Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-02-28
uUaluhman s. Journal.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY %. 1872
The Political Boomerang.

Senator Sumner was never made for a sue.
cessiul politician II may be honorable to
him that it is so, but it would save MIN
from many a difficulty if he knew it. His
principles are too numerous and too stiff. He
bristles all over with them ike porcupine
when it is disturbed He is not hcile and
adroit and shrowd. He goes to his point
straight and flaming as a shaft Of Lightning,
destroying all that lies in his way. He is too
dead in earnest to be sagacious or fertile in
expodients Most every weapon he takes, is
therefore eusiIy turned against him lie is
usually hoisted with his own potarl,' or
wounded with his own sword Like the boom.
erang, his weapon Of oFense generally returns
and inaicts its heaviest blow on his own head.
Ileenginecred amnesty into IL, grave, aud also
succeeded in burying in the same pit his pet
amendment to every bill on civil rights Hc
would not forgive the rebel unless he would
allow the negroes to be buried in the cemetc-
~ with him when he died. and so he lost both
the pleasure Of granting pardon, and the
greater pleasure Of seeing the late master aud
his former slave inferred, side by side, 10 the
same graveyard. Eeseems to he unaware of the
true scope Of politics, and likes to force mems
principles to his standard, and compel them to
the exercise Of his tastes. If it had not been
for his desire to secure good quarters both to
the living aud deiunct freedmen, it is quite
certain that the country would now be rcjoic-
ing in the general amnesty for all political
offenses The truth is, Senator Sumner does
not know how or where 10 put things. He
loads all his cargo into one boat and sinks the
whole rather than save apart. He is a very
political boomerang.
This quality is quite prominent in his
recent assault upon the administration in re-
spect to the sale of United States arms to
the French Government during the late war.
| He has introduced resolution Of invcstiga.
ton with a long preamble, recting the facts
upon which the investigation is demanded
These facts are, some Of them, easily OK
planned and none of them directly inculpate
the administration. He forgets that it is
quite possible that arms should have been sold
to French agents without the conniyance Of
the Government lie assumes the conclusions
to be proved, as he generally does. Now no
woll-informed person doubts that all our ar.
senals were cleaned out of arms Of all sorts
by the agents Of the French. But we have
yet to learn that the United States govern
mcnt knew anything about it until the sales
were all made, and the arms shipped to Bor-
deaux. The arms were in the hands of the
States or of subordinates, and the rule of the
government is, to sell its old and damaged
arms to any one who offers to buy This has
been done many times, and is bling done
every day 1t is a wise and thrifty provis-
ion, by which the government realizes some.
thing for mass Of useless war material
When it was ascertained that shipments OF
the purchased arms were made to France
proceedings were at once stopped, and no
more sales were made. Even if it is true as
alleged, that the arms were all sold, it yet
also is true that as soon as the attention Of
the government was called to their destination,
all further sales were prohibited The record
of the government is perfectly clean. Now
Sumner wishes to establish guilty connec-
ton between our government and this sale Of
damaged war materials, and prove against i,
a violation of the neutrality laws. His proof
must absolutely fail, so far as we can see.
lie can only prove the admitted fact that the
arms were sold lie cannot show that they
were sold in violation of the neutrality laws,
and Of good faith on the part Of the govern
ment
1t is not little singular that L. S. Sena-
tors should take up the cause of Prussia
against our government, when Prussia itself
finds no occasion to do so that they should
run to put charges against us into the mouths
up the case thus made to her hands She has
no special interest whatever in the question.
Though the arms were sold to the French, and
paid for by them, yet Prussia got all the ben
eft Of them She took them as fast as the
French bought thom. In fact, they cost her
nothing, for not only did the French pay for
them in the outset, but Prussia made France
pay to her the entire cost Of coming to France
and taking and removing them. France paid
then paid Germany twice as much for taking
them of her hands. And, bye and bye, when
we get into war with Spain when we stop
dishonorably dllibustering for Cuba and make
genuine caaS beili, that we may 60 and
take it, and 80 to our arsenals to get out our
guns and cannon to do it With, We shall find
them all gone. and shall send some John c.
Fremont, or other agent, over to Germany
and buy them back of the Prussians for
twice what we sold them to the French, That
is the way we have done business heretofore.
We shall lose in the transaction, but the pru-
dent and reflective German will make out of
France aud out of us, This sale of war ma
terial was purely speculative and CONNER
cial affair, and thus far the Germans have got
the best of it,
Senator Sumner will have to try again
Grant is not likely to be killed by a resolu-
ton of investigation with long preamble
that does not hold water The opposition OF
Senator Trumbull is far more dignifed and
forcible. The President is unfortunate how
ever in some of his defenders, as he is fortu-
nate in some of his opponents. We are APP
prehensive that Morton and Cameron will do
him more harm than Sumner will do him
good. 1t isa pity for the President to have
such lieuleuants, but it is saving mercy
1 that he has such ANTAGONISTS If he eould