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
On the 15th November, a banquet was given to Cyrus W. Field,
at New York, to exchange congratulations on the happy result
of his efforts in uniting by telegraph the Old and New World.
Many distinguished guests were present. There were also
communications from President Johnson, Chief Justice Chase,
Secretary Seward, Secretary Welles, General Grant, Admiral
Porter, Sir Frederick Bruce, the British Minister, Lord Moncke,
Governor-General of Canada, and many others. Mr. Sumner wrote:--
BOSTON, November 14, 1866.
GENTLEMEN,--I regret much that it is not in my power to unite
with you in tribute to Mr. Field, according to the invitation
with which you have honored me.
There are events which can never be forgotten in the history of
Civilization. Conspicuous among these was the discovery of the
New World by Christopher Columbus. And now a kindred event is
added to the list: the two worlds are linked together.
In this work Mr. Field has been pioneer and discoverer. As such
his name will be remembered with that gratitude which is bestowed
upon the world’s benefactors. Already his fame has begun.
Accept my thanks, and believe me, Gentlemen,
faithfully yours,
CHARLES SUMNER.
THE COMMITTEE, &C.
ENCOURAGEMENT TO COLORED FELLOW-CITIZENS.
LETTER TO A CONVENTION OF COLORED CITIZENS, DECEMBER 2, 1866.
December 2, 1866.
DEAR SIR,--I am glad that our colored fellow-citizens are about
to assemble in convention to consider how best to promote their
welfare, and to secure those equal rights to which they are
justly entitled.
You seek nothing less than a revolution. But you will succeed.
The revolution must prevail. What are called civil rights have
been accorded already; but every argument for these is equally
important for political rights, which cannot be denied without
the grossest wrong. Let the colored citizens persevere. Let them
calmly, but constantly, insist upon those equal rights which are
the promise of our institutions. They should appeal to Congress,
and they should also appeal to the courts.
I cannot doubt the power and duty of Congress and of the courts
to set aside every inequality founded on color. It will be the
wonder of posterity that a constitution absolutely free from all
discrimination of color was so perverted in its construction as
to sanction this discrimination,--as if such a wrong could be
derived from a text which contains no single word even to suggest
it. The fountain-head is pure: the waters which flow from it must
be equally pure.
Accept my best wishes, and believe me, dear Sir,
faithfully yours,
CHARLES SUMNER.
J. M. LANGSTON, ESQ.
THE TRUE PRINCIPLES OF RECONSTRUCTION.
ILLEGALITY OF EXISTING GOVERNMENTS IN THE REBEL STATES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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