Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-08-07
Blaine on Summer.


u
pain and regret among your former political
friends throughout New England. Your
power TO inure Gen. Grant was exhausted in
your remarkable speech in the Senate. Your
power to injure yourself was not fully exer-
cised until you announced an open alliance
with the Southern secessonsts 10 their efforts
to destroy the Republican party Of the nation.
have but recently read with much in-
| terest the circumstantia and 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 1886,
for defending the rights Of the negro. The
Democratic party throughout the South, aud
according to your own showing to some extent
in the North also, approved that assault upon
you. Mr.. Toombs, Of Georgia, openly an
nounced his approval of it in the Senate, and
Jefferson Dayi-, four months after its occur
renee, wrote a letter to South Ca ollua in
fusoue eulogy Of Brooks for haping so nearly
taken your ife It is sale to say that every
man in the South who rejoiced over the al.
tempt 10 murder you was aiterward found in
the rebel conspiracy to murder the nation. IL
is still safer to say that every one OF them
who survives is to-day your ielow-laborer in
support Of Horace Greeley. In 1856 he
would indeed have been a rash prophet who
predicted your fast alliance, sixteen years
after, with Messrs, Toombs and Davis 10 their
efforts to reinstate their own party in power.
In all the startling mutations Of American
politics nothing so marvellous has ever oc-
CURED as the fellowship Of RoRfRr TooNBs,
JEFFERSON DAVIS and CHARLEs SUMNER IN a
O. Al Il.
from power and hand over the Government to
The practical control Of those who 50 reccntly
sought to destroy it.
1t is Of no avail for you to take refuge
behind the Republican record Of Horace
Greeley. Concedng, for the sake Of argu-
ment. las do not in fact helieye) that Hor-
ace Greeley would remain frm in his Repub-
lican principles, he would be powerless against
the Congress that would come into power with
him in the event Of his election. We have
had a receut and striking illusira,ration IN the
case of Andrew johnson Of the inability Of
the President to enforce policy, or even a
measure, against the will Of Congress. What
more power would there be in Horace Gree
ley to enforce Republican policy against a
Democratic Congress than there was in
Andrew johnson to enforce a Democratic
policy against a Republican Congress ? And
besides, Horace Greeley has already in his
letter o. acceptance, taken ground practically
against the Republican doctrine so often Gu
forced by yourself Of the duty Of the Ma
tional Government TO secure the rights Of
every citizen to protection Of life, person and
property. 10 Mr. Greeley's letter accepting
the Cincinnati nomination, he pleases every
Kuklux villain in the South by repeating the
Democratic can't about local set .gorerH-
ge1t." and inveighiug 10 good rebel parlance
against " Capitalization and finally declar-
ing that " there shall be M FEDERAL suByER-
SION Of he Internal policy Of the seuerai
States and municipalities but that each shall
be left free to enforce the rights and promote
the well.being Of its inhabitants by such
means as the judgment Of rs o,cn Teop'e
shall prescribe"
The meaning Of all this in plain English is,
/ that no matter how the colored citizens Of the
South may be abused wronged and oppressed,
/ Congress shall not interfere for their protec-
I ton, but leave them to the tender mercies OF
the " local selfgovernmenr administered by
the white. rebels Do you as a friend to the
colored man approve this position of Mr..
Greeley
You cannot forget, Mr. Sumner, how often
during the late session Of Congress you con-
/ ferred with me in regard to the possibility Of
having your Civil Rights bill passed by the
House. 1t was introduced by your personal
/ friend Mr.. Hooper, and nothing prevented its
passage by the House except the raucorous
and factious hostility of the Democratic MEM
bers If have correctly examined the
I Globe. the Democratic members on sersHtee1
different occasions resisted the passage Of the
Civil Rights bill by the parliamentary pro-
cess known as iilbustering. They would not
even allow ii to come to yotd. Two in
teligent colored members from South Caro-
lima, Elliot and Rainey, begged Of the Dem
ocratic side Of the House to merely allow
the Civil Rights bill to be voted on, and
they we're answered with denial so absolute
that il amounted to a scornful jeer Of the
rights Of the colored man. And now you
lend your voice and influence to the re-elec-
ton of these Democratic members who are
cooperating with you in the support of Mr.
Greeley. Do you not know, Mr., Sumner
aud will you not as a candid man acknowl-
edge. that with these men 10 power in Con-
gress, the rights of the colored men are abso
lutey sacrificed so far as those rights depend
on Federal legislation
Still further the rights of the colored mer
10 this country are secured, If secured at all
, by the three great constitutional amendment
the 18th, l4th aud 18th. Togive these amend
ments full scope and effect, legislation by
Congress is imperatively required, as you have
so often and so eloquently demonstrated. Blu
the Democratic party are on record in the
f most conspicuous manner against any legis
ation on the subject. 1t was only in th'
month of February last that my colleague
Mr. Peters, offered resolution in the Hous'
of Representatives, affirming the validity
of the constitutional amendments and of suel
reasonable legislation Of Congress as may b
necessary to make them in their letter ant
spirit most eifectual." This resolution yer!
mild and guarded, as you will see-wa
J adopted by l24 yeas to 5s nays only eigh
] n - Ill h.