The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-09
Wendell Phillips Traverses the Ex-
Secretary's Recollections.
CHARLES SUMNER INDICATED
The True Reason for His Removal
from the Foreign Committee.
GRANTS FAULTY MEMORY.

u
evening, the Academy OF Music was crowded o-n'sht
~,,h nrss class audience on tho occasion Of Wendell
Phillips, address on Charles Sumner as u had been
x,ven out previously that tho orator would answer
Mr. Fish's reply TO his charges against
General Grant relative to tho iatter's asper-
sions aguinst tho character OF tho deceased
Senator Two celebrated original aco'it'on's's'
" p. Dewcs and Robert Purvis accompanied Mr fhii-
iips on tho STAGE and tho latter introduced tho loo
turcr as one who had never sold his nonor 70 TINS
hour
the arss part OF tho discourse was description OF
Nj, summers early life illustration, BY ancc-
dotcs and personal "reminiscences by tho speaker Of
the leading personal traits ana quantities OF MT.
Z SIMMER Tnc orator described bis subject as
man OF extraordinary independence OF character,
great moral and physical courage, purity OF mind ana
heart and strong devotion OF purpose Tho Senator'S
sariy love- rs o profession. was for tho law and his
highest aspirations werc to get on tho bench. De-
spsing politics he drawn into them In 1s4S under
circu instances that disastrous TO his worldly m
terests He permitted himself 10 be run against
Whtcomb In that exciting campaign, and It took him
tvcuty years recover from the effects OF hat
offence no thereby gave tho people OF Massachusetts
Indeed II wns the young mon OF that State who lifted
him into the United States Senate Tncrc yet fingers
IN the streets OF Boston feeling against tho memory
Gently whom on The poor foundation offered them by
General Grants loose assertions every editor IN BIOS
toni 0iGRraCe
suit 70 the memory OF tho great Senator
General Grant has discovered something which he
thinks mars bis isms 10 says that Sumner sns was an
legged promise support The st. Domingo Treaty and
his suosequent opposition 70 y wish 70 call attention
tho interview, aflrms that Sumner madc no such
promise But suppose this 70 be merely question Of
q lawyer would consider tho probabilities OF the
case. Mr. Sumner had boon bred all hts
' IN &C. on no West nai: Snaea
sfIected Massachusetts, aboli.ionst the red nag
docs tho historical bull Is u possible then 70 suppose
that Sumner, massachusetts, nboltionist when
asked support the ST. Domingo Trenty promised 70
do without looking al ~ He must have lost hls
Garrison promising 10 support emancipation meas.
ure without asking its nature and conditions. Gen.
ss' .oaur. %os s'n his statements a. that
time. He tolls us that he was So very
that be ordered MI. Fish 10 scold him severely aud
take The business out OF his hands, and Mr. Fish did
it. Tho letter which Mr. Fish sent on that occasion Is
on file In she State Department aud is.fllod with
nothing but praise Of Mr. Motley and approval OF his
conduct No mans veracity can be impeached on
Mr.. sumner left on from tho Committee on For.
eign Affairs because no was lazy and incompetent.
Nobody ever heard OF that before hr Sumner WINS
generally esteemed the most laborious and industrious
OF Mr. Scnurz says that bo was tho best chair
man OF GommMee On poor nnst ITS. 'nn' Inc
twenty years. experience at Washington be never
knew moro prompt and pans-saking chairman.
moval. Mr. Conkling and tho administration party
were at their Wits ends 10 givc for Il Tho
speak TO Fish or to Grant They hammered away
repeatedly that whiic Senators derded II ~ mere
h sa' sSud
, sos, don't you thipk that he would have
S st e sS1 I'M. 20 g.
petonI Mr.. Fish says that IN Aftccn months aftcr-
ward, In July, 1872. they found out thas Mr. sumner
tnccmp etcnt but that could not worry well be, be.
foro II was known, the real reason Tor his removal
Mr. Fish is groat at afcrthoughL lie would DO q
code their caoses instead OF following them Accord
ding 10 Mr.. Fish the reason Why Mr. Sumner
vas 70 % ,. removed 10 AarGn; ISL vas because
Incompetent According 70 Mr.. Fish the
reason why Motley was removed In London was be-
the government had heard OF Lord Carendon's
death, but unfortunately Lord Clarendon did not die
Tor days after sho Times had the that Motley
aiorthough. Minister" Tho trouble with his OK
panation Of his interview with Sumner 10
.ha. his aeooun. gives no satisfactory: . esplnna-
ant interview and parted with cordial regard;
that no pitied and sympathizcd with sumner
and was incautous enough 10 offer him tho mission
10 England, but he didn't any brbo TO
his opposition 10 81 Domingo mr. sumner, Tho
other hand, says that Fish urged him 10 60 to Lon
don, absent himself from the Senate and let St Do
mingo pass For this Mr. Sumner rcbukcd HIM. and
alter their relations cool and distant Now
there QUARREL doubt OF It That was tho
excuse gwen by tho Senate for removing sumner
from tho chairinanship Mr.. Fish couiesses there
Mr. summers statement furnishes an ample reason
tor and explains all the facts. We bcleve Newtons
theory OF astronomy because II explains the iacte.
If II ever cease 10 do that we shall reject ~ So
accept Summers explanation and reject Fish's be-
cause the former explains tho facts and the latter
docs not. Joe Smith, In an emergency was always
favored with additional revelation. SO Fish will
undoubtedly DO favored with afterthought to cx-
plain this difficulty When IL comes It Will be found
that Fish has mado his usual blundor and based hts
explanation ON something that did not until
after the thing to 90 explained ended
Mr. Phillips closed by saying that no could not do
hotter than quote to the young tho truth onoincd
Summer ny dc Tocquevlic when tho former
parting with him in France. 'Liio is ncthcr poss.
pain; IL 10 serious business, 10 DO entered
upon with courage and ended with self sacrifice "
GRANT Doy'r MONEY
Tho sentiment u tho audience - manifested By its
applause or silence, clearly with Sumner and the
speaker, though the lnuer's remark that hc was
ssonco considerable OF Grant man and In certain
was considerable OF Grant man yct"
olicited very warm applause However, whom lew
minutes later he remarked snrcasticay shat 'sGrnnt
would not takc money" and that "hc was
only pushing tho Domingo business TO servo his
friends 10 whom no WINS always very kind" there
was burst OF applause, mingled with laughter and
Kisses.
Aiior the lecture Mr. Phillips was mot In the green
room OF tie Academy by number OF prominent anti
slavery people, whom he warmly received.