Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 14 (of 20)Sumner, Charles
History
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 14 (of 20)
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- United States; Speeches, addresses, etc., American
Often during recent trials the cause of our country has assumed
three different forms, each essential in itself and yet together
constituting a unit, like the shamrock, or white clover, with triple
leaf, originally used to illustrate the Trinity. It was Three in
One. These three different forms were: first, the national forces;
secondly, the national finances; and, thirdly, the ideas entering
into the controversy. The national forces and the national finances
have prevailed. The ideas are still in question, and even now you
debate with regard to the great rights of citizenship. Nobody doubts
that the army and navy fall plainly within the jurisdiction of the
National Government, and that the finances fall plainly within
this jurisdiction; but the rights of citizenship are as thoroughly
national as army and navy or finances. You cannot without peril cease
to regulate the army and navy, nor without peril cease to regulate
the finances; but there is equal peril in abandoning the rights of
citizens, who, wherever they may be, in whatever State, are entitled
to protection from the Nation. An American citizen in a foreign land
enjoys the protecting hand of the National Government. That protecting
hand should be his not less at home than abroad.
* * * * *
Fellow-citizens, allow me to gather the whole case into brief
compass. The President, wielding the One Man Power, has assumed a
prerogative over Congress utterly unjustifiable, while he has dictated
a fatal “policy” of Reconstruction, which gives sway to Rebels, puts
off the blessed day of security and reconciliation, and leaves the best
interests of the Republic in jeopardy. Treacherous to party, false to
the great cause, and unworthy of himself, he has set his individual
will against the people of the United States in Congress assembled.
Forgetful of truth and decency, he has assailed members as “assassins,”
and has denounced Congress itself as a revolutionary body, “called or
assuming to be the Congress of the United States,” and “hanging upon
the verge of the Government,”[73]--as if this most enlightened and
patriot Congress did not contain the embodied will of the American
people. To you, each and all, I appeal to arrest this madness. Your
votes will be the first step. The President must be taught that
usurpation and apostasy cannot prevail. He who promised to be Moses,
and has become Pharaoh, must be overthrown. And may the Egyptians
that follow him share the same fate, so that it shall be said now as
aforetime, “And the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the
sea!”
THE OCEAN TELEGRAPH BETWEEN EUROPE AND AMERICA.
ANSWER TO INVITATION TO ATTEND A BANQUET AT NEW YORK, IN HONOR OF CYRUS
W. FIELD, NOVEMBER 14, 1866.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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