The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-06-19
Mr.. SUMMERS MARTYRDoM.


Some three weeks since the whole country startled
by the announcement that Mr. Sumner, while occupying
his seat in the Senate chamber after the adjournment had
been severely chastised by Mr. Brooks member of the
House of Representatives from South Carolina While
few depIoed the immediate consequences of Mr. Summers
premeditaed folly and studied violence the wish
universal that other mode had been adopted, and
other place had been selected for holding cold cal
euang seeming fanatic to personal accountability for the
magnity with which he had assailed sovereign State
and her constitutional institutions and the ruany rude
with which he had attacked of her most
rated and distinguished during his temporary alb
from body which he dignfes by his presence and
adorns by his talents and virtues We have substantial
for believing that Mr. Summer fully Of
the extent of the personal responsibility he incurred when
he utering, with stage heat and stage defamation
his carefully scongs SANDERS and ytupera-
TONS We have disposition to call in question the
tyes Of public private individuals and particularly Of
occupying exalted position that of United
States SENATOR but there facts and circumstances
rounding the whole of this that lead u.s. they have
led Others to the irresistible and Illuminating conclusion that
only this "unpatriotc and un-Amercan speech
patiently and artiscally studied by its author and
per that he calculated its personal consequences in
the damageesimatng spirit of petfogger For days. and
report says for weeks before its delivery in the Senate he
had again and again ehearsed this speech before his per-
sonal and political friends with the effective accompani
mens of clenched hands raised voice rolling eyes, and
it is safe to add with that impediment of utterance
which married the early eoeution of the great Greek
orator to whom Mr. Sumner and his admirers are
much indebted We told that some of those
/ VIII attended nriva had mar
sincerity to express dissatisfaction and to warn the
tora actor against the consequences Of public exhibit
ton. But the state of political affairs at home rendered
these udcious counsels only unweleome but they
must have sounded in Mr.. Summers obviously OBJ
trusive and impernent The legislature of Massachusetts
would be soon called upon choose to Mr.
Sumner in the Senate Of the United Sateshis term
pring on the 4th of March next 1t well known that
NJ S ardently desires be his But this
is desire which felt by Governor Gardiner his
account and il Information is correct it is desire
which three weeks ago responded to by minority
of those who have The making Of United States sena
tors in Massachusetts, Mr. Summers influence and popu
larty with his the His shrieks for
freedom had lost all the freshness Of novelty and The charm
Of enduring power They lacked the volume Of Hale and
the piercing variations Of Giddngs In ferocous sympathy
for the Topeka he fell far short Of Ward Beeche
Wendell Phillips or even Mary Dutton. Once true and de-
voted adheren were wandering after strange gods in the
know-nohing and abolition camps and the experience Of
the Jewish aw-gver must have suggested to him the
cessity Of immediate action in order to psent the
shipping Of idol by the fusioniss Of Massachusetts
The elder Napoleon failed to que dissatisfaction at
home and to any lost popularity with his subjects
By soundly thrashing his old enemies Of the Germanic
States win it, can 1t be believed that Mr. Sumner, for
his course Of action deliberately planned and deber
aely adopted has reversed the Sapoleonc principle7
Painful and humliatnga as this beliefs to Amer
lean citizen arrive at other conclusion. The
facts previous 10 the chastisement the circumstances
which have ranspred since that event the whole Of the
superinducing motives, and the corresponding scon
all tend to strengthen this belief We utterly and
unqualifedly opposed TO every species Of violence
whether that violence is committed by person or
is commission digniAed by mobbish participation,
whether il assumes the form Of duel assault but
stii large allowances be made for the Of
whose generous, impusve natures have been wrought
upon by those have the poor Of anacsm
for their msddening SANDERS and provoking folly Men
smartnv under real faneicd insults and injuries do
stop to inquire whether the offending party combatant
OF non-conbatankI "
place where passion seeks for expiaon. Mr. Sumner
perfectly Of the warm and sensitive material upon
which be working. He knew what was likely 70 follow
from his long premedtaed insults We do not hazard too
much in saying that he would have been greatly dsaf
pointed his attack bad produced other rejonder than
the speech give this morning Of Judge Butler Mr.
Sumner spoke not to produce impression upon the
minds Of his hearers but in the confident that
the impression would be made upon himself and in such
kind and degree most do not regard with parc
ular favor In word he sought TO be martyrzed into
reelection to the United States Senate
Whatever doubts may have existed in the public mind
in regard to this martyrizing dodge prior the chas
srmen those doubts have been removed by Mr. Summers
subsequent conduct Instead o. rssentng pocketng the
Saroni, or quietly appealing 70 the civil authorities for
protection and redress leaving his in the hands Of
the congressional committees treating the whole affair
sincere non-combatant would treat II in dignhed ST.
ence he confines himself 10 bis room and his bed affects
% be derpus and permits his friends to give wide
ency to the absurdy silly reports that his situation
critical that no one Is permitted to speak 70 him
aud that in short he Is another bleeding dying martyr IN
the Of Kansas freedom His physicians assure him
that he has only bruised head tina, there Il not