Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-04-17
summers Suppressed Speech.

II Is seldom. that grosser improperly
Is witnessed than has Just been commit.
ted In the publication Of the so.called
suppressed speech Of Mr.. Sumner, in
which be attacks Gen. Grant and Secre.
tary Fish. Mr.. Summers executor and
his advisers have shown lack of sensi.
bility as lamentable as II Is surprising in
giving this speech 10 the public. With
the death Of Mr.. Sumner all rancor toward
him disappeared. Those who regretted
most keenly his mistakes, and felt most
deeply grieved at his unjust and unfor
tunate course toward his former friends,
dropped their criticisms and forgot their
differences when the last penalty was
paid and the imperfect but still great
statesman was dead. There we're few OF
MIR. Summers associates in the Senate
Chamberswho did not feel that bis con.
slant and unremitting attacks on the Pres.
ident were grossly unjust and uncalled for.
This opinion was not confined to Repub.
lican Senators or personal enemies, but
was shared by the Democrats and by
many of the Senator's intimate friends.
80 far did Mr.. Sumner carry his dislike
as to thrust an attack on the President
into a social gathering of New York
club, on which occasion he was properly
rebuked by Gen. Sherman. He was
the most unflagging and the most
persistent enemy that the President has
ever encountered, not even excepting
Schurz. And yet all was forgiven when
he died; and as q fitting indication that
the warfare so long waged terminated
there, the President stood as chief mourn
er, while his daughter laid a gracious
tribute Of respect upon the casket that
contained the. Massachusetts Senator'S
remains. There were thousands who
equally admired the President and Mr..
Sumner, who had long regretted the diff
ferences which separated them, and who
felt gratified at these marks of respect
shown by President Grant and his house
hold to one who, in spite of his faults,
was widely loved and respected. But
hardly is the dead statesman cold in his
coffin before he is made to speak again,
and the bitterest words of all words that
even in the very whirlwind of his passion
he declined to utter. A speech that he
had laid away as too severe to be made
even at the time when he most felt the
need of severity is taken from its hiding
place and launched at the President as If
with his latest breath the Senator raved
like an infuriated and baffied schemer,
uttering curses rather than as a diving
Christian breathing forgiveness on those
who had differed with him. What makes
the matter less excusable is the fact that
the objects of attack must remain silent.
They cannot reply to the ridicule, satire,
and personal reflections of this speech by
similar attacks upon the author of them.
His last effort is the most effective, be-
cause the author is shielded behind a bar
rier beyond which none but towards will
penetrate with blows. Mr.. Sumner did
not shrink from contests in life, but his
friends meanly make of him one who
strikes and runs. He is caused to say
things in death which he closed his mouth
against saying in life, and is made to play
the part of one who, afraid to meet the
responsibility of his words, waited until
he was out of the reach of punishment
before the offense should be given. Such
was not Mr.. Summers wont, and no great
er injustice than this could have been
done to his memory. Ordinary respect
for the proprieties of life and for the mem
ory of the dead, as well as the living,
would have caused the suspension of this
publication until time had made a reply
to it, decorous and not irreverent. That
the custodians of the papers, and to some
extent the honor, of Mr. Sumner have
seen proper to ignore all these proprieties
and draw from the mouth of the dead
Senator this TRADE of abuse is not only a
matter of regret, but justly a subject for
the severest reprehension.-Inter- Ocean.