Year: 1871

jackson.


The removal Of Mr.. Sumner, through the
action OF republican caucus, from his posi-
ton as chairman on Foreign Relations of the
Senate, is, In party view, the most important
ana momentous event, so far, of General
Grants administration. In bold relief 1t
brings out General Grant in a new character
as the recognized head of the republican party.
He ceases by this act to be the servant, and
becomes the acknowledged master, of the
Senate He rises from the subordinate posi-
ton of Andrew Johnson to the commanding
attitude of Andrew Jackson. He has been
subject to the will of Mr.. Sumner, as the
great republican oracle aud dictator of the
! Senate; but with Summers removal the tables
| are turned and the President is master Of the
| situation. CONSERVATION prevails among the
| Conscript Fathers from this act of their own


doing, and SURPRISE modification, fear and


wrath are the prevailing expressions from the


republican journals far and near. They tell


us that in this unwise removal of Mr.. Sumner
from the position which, with his learning,
peculiar abilities and great experience, he so
admirably filed, nothing but Generalization,
| divisions and disasters can come to the party
in power; that his opposition to the st.
Domingo scheme is justified by the general
sentiment of the party, and that General
Grant, in due season, will discover that in
this thing he has committed a fatal blunder as
a candidate for the Presidential succession.
From the democratic press, on the other
hand, it is charged that prominent among the
influences which have brought about this re-
moval of Mr.. Sumner from the Senate chair
manship on Foreign Relations has been the
influence Of the British Minister with the
President in reference to Mr.. Summers un-
compromising attitude on the Alabama
claims, considered in connection with the
| expected comprehensive treaty of peace be-


tween England and the United States from


the Joint High Commission, and that Sum-
ner's displacement is, in fact, from the Presi-
dent and the Senate concession in advance
to England. Next, we are gravely informed
that there has been no other such high-handed
proceeding as this in the Senate against the
head of committee personally obnoxious to





Douglas, who was removed from the head of
the Committee on Territories because of his
'squatter sovereignty" dogmas, on the requisi-
ton of President Buchanan in obedience to
the wishes of the slaveholding oligarchy of
the South. General Grant is warned, too,
that as this removal of Douglas was the ruin
Of Buchanan and the democratic party, so
will be this removal of Sumner to the present
administration and the republican party.


But all these are contracted views Of the
circumstances, the causes and probable conse-
quences of this displacement of Sumner from
the head of the all-mportant Senate Committee
at this juncture on Foreign Relations The
head Of this committee, in his official relations
with the President and Secretary of State,
may be considered member Of the Cabinet.
The Executive Department, with the Senate
is the aty-making power. The head of this
Senate committee on treaties aud foreign
appointments represents the Senate in the
White House. But how can the President,
after having been publicly denounced in the
Senate as confederate of corrupt and reckless
spectators in the ST. Domingo scheme-how
can he hold these confidential relations with
the Senator thus boldly accusing him of cor
ruption and perjury? The truth is that in the
suspension Of the friendly personal relations
which had existed between the President and
the Senator that mutual confidence which
ought to prevail between them in their Official
intercourse was destroyed 1t cannot be for
ootton that oftar President Johnonn oocusod
General Grant, in that famous correspondence
on the Stanton War Department imbroglio,
with deception and falsehood, General Grant
on all occasions avoided the presence of his
accuser as far as possible, even in the dis
charge of his official duties. How, then,
could he be expected to overlook these graver
charges of Senator Sumner? There was no
alternative for him but to demand new head
for the Senate Committee on Foreign Rela-
tlons, especially in view of the momentous and
comprehensive international questions now
under discussion before the High Joint Com
mission and the great manifest destiny pro-
gramme of the administration.


We think, too, that the case of Senator
Sumner resembles more the rupture between
Calhoun and General Jackson than the quarrel
between Douglas and Buchanan. During
Jackson's first term Calhoun was Vice Presi-
dent and President of the Senate, and in the


position he soon began to show his hand as an
aspirant for the Presidential succession. He
first assisted in fomenting a social quarrel
among the ladies of the Cabinet, which was
carried at length SO far that jackson found it
necessary to dismiss the whole concern. In
getting rid Of them Martin Van Buren, his
Secretary of State, came bravely to the Gene
rails relief by setting the example Of resig-
nation, which all the rest understood by
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