Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 07 (of 20)Sumner, Charles
History
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 07 (of 20)
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- United States; Speeches, addresses, etc., American
“I have had great satisfaction in your constant remembrance of
me by letters, documents, &c. I bear always in my mind and on
my heart the honor of the ‘Old Bay State,’ and the claims of
our holy cause of Liberty upon my devotion and efforts. May
God help us all to be faithful!… I feel much support in your
letters.”
SENATE CHAMBER, January 17, 1861.
MY DEAR ANDREW,--Your timely suggestion with regard to Treasury
notes I have referred to Mr. Sherman in the House, where any
measure founded upon it must originate.
I have letters constantly from New York as well as Massachusetts,
expressing great solicitude with regard to the safety of the
capital. I am satisfied, that, had the President persevered in
his original policy of surrender and treason, we should have
been driven away before the 1st of February. Others with whom I
converse do not doubt this. But General Scott has applied his
best energies to measures of defence. He is satisfied that the
traitors cannot succeed here, whatever they may do elsewhere. He
has force enough on hand to hold the capital for hours against
any attack which can be expected, and within that time he can
have fifty thousand men from the North. A law maxim says, _Cuique
in sua arte credendum est._ Should he be mistaken, his military
reputation will suffer terribly.
You see as well as I, that any military assistance must be
invited by the Government. A march of troops on our side would be
a “first move” towards hostilities. Our safety must depend upon
the watchfulness of the Government. But I agree with Mr. Stearns,
that it would be useful to have some faithful men here who would
make it a business to ascertain the plans and purposes of the
enemy.
Mr. Burleigh, a Republican of John Covode’s district, has
recently made an excursion into Maryland, where, passing himself
as a speculator in negroes, he thinks he got into secrets. He
reports a combination of ten thousand men to seize the capital,
and also another conspiracy to assassinate Mr. Lincoln in
Maryland, on his way to Washington.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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