New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-10


ton, first proposed to divide the House of Com
mons upon the question Of West India Emancipa-
ton, his temerity excited the apprehension OF his
friends and the ridicue of his opponents. Timid
phianthropsts were garrulous in their discussions;
letters poured in upon him from all parts of the
country entreating him to procrastinate; bat the
benevolent BarOret was proof against even such
discouragements and remained fixed in his purpose.
He was left in minority which would have been
ludicrous, if the moral grandeur of his enterprise
had been less; but he lived to the reform thus
almost hopeessly impeded in the beginning swept
through the Lords and the Commons by triumphant
mojorites. 1t is thus that public measures OF
decided veracity contain within themselves salient
spring Of vitality which saves them from friendly
treason no less than from hostile assault. Aud
what is true Of measures is necessarily true OF men
who support them. Scarcely six years ago, when
Mr.. Charles Sumner was elected Senator of the
United States, groan Of despair deep and doleful
enough to have prognOstcated chaos, came up from
the 30 called conservatives of Massachusetts the
frigid gentlemen Of Boston kindled into passion;
the Leading journals of the State poured forth col
umn after column, now mournful and now NINA
cisus; while Mr.. Justice Curtis, with that
instinct which has always distinguished bad
Judges, was for instantly indicting the whole
Coalition al Common Law Nor did Mr..
Sumner escape the contumey thus literally shower
ed upon his friends. He was mere rhetOrican-
be was nothing but man Of books; he was to!er-
able scholar, but an intOlerabe statesman; he was
well enough in his study, but sbsurdy out of place
in the Senate.
We need not, in view of recent e7ents, point
out the change which has taken place in the public
sentiment of Massachusetts,. 1t is not too much
to say that Mr.. Sumner is at this moment the
most popular man in the State the opinions
of which be so truly represents. Nor will ii
90 to attribute this general love, honor and
sympathy entirely TO the feonious assault made
upon Mr.. Sumner. Had he been less true TO
the cause committed to his keeping; had be
trimmed and tenporzsd and spoken softly when
he should have spoken sharply, he would have been
safe from the bludgeon Of the bully aud might have
won the smiles instead Of the expectations Of
certain serve Senator. The people of Msssachu-
sets have estimated Mr.. Summers service in all
its length and breadth; they have duly weighed al
its incidents and indignites-whst he has suffered,
what he has accomplished, and what he tss failed
10 accomplish; and their verdict, expressed in
Yesterdays al most unanimous vote in the House of
Representative, bestows upon him crown Of
honor which may well sssuage the hope deferred Of
y tardy cCnyalesctnce. Few pubic men have had
such large opportunities; few pubic men have 50
noby improved then.
Ia ccDne .ton With Mr.. Summer il may not be
improper to speak Of another Massachusetts st,tes
msn, who, with 81 experience widely different, has
won reputation hardly inferior. Mr.. Henry VIII
son was, We believe, the first to propose tie name
of his colleague for the vacant Sels.Orstip; aud
during the unprecedented struggle which followed,
be labOred BY day and BY night-he spent time aud
money-he devoted al his great personal Influence,
to secure the elsction Of bis friend NJ Wilson
was then as he was alterward, the great bugbear
Of the Massachusetts, toad eaters aid trimmers.
Ii was their trm conviction that Lie had horns aud
hOOis, and the esudal appendage trsdiaonslly as
signed 70 the Father OF Les; that he was sort Of
small Machiavelli; that lie was the most art
iul and unprncipled politician in the Con-
mOnweal.h. No man was ever so s5sardly
misiudged. Mr.. wilson owes his success,
and lis present opportunities Of usefulness, solely
10 his fidelity to principles lie is go far from beng
an ntrisuer, that if he has one characteristic more
prominent than another, it is tie blunt simplicity
with which be advances opinions aud promotes
measures. That he relies mainly upon the force Of
Truth, snd very little upon party management is
proved by lie openDess with which be acts. We
hardy kLOw Il politician who keeps secret 20
badly. IL this honesty he has found bis account
State ,t,t,t las Gscoc.tL that, shecussee a. ac