Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 16 (of 20)Sumner, Charles
History
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 16 (of 20)
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- United States; Speeches, addresses, etc., American
It is astonishing to find that these infamous utterances, where
ribaldry vies with blasphemy, have received a coat of varnish from
the Senator from Maine [Mr. FESSENDEN], who pleads that they were not
“official,” nor did they “violate the Constitution, or any provision
of the Statute or Common Law, either in letter or spirit.” In presence
of such apologies for revolting indecencies it is hard to preserve
proper calmness. Were they not uttered? This is enough. The drunkenness
of Andrew Johnson, when he took his oath as Vice-President, was not
“official”; but who will say that it was not an impeachable offence?
And who will say that these expectorations differ in vileness from that
drunkenness? If they did not violate the National Constitution, or any
provision of law, common or statute, as is apologetically alleged, I
cannot doubt that they violated the spirit of all laws. And then we are
further reminded by the apologist of that “freedom of speech” which is
a constitutional right; and thus, in the name of a great right, we are
to license utterances that shock the moral sense, and are a scandal to
human nature. Spirit of John Milton! who pleaded so grandly for this
great liberty, but would not allow it to be confounded with license,
speak now to save this Republic from the shame of surrender to an
insufferable pretension!
The eleventh Article is the most comprehensive. In some respects it is
an _omnium gatherum_. In one mass is the substance of other Articles,
and something else beside. Here is an allegation of a speech by the
President in which he denied that Congress was a Congress, and then,
in pursuance of this denial, attempted to prevent the execution of
the Tenure-of-Office Act, also of an important clause in the Army
Appropriation Act, and also of the Reconstruction Act. Evidence
followed, sustaining completely the compound allegation. The speech
was made as set forth. The attempt to prevent the execution of the
Tenure-of-Office Act who can question? The attempt to corrupt General
Emory is in evidence. The whole history of the country shows how
earnest the President has been to arrest the Reconstruction Act, and
generally the Congressional scheme of Reconstruction. The removal of
Mr. Stanton was to be relieved of an impediment. I accept this Article
in gross and in detail. It has been proved in all its parts.
CONCLUSION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account