National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-16
Mr.. SUMNER,S SPEECH.

STRIFE AFTER DEATH-THE PUBLIoA-
TON OF Mr.. SUMMERS SPEECH.
The following is from the New York Herald
Of Monday:
Wecan think of nothing more ill-adyised
than the publication at this time Of the sup
pressed speech of Charles Sumner giving his
version of his difficulty with the President on
the st. Domingo question. This criticism Is
upon the "friends" of Sumner who made the
publication, not upon the journals that, OF
course, made the publication as q matter Of
news. This digging up the bones of the dead
to be used as missiles for political combat is
the meanest thing that has been done In our
politics for long time. This Is saying great
deal, for our politicians have done so many
mean things to one another that no gentleman
can think of public life without fear and tremb-
ling. In this instance there was every reason
for the suppression of Mr.. Summers speech, at
least until the time when it would be literary
and historical curiosity. He had not delivered
1t himself or consented to its publication. That
in itself shows that he felt that it should not
be published. Then, Sumner was not coward,
and be would not have aimed blow from the
grave. He was in active public life to within .
few hours of his death. If any wise purpose
were to be served by this speech he was the
Judge, and the only judge. For his executors
or party associates to assume that they knew
better than the Senator what was due TO his
State and the country was to outrage the men,
ory of the man they claimed to serve.
Wedo not take into account the merits of the
question. We have no doubt many things
were done and said by Mr.. Sumner, as as well
by the President and Mr.. Fish, during that
heated st. Domingo time, which they all re-
GREETED. No fact is better known, for instance,
than that Sumner himself always felt that he
should have, as supporter of the Administra-
ton, called upon the President and frankly
mentioned his reasons for opposing st. Do
mingo before he made his sudden assault in
the Senate. Had this been done, the treaty
would most likely have been withdrawn or
modified. We say that Sumner always regret
ted that he had not done this; and perhaps the
feeling that he had not been altogether free from
indifference in regard to the President may have
inspired him with the resolution not to pursue
the matter any further.
This speech does not exalt Mr.. Sumner. It
is very human speech, full of temper and
vexation and littleness OF detail and personal
complaints - We could understand Senator
| In i'll health writing such an address, but we
can never imagine the intrepid and glorious
Sumner actually rising In his place and dis
cussing to listening Senate what passed be-
tween Mr.. Fish and himself at his own table,
or insimsting that he really thought the Presi-
dent was eager to engage with him in q duel,
or that he dreaded Q personal encounter with
Gen. Babcock. The more we look at It the
more painful and pitiful it becomes, dishonor-
ing in the last degree to the foolish men who
could rife the grave of dead Senator to make
war upon living President. Are our political
relations to become so bitter that even death
will not grant Us trucef Shall we carry our
small quarrels and strifes beyond the grave
Is 1t possible that we shall ever feel that, be-
fore everything else in the world, fame, sue
cess, party power and political emolument, it
is incumbent upon us to be gentlemen, and
that no gentleman would treat the memory OF
friend as Mr.. Summers has been treatedl