“Charles Sumner’s speech will be found on our first page
to-day. We give it not by way of approval, for it seems to
us the worst speech that could be made. Its only influence
will be to distract and divide the North, and raise up a
faction here against the Administration, which has declared
for an entirely different policy,--while at the South it
will kill what little Union sentiment remains, and rejoice
the Rebel hosts, giving them better ammunition for their
treason than powder would be.… We don’t know how it appears
to others, but it seems to us, that, if Jeff Davis had
liberty to send his own agent here to do the worst for us,
he could have done nothing more. The war can be fought upon
no such grounds; and before it closes, we shall discover
that fact.”
The New York _Journal of Commerce_ was quite sententious.
“The Republicans of Boston desire to be rid of any
connection with the fanatic Senator’s remarks. The signs of
the times improve.”
The _Carbon Democrat_, of Pennsylvania, breaks forth in
condemnation.
“If there were any lack of evidence to prove that Charles
Sumner is really an enemy to our country, and desired only
to destroy it, and immerse the people in the dreadful,
crashing slavery of martial tyranny, this speech supplies
the link, and makes the train of evidence against his
fealty strong as Holy Writ. He here unblushingly proclaims
the horrid policy of unloosing the bonds of four million
slaves, and setting them against the Caucasian race,--to
murder, pillage, and destroy, without stint, until their
barbarous appetites may be appeased.…
“In this connection we might suggest that Marius was a
very proper example for Senator Sumner and his school of
politicians to quote. Like them, he was the very prince of
office-seekers.…
“He advocates a doctrine which is in direct violation of
the spirit of the Constitution, and which tends only to
weaken the hands of the Government, by dividing public
sentiment at the North, and thus discouraging enlistments.
Why is it that the Government, thus assailed, does not lay
its hand upon this fulminator of treason, and secure him
safely behind the bars and bolts of Fort Lafayette?”