The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-27
SUMNER SILENCED.
MAssGCHUsETrs AND THE NEW
YORK CARPKT.BAGGkRs.
A Leaf From History That south
eFn Men Have Hsver Made Use
Of In or Out Of Congress.

Washington CORRESPONDENCE New
York Herald: George S. Boutwell,, ex-
Secretary Of the Treasury, was en-
countered on the street to-day. He
tells a very interesting story about
Charles Sumner which has never aeen
light. II is quite apropos of the
Wheeler controversy In the House.
Briefly II Is this: At q dinner given 10
Baron Geroldt. then German Minis
ter, the conversation drifted into q
channel rather embarrassingt TO Charles
Sumner and Mr.. Boutwell,. The early
history Of Massachusetts was highly
extolled. II was only q short time be-
fore Summers death, but he was in
one Of his most cheerful moods. Pos
sibly, by their silence as we'll IS by
their countenancee, the two Massa'
chusetts statesmen showed their salts.
faction at the hattery showered upon
| their Commonwealth. Mr.. Joseph
Kennedy, an intimate friend of both
men, out of a pure spirit of banter,
took the opposite side Of the contro-
versy. He declared boldly that the
early history of Massachusetts,
was filled with disgrsceiul cpl
sodes. Mr.. Kennedy cited the way in
which the carpet-bsggers from New
York overTau II during Gov. Edmund
Address ad ninis'ratlon. and capped
the climax by quoting from memory
Nathaniel Byfeld's words 7 egarding
that diguitary: "He came from New
York to the colony Of Massachusetts,,
and brought some bad men with him.
He was finally arrested by the out.
ragged people OF the colony, and nearly
escaped in female clothes, but that his
cavalry boots showed him off," The
scene that followed Mr.. Kennedy's
remarks was memorable. Mr.. Summer
believed himself thoroughly informed
on New England history, and did not
recall any such episode. Meanwhile
the laugh had been started by some
Southern guests who were present.
They began to rail Sumner about the
way in which Massachusetts, had re-
: sentsd the intrusion of carpet-baggsrs,
and one gentleman went 30 far as to
declare That some Massachu etts man
who knew about Andros's escapade
had started the scandslous fiction
! about Jefferson Davis being caught in
, women'a apparel.
MI. Sumner never lot his good hui
NOR for an instant. Look here, Ken
nedy," he said, "you have no evi.
dencs for that statement about An
dros. L mean about the female dis
guise. He was a pretty tough man,
but he wouldn't have put on a petit
coat. Come now, own up" "f l
don't convince you, Mr.. Sumner, aud
everybody here within twenty min
utes that 1 have the best authority
for my statement, l will stand a din
ner for the party" replied Mr.. Joseph
Kennedy, then thoroughly on his
mettle. The matter had gone too far
to be laughed down, though nobody
wal in bad humor. 1t was a test Of
memory between Kennedy and Sum-
ner. The feast was suspended. Mr..
Kennedy went to his carriage, drove
rapidly to his home, and from his
library carried back the account OF
the late revolution in New England,
written by Mr.. Nathaniel Byfeld
and published in 1891. There the
chapter and paragraph were quick
ly found. Nj. Summer was salts
fed. But from that day to his
death he always avoided the carpet
Dagger Issue. He became a great deal
more sympathetic toward the South
ern people. II the people OF Mas
eachusetts could stand the animal i?
why should the people Of the South
After hunting up these old pamphlets
and verifying all the references, the
most remarkable and curious feature
of this incident is that during the
twenty years In which this great
Southern question has been so holly
discussed no Democratic member has
sprung this ghastly record against the
living descendants ofthe sturdy colon
lists who revolted under the arbitrary
rule Of the Carpet Dagger Edmund
Andres.