The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-10
SUMMERS FAME
Wendell Phillips Answer to Messrs.
Grant and Fish.
TIE ST. DOMINGO TREATY.
Perley PoOre Flatly Contradicts the
Ex-President's Story.
lie ST. DOMINGO TREATY.
COMMENTS ON SENATOR CONKLING.

A refined intelligent audience crowded the hand
some Reformed Church In Thriy-iourth street, this
city, last night hear Wendell Phillips defend the
memory OF his old in the OF abolition
Charles sumner, from the charges brought against
him by General Grant ana ex-Secreary Hamilton Fish.
Mr. Phillips spoke with feeling whom referring TO Mr.
Sumner. and be frequently applauded. He began
by detailing the striking events in tho early 81
old ir,end, and related a number OF interesting
anecdotes and personal "reminiscences to illustrate his
character Courage, devotion, purity Of heart and
posc and great moral and intellectual vIgor, Mr.
Philips said, the predominant characteristics OF
Charles Sumner
Mr.. Senator Hoar said OF him. "hstory will reveal
nothing that the whiteness OF his fame.n
General Grant has just discovered something that he
thinks docs mar the Wilderness OF his fame. Amid
tho JOY and warmth OF his European welcome he takes
proclaim TO the listening world that SUM-
liar an habitual liar. No Massachusetts
man would undertake TO reply to that without FIRST
begging pardon Of the old Commonwe aith for con-
descending TO notice such incredible sandcr
General Grants main charge is that sumner promised
him to support his 81 Domingo treaty and then OPP
posed It, There is ono witness, Mr.. Perley Poore
who present when Grant says sumner promised
HIM that support. and Mr. Poore says tncre was no
such promise. But In any matter OF disputed
testimony sensible mon weigh probabilities. sumner
forfeited all his early successes and nearly suffered
total shpwreck by hts devotion to The negro He gave
his life to that He lost friends and rskcd every
thing again and again by his lircess ncessant and
watch over tho whole negro question Besides
he In general a very cautious nan in making
pledges, cautious even TO coldnesS sometimes onen
svey 30 to his friends Grant comes 70 nim 70 ASK DIS
support of treaty relating TO the only black govern
ment that America holds. The abolitionists have
watched that black experiment tor seventy
They grown old IN jealous donbt Of every step the
Unlled states have made in that direction. Els
peciay since CaIhoun's day doubt OF every Americans
oar Of a and Of
sets aboonist 1t 10 the hrst OF the i've points OF
thor creed How Idle 10 suppose that Sumner before
he had even ST. Domingo treaty or knew any
thing VI us condition, should pledge himself 10 sup
port It, You might as well pant Garrison receiving
or Webster aud promising TO support II before no
ahmed It's terms and condtions Sumner must have
lost his or wholly changed his character before
he would have dreamed OF sucn u thing. Yankees,
often woaricd with antlsavery Jealousy on that point,
will bid Grant keep that story Tor the 'narines" II
he could get Ia support OF such tale the testimony
OF all the soldiers ne carried into Virginia Massa-
chusetts aboonist would stop long enough over such
GENERAL GRANTS MEMORY.
Grant is new az this work. He never heard Of the
FIRST rule Tor all romancers-.in MAKING up story
Grants memory be depended on after seven years
The General says that In June 1870 he was very
gry,' with Motley and wanted to dismiss him, ana he
ana Fish should have done but Tor lear OF stirring
up sumner they decided only 70 ''consure him
ANYTHING more, Fish wrote and sent such letter.
Now wo that etter. Published BY the government
II reads thus
general presentation and treatment q several
ister) meet the approval OF this Department"
Then follows one exception, and the despatch con-
.cludes:-
In the meantime you may DO well content TO rost tho
the forctble
side Of question was strongly done.
expressions used stronger than
Instructions the excess in the right d.
we're may wei Ss hoped that they may tend
the the seriousness OF appreciation Of
grievances we have sustained
There, think II Grant never scolded soldier
than that have passed Tor very indugent Of
nccr. Fish ana he ought to travel III company II
Iney mean 10 have their travellers stories agree.
shall the commonest mans veracty be impeached on
the testimony Of SO loose a memory as that9 Much
moro the veracity oil who passed through twenty
years Washington HE without stainl Try again,
General Grant He consents TO do So Slmner was
chairman OF the Committee on Foreign Relations from
1851 to 1871 He was then lott oil or deposed Gen.
Grants other discovery is that thus insult was Of
Tered him because lie was found slack, mpetcnt
and intoleraby dlatory the discharge Of hts dutios
ADMITTED.
Now there certain facts admitted on all Sides
neither CT ant, Fish, nor SumheE denies them II Is
admitted thai Grant was hotiy Interested IN tho ST.
Domingo treaty, only as public question Of course;
aud his friends as money speculation. II Is ad-
milted that Grant made special efforts TO win sumner
10 support IT, Is admitted that whiie IL
discussion Fish ('lncautIousy') oHereu Mr. sumner
the mission TO England. 1t is admitted Grant says
SOY that while IL was under discussion he and Fsn
decided to remove Motley IN order not ITO stir up
Summer again on the treaty question:" Tho
records OF the State Department show that
until that treaty was defeated Motley re-
cciyed only praise Tor hts services In London
II is admitted that summers efforts did than any
else TO defeat the treaty. IL Is admitted that,
days after us defeat, Motley was asked 10 resign,
and at the opening OF the worry next session Sumner
was refused that chamanship which he had mold ten
years. General Grant ana Mr. Fish insist, with se-
t.n hail ..lin
TINS snguiar concurrence OF dates a1d circumstances
was purely ACCIDENTAL The outside world, not aware
OF the Sunless ana sanity character OF Washington,
very largo cal very little md under that scanty
pc Of meal and biurted out, Grant has revengcd him.
sell on o Mo,sv an nm a
TINS, II seems, Is cruel mistake; the sole EVIL
dcLce offered IS GRANTS word. Since Fish docs not
lndorse IT, and ne did, his word. considering mis- un-
fortunate habit of never ossng the true reasons
Tor any OF his Actions Is no eviaenco OF anything he
does assert
SUMNER AS A WORKER.
Let US therefore see what light other mon and cir
cumstanccs throw upon ~ aud now lar General
Grants assertion has any basis. Dir. Sumner has
been generally thought one oil Inc most laborious,
painstakng and Industrious OF men. His love OF
work aud power vi working struck Spectators as
marvellous Relaxation he scorncd; rest he never
seemed necu. 1t was his frequent claim that cx-
ccpt when Brooks assault invaded INN,
sin.lc day, and hardly an hour Even his
mothers death made no exception TO this rig
orous devotion 10 duty, or II formed the only
exception. Whe deeply IN debt tempting offers 10
lecture AZ many hundred dollars night
win MIN 10 pass even one night out OF Washington.
Other Senators lett 10 attend 10 tncir own reelection,
to party necessles or to private business He iclt
and SAID W he the nag floats over the Capitol my
belongs 10 Massachusetts, aud tho nation Yet General
Grant has found that this punctll0us and laDor
man dawdied and satterned mis- time away and LET'S
every thing at loose ends. must do Mr.. Fish the
justice TO say That no s more Cautious aud refuses 70
call Mr. sum ncr 'ncggen" In his irst communication,
but gathers enough courageto insnuae ia his second
Az Offset ana answer TO General GRANTS discovery
we can say nat the nation never heard OF any sum
defect during The ten years that M sumner served as
chairman OF that committee. Mr.. Schurz, ia bis
eulogy Boston, In 1874, asserted that tnc Senate
never had q chairman OF that COMMITTEES who united
IN himself such completeness tho qualifications
necessary and desirable tor the important anu delicate
OF That position, and adds, "tnis lie not only
my opinon but the SOBER opinion OF those most com
pelenl 10 judge" AIR. Pericy Poore OLD and well
informed journalist Of Washington, and once Hc-
roiary OF that very committee, says NO has
never known a chairman oil committee more
digent and painstaking than Mr.. sumner"
But Grant gives for his accusation. This ID
| vcrv dangerous course. An angry man should aim
| ply affirm aud accuse He runs great risk when no
al 4ru Mt aavG at