Demoine courier., 1856-06-26
SUMNER.

CHARLES SUMNER.
The recent speech Of Mr.. Sumner in
vindication OF the principles Of Freedom
has given a new interest 10 the man.
We copy the following paragraphs relate
ing to him from the "OH. Hand Takinps
and Crayon Sketches" Of G.. w. Bun.
gay, which we do no. doubt will be az
csp.able 10 mos. Of our readers at tins
time:
AmoCg the most eminent speakers IN
the modern Athens, Charles Sumner is
pre-eminently conspicuo Gus. for the class.
ic elegance Of his style, the Pro,eau pow.
er Of his thought, and the finished beau
~ Of his illustrations. He 10 n OF the
most remarkable men Of this remarkable
age, and a combination pf circumstances
have rendered him the darling ~fayorile Of
good fortune. He was Graded in Fan
euil Hall, Judge Story was his teacher,
and Harvard University the school in
which he was taught. When he had
availed himself Of the advantages afford
ed b. this institution Of learning, he
made a tour Of the confines. England,
France ard Germany contributed liber
ally TO his store of knowledge. If he
has not an ample competence, he has
what is beiter-an army Of friends and
a thorough education.
He has great power of con.
densa.ion. without a wearisome monoio
ny which often accompanies the writings
and sayings OF close thinkers and rigid
reasoneis. There is a vigorous and
graceful sta,eliness, an easy felicity. a
fas,idiods accuracy, and imperial dignity
in his style, which is both commanding
and fascinating. There is a vast breadth
Of comprehension and a vas, depth Of
meaning in his matter. There 10 also a
luminous beauty, q Gothic grandeur,
a sublime gorgcousness, in his labored
and polished ESSAYS, which en.i.le them
to the sppella.ion Of prose-poems. He
sometimes invests his ideas in such live
ly. such attractive, such speaking. SUCH
magic language. and displays SO much
poeiical sensibility, so much profound
knowledge Of ecclesiastical and political
history, The reader and listener are car
riec away on the current, while they are
admiring, almos. adorirg, the man whose
kindling words have set their magma
lions on FIRE.
Mr.. Summers oralions are written
with grea, care. They abound with il
~iusions TO ,he ~savings and doings Of the
ancients, and manifest deep research and
profound thought. His brilliant argu-
men,s al the bar have elected unbounded
admiration, and his model manner o.: de-
livery enhances the value of his eloquent
appeals. The dreary desert OF a com
mon case is sure to bloom with garden
beauty under his management. The TO-
rum. however. is his forte. lie Las The
dignity of Pin. without his pompous
defamation. the sublimity Of Burke,
without, his tedious uniformity. the vigor
Of Fox, wi,hou, his roughness. He is
not so fluent as the fret, not 90 clasyica!
a. the second, not 30 ready and original
a. the third. He has more solidiiy bu,
less eloquence than Phillips: more ener
gy but less originality than Mann; more
poetry and as much polish as Everett
His heart is not an island, separated from
his head, bu. a peninsula, uniting one
with the other. There is a joining of
impulse and intellect. The affections
and the reflections are brothers and sis
sers. The heart thinks and feels, the
head feels and thinks.
In this respec. Mr.. Sumner differs
from no. a few distinguished men. Sum
ner believes 10 Christian law, and throws
the weigh, of his influence. the force Of
his example, and the skill of his profes.
sion. in the scale Of The right and true.
He is : preacher Of peace, a lover of!
freedom. a worker for prison ameliora-
lion lin short, a noble soldier in the
ranks Of reform. With a generous. i'm.
pulsive nature, he feels The woes and SUI.
ferings OF every portion Of tho human
family.
Charles Sumner is a popular man.
Tie masses admire him because there 10
no dough in his face. no demagogue-
ism in his polnics. The ~turncos,s. fun
keys, time-servers. Office seekers, and
political hypocri,es of every party, fear
him as did The enemies of Greece the
A,henian orator. but they cannot, despise
him. they annot osiracise him. they can
not make him false to his convictions.