The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-07

The Battle Flag Fight Be-
coming Fiercer. sr
Garrison in Q Half-and-HaN vein-Talking
Without Reason-Hoyt Defends the Action
of the Legislature in Passing tho
Resolutions Of Censure-The Senator'S
friends" Showing Themselves


The Committee ON Federal Relations continued |
the hearing In the hall, Of the House OF Represen-
tatives this morning. of the petition OF John @. |
whittier and others for the canceiling or rescind-
ing of the sumner resolutions The case for the re-
monstrance was opened by Colonel George II. Hoyt,
OF Athol who first introduced the resolves into the
special session OF the House. He gave the origin
of the resolves, stating that they did not originate
with a party or faction but with the soldier
element in the Legislature. He was one OF the
members of the last House who voted for the re-
solves and one OF the thirty or forty members
of the present house who voted together In favor
OF their passage, and still considered them
right. He then read the resolution offered by Mr..
sumner In 1872 for the lerasing from the national
battle flags OF the names OF victories achieved
by the North over the South In our great civil
conhict, ana cited his action in Congress toward
the men in arms against the government to show
that the motive attributed to Senator Sum-
ner for the in PRODUCTION OF the resolution was In
consistent with his former course toward the
rebels. Mr.. Sumner was the aggressor; he was
making war against the soldiers, and not the SOL
diers against Mr.. Sumner. (Applause.) The Legis-
iature had as much right criticse Mr.. Sumner as
ne had to criticise the soldiers, and hence 1t was
appropriate that the resolutions should be adopted
When they were adopted no one defended his
policy ;tbut In the hearing on Wednesday that was
advocated. He contended that Mr.. Summers re-
solution was an insult to the soldiers. He was will
ing that the enemies OF the government should
live; but he should forgive the band OF trait
0rs who organized the movement to disband the
government. He would
NOT ''CLAsP HANDS ACROSS THE BLOODY CHAsM"
with men who he believed, still hated the govern
ment with undated animosity. II these were re-
stored to power, place and position this war would
I'M tn ha OH
for implied censure on the proceeding OF the last
session. as it was not legislative enactment
simply an expression of sentiment which the press
ent Legislature has no power to annu or rescind.
Mr.. George W. Carnes, OF Brookline, read brief
written address, giving his reasons why the resolu-
items should not be rescinded.
REMARKS OF WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON.
William Lloyd Garrison was warmly welcomed as
he came forward and said he had no wish to par
tfcipate in the discussion until he listened to the
arguments on Wednesday. He had deep graft
tude for the services Mr.. Sumner had rendered.
He then proceeded to reply to Ex-Governor Wash
burns argument. II was not question that
affects freedom of speech or OF thought. Mr.. Sum-
ner had uttered his opinion, as he had an
uhquestioned right to do, and the Legislature
OF the State gave its opinion, 1t had right to
DO and the two opinions were in conflict. No
man had exercised the freedom OF speech more
boldly and uncompromisingly than Mr.. Sumner.
1t was by the Legislature or this State that Mr..
Sumner was elected Senator, and he was amena-
bie to that body for whatever was deemed unwise
Tor the public welfare. 1t was not merely an
opinion OF Mr.. Sumner in regard to the battle
days. but he sought to incorporate the mandate
into o law The Legislature In criticsing him did
not seek to enact law, only to express an opinion.
1t was not q question as to the previous services
Of Mr. Sumner, and no one would detract from the
e QOblV
slave power In Congress, and oil his services
would be remembered with gratitude by postsrity;
but this was not the question, and he saw no
son why he should not be criticised IS freely as any
man living and censured severely II he was deemed
deserving To consider him above criticism was
mere man worship, for all mankind were weak and
fallibe. He did not believe that Mr.. Sumner asked
was as ready to, receive blow as give one Much
was said about his sensitiveness, but II he was
reformer he must take care Of his sensitiveness as
censured, and he was constrained to say that he
thought he deserved the censure. The people OF
the State were not disposed to follow any man
blindly, and though they had
20 n GREAT RESPECT FOR MIR. SUMNER
their dissent nom these views, Il was too late to
ask that the action should be remembered. 1t was
a-question OF consolidating the South, and loyalty
needed no Cancellation; loyalty meant Cancellation
Liberty, the Cancellation OF which SO much was said
meant treason, which was not to be csneiliated
the prodigal son. but he was unable to discover any
parallel. The spirit OF the South to this hour
y,
many loyal men in the South. Mr.. Sumner went
80 far on the other side In his opposition to the
as to csI the late rebels teow
the part OF the North to do anything possible in
order 70 keep the peace with the South: The
In the hearing yesterday and 1t left the impress
sion that 1t was simply fratricdal strife In which
question ci the riga tialness or wrsnguiness OF war
Mr. Sumner was peace man. but his Official
acts were given. IN favor OF the main.
Mr.. Summers ideas prevailed, why the soldiers
instruments should be pulled down and the nags
IN the state House and the records OF the war
burned. The speaker was IN favor of peace, but
there was no act In selfdefence OF the government
tos iSat ne the sh0ua oe asnamed They mad been
sent the people On this issue; this was easily
assumed. lie believed Mr.. sumner incapable OF
the resolutions embodied the expression that he
had tnsuited the soldiers, and he regretted that
enc censure was passed before Mr. Summer had
Mr.. George E. Town, OF Fitchburg, said he was
member OF the last Legislature who voted for the
resolutions. but should not have come to the hear
ing II their passage had not been characterized
disgrace. lie voted for the resolutions out OF re-
gard TO Mr.. sumner, aud recognized MIN q
prominent figure In the history the past twenty
years. He desired that he should remain o Sena-
tor but he must represent the people OF Massa.
chusetts or he can't stay there. He did not think
the method Mr.. Sumner proposed was the enc best
calculated to effect reconciliation.
MRS. HOWE DIssENTs
Mrs. julia Ward Howe expressed her agreement
with what had been said. She expressed her dis
sent with the spirit OF the arguments expressed
In the hearing yesterday. She was induced 10
sign the petition, but alter hearing what was said
IN favor OF It she dssented from II. The resolves
at best mote In the eye OF the last Leglsla-
ture, and she did net approve the pugilistic man.
ner IN which they proposed 20 remove It. She
would praise Mr. Sumner, but would not insist In
praising him when he was wrong. tApplause.D
General s. M. Quincy said he voted against the
passage Of the resolutions 1t the extra session,
ana was willing that they should be annulled II 1t
could be done without implying any endorsement
OF Mr.. Summers proposition. ~ cf
ADDRESS OF EDWARD L. PIERCE.
Mr.. Edward L. Pierce made an earnest address
In favor OF the resembling or the resolution, In
which he eketched tts nistory,> showing that
the conmittee, and was hastily rushed through
thc Legislature under q suspension or the
rules such q. resolution was not In har-
mony with the Legislature OF the State,
eno tney mad departed from their usual