The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-06-19
REMARKS OF MR.. P. W. EMERSON,
At a Meeting at Concord, May Goth, to conside,
the Outrage upon Mr.. Sumner.

Mr.. CHAIRMAN: / sympathize heartily with
the spirit Of the resolutions. The events of the
last few years and months and days have taught
us the lessons of centuries. | do not see how a
barbarous community and civilized communi-
ty can constitute one State. think we must
get rid of Slavery, or we must get rid of Free
DOM bias no parity of value in the free
STATE the slave State. In one, it is
adq education, with skillful labor, with
art retrospective interests, with sacred
family ties, with honor and justice. In the
other, life is fever man is au animal, given
to pleasure, frivolous, irritable spending his days
in hunting and practicing with deadly weapons
to defend himself against his slaves, and against
his companions brought up in the same idle
and dangerous way.
Such people live for the moment; they have
properly no future, and readily risk on every
passion life which is of small value to them.
selves or to others. Many years ago, when
Mr.. Webster was challenged in Washington 10
a duel by one of these madcaps, his friends
came forward with prompt good sense, and
said such thing was not to be thought Of;
Mr.. Webster's life was the property of his
friends, and of the whole country, and was not
to be risked on the turn of a vagabond's ball.
Life and life are incommensurate. The whole
State of South Carolina does not now offer any
one or any number of persons who are to be
weighed, for moment, in the scale with such
person as the meanest of them all has now
struck down. The very conditions of the game
must always be-the worst life staked against
the best. 1t is the best whom they desire to
kill. 1t is only when they cannot answer your
reasons, that they wish to knock you down. If,
therefore, Massachusetts could send to the Sen
ate better man than Mr.. Sumner, his death
would only be so much more quick and certain
Now, as mems bodily strength or skill, with
knives and guns, is not usually in proportion to
their knowledge and mother wit, but oftener in
the inverse ratio, it will only do to send foolish
persons to Washington, if you wish them to be
safe. The outrage is the more shocking, from
the singularly pure character of its victim. Mr..
Summers position is exceptional in its honor.
He had not taken his degrees in the caucus
and in hack politics. Ii is notorious that, in
the long time when his election was pending,
he refused to take single step to secure it.
He would not 50 much as GO up to the State
House to shake hands with this or that person,
whose good will was reckoned important by his
friends. He was elected. 1t was homage to
character and talent In Congress, he did not
rush into party position. He sat long silent
and studious His friends, | remember, were
told that they would find Sumner man of the
world like the rest It's quite impossible to be
at Washington, and not bend he will bend as
the rest have done.
Well, he did not bend. He took his position,
and kept it. He meekly bore the cold shoulder
from some of his New England colleagues, the
hatred OF his enemies, the pity of the indiE
ferent, cheered by the love and respect of good
men with whom he acted, and has stood for the
North, little in advance Of all the North, and
therefore without adequate support. He has
never faltered in his maintenance of Justice
and freedom. He has gone beyond the large
expectation of his friends in his increasing
ability and his manlier tone.
have heard that some of his political friends
tax him with Incidence or negligence in relu-
sing to make eleotioneering speeches, or other
wise to bear his part in the labor which party
organization requires. / say it to his honor
But more TO his honor are the faults which his
enemies lay to his charge. / think, sir, if Mr..
Sumner bad any vices, we should be likely to
hear of them. They have fastened their eyes
like microscopes now for five years, Oh every
act, word, manner, and movement, TO find a
flaw, and with what result? His opponents &C.
cuse him neither of drunkenness, nor debauch.
cry, nor job, nor peculation, nor rapacity, nor
personal aims of any kind. No; but with what?
Why, beyond this charge, which it is impossible
"ao CfCt stuCSIci( uiouc, lihI DFOhe over the
proprieties of debate, find him accused of pub
fishing his opinion of the Nebraska conspiracy
in letter to the People of the United States,
with discourtesy.
Then, that he is an abolitonist as if every
sane human was not abolitionist, or be.
lever that oil men should be free. And the
third crime he stands charged with is, tina. his
speeches were written before they were spoken
which of course must he trua in S,,ro,n-,, -
as it was true Of Webster, of Adams. of Cal
houn, of Burke, Of Chatham, of Demosthenes,
OF every frst-rate speaker that ever lived. 1t
!! the high compliment he pays TO the intel
llgence OF the Senate and of the country.
When the same reproach was east upon the
hrst orator Of ancient times, by some caviller OF
his day, he said, 81 should be ashamed to
an assembly"
7 Mr.. Chairman, when think of these most