for them as for
my own. You only do me simple
justice when you add a belief thai
my counsel ut this critical iu~ncture
OF your citizenship would be free
Z from npISnIlnl f.,1i,r- 49,,
prejudice.
In answering your inquiries. l can
nave no feeling except your good.
winch L most anxiouslv seek: nor
can any prejudice of any kind be al
lowed to Interfere. The occasion is
solemn, and especially us there is no
room for personal feeling, or for par-
'isan prejudice. No man or party can
expect power. except for the general
welfare. Therefore. they must be
brought to the standard of truth
thai they may be seen in life and net.
on are right in saving that the
choice for the President is nov mar
rowcd down to General Grant or
Horace Greeley. One of these is to
be taken. and assuming my acquaint-
ance with both and nv observation
OF their lives. you invite NV iudq-
mcnt between them, asking me rs.
pcclally which of the two-iudriug
their a~ntecrdcnts as well as thriI.
present position would enforce The
constitution and the laws, presrryimU
your civil and political rights with
the most heartfelt sympathy and with
The. greatest viuor.
Here. | remark, in this inquiry Won
naturally put your rights in the
foreground. SO do |. believing most
sincerely that the best interests of
II whole country As associated with
their completest recognition, so that
the two races shall live together in
nn unbrokcn harmony. also re-
mark that You call attention to two
things: The antecedcpts of the Two
candidates: aud secondly. their pres
smt position. You wish to know
from these which gives assurance Of
the most heartfelt sympathy and the
greatest vigor in the maintenance of
vour rights. In other words, which.
judging from the past, will be your
triicst friend.
The communication with which
You have honorcd me is not alone.
Colorcd frllow-citizenS, in other
parts of the country-I NAV say i'm
nearly every State of the Union
nave made a similar request, and
some complain that l have thus far
kept silent. l am not iuseusible to
inns appeal. but if my opinion is
given, 1t must be candidlv. according
TO my conscience. In this spirit [
answer your inquiries. beginning
with the antcccdcntS OF the two can
didatcs.
Horace Greeley was born to pov-
erty and educated himself in a print
ing office. President Grant was
fortunate in early patronage: he be-
came a cadet at West Point, and was
educated at the public EXPENSE,
One started with industry and :,
character; the other with n military
commission. One was trained rs n
civilian :; the other as Il soldier.
Horace Greeley stood forth os n
Reformer and abolitionist. President
Grant enlisted as a pro-slavcrv Dem
ocrat, and at the election of James
Buchanan, fortified by his vote all
me ~pretcnslons of slavery, including
the bred Scott decision. Horace
from early life was earnest
ana constant against slavery, full Of
sympathy with 'hc colorcd race, and
always foremost in the great battle
for their rights. Gen. Grant. cxcept
as n soldier summoned bv Il terrible
of war, never did ANYTHING
against slavery, nOr has he at any
time shown any sympathy with the
colorcd race. Horace Greeley earn
cstlv desired that his colorcd fellow
should votc and ably cham
ploned impartial suffrage, but Presi-
Grant was on the other side.
Beyond these contrasts. which are
marked, it cannot be forgotten that
Horace Greeley is u person of large
and large understanding; al
ready for any good cause, and
never deferred by opposition; ire
proaclabic, rs when for long year,. lie
befricnd"d YOUR people. Add to
lhrse qualities, conspicuous in his life,
lLdylnS industry. which leaves no
moment without its fruit abundant
political knowledge: acquaintance
with history, the instinct and
grasp of craftsmanship, an amiable
Il magnanimous soul. and.
above all, an honesty which no suspi-
o has touched, and YOU have
brief p"rtraiture.
ThcseArc the antccedcnts ofHorace
.iircrley. Few of these things appear
n the President. His great success
n war, and the honors he has earned,
ant change the record ofLis conduct
your people. especially in
contrast with the lifetime fidelity of
lis competitor.
Grant i'll the prosecutions of his
)lans, cares nothing for the colored
ace. refer TO the outrage he per-
'c'ratcd upon Harti with its 800. 900 +.
blacks, when he engaged in the great
Experiment ofself-govermmcnt. Here
5 the nos instructive a~utrcedent, ,
'evealing beyond question his true
motive, and the whole is attesicd by :
evidence concerning his !,
tiea of a%nnexing Dominica, with the ,
spanish parts of the island; and !
thinking at nothing, he began by =,
the war powers of tile row ,
.rnmcnt, in fragrant violation OF the i
constitution. and then, at a great ex- 3
of money, sent several =,
r'ned ships of the navy, including I
to maintain the usurper ,
'acz Ill power, that through him he ,
obtain the coveted prize. !
Not content with this audacious G
relationship, he proceeded to strike c
t The independence of the Black Re c
.ubilc, III open II of war, and a
Ii the sanction IF Conuross 4,