Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-06-08
cHARLEs SUMMERS SPEECH.


we observe every day, that most critics show
us more of themselves, than of the objects of
their criticism. They may not be able to
comprehend the matter of which they speak
and give an accurate account of it; or they
may be too much swayed by sinister inhuen-
ces, to see clearly and speak justly but, in
their criticisms, they reveal themselves with
out mistake. We find this very strikingly il
Illustrated in some of the newspaper notices of
Charles Summers speech just delivered in the
national senate. The New York Herald re-
cognizes Mr.. Summers ability and accom-
plishments, while it blackguards the speech in
the most satanic style, but makes one feel, all
the time, that Bennett would just as readily
BLACKBOARD slavery, if anybody would make it
his interests to do so. The democratic papers
say of the speech precisely what is expected
from them, and the public generally would be
greatly astonished to hear even one of them
speak otherwise. 1t is from a few of the re-
publican papers that we get the most notable
criticisms of Mr.. Summers speech, SUCH for
example, as that which came to us in the New
York Tribune The Tribune feared that such
plain, strong speaking might do harm to the
Kansas BILL or to something else, and
thought it saw a confirmation of its fears in
the coarse and insulting TRADE of Mr.. Ches-
nut.
Yet nobody undertakes to deny the barbar-
ism of. slavery, or to confute any portion of
Mr.. Summers argument He discussed slave
nd
He was too much in earnest TO use holiday
and lady terms" or to perfume his sentences
with rose-water; but he spoke in noble,
brave way, and produced effect which
could not leave his auditors as it found them
Such a speech may create disturbance in
weak nerves, and give considerable uneasness
to those very wise and wakeful persons, who
on all important occasions, so confidently claim
a monopoly of wisdom, and anxiously en-
deavor to substitute their own velvetfngered
stealhy agency for that of Providence. That
timid old gentlemen who love quiet corners,
slippers, and easy chairs should start and cry
'hush ?' when such speaker rises, is no more
than we should expect. 1t is altogether rea-
sonabe, just as much so as it is to expect, on
the other hand, that the foremost Zouayes of
the army will not be the first to preach cow
ardice To shiver at bold and earnest speech,
and take pains to have it treated as an outlaw,
is silly weakness as well as treason to
truth. Honest words earnestly spoken will al
ways take care of themselves There is d.
vinity in them. They never return void.
And, where they are demanded, where all TIE
circumstances of time, place, manners and per.
sonal relations require them to be spoken, it is
an offence against proPriety to use any others.
If there is any place in this country where
downright speech on the slavery question is
needed, it is in the national senate and, if
any man living has earned the right to speak
it there, it is Charles Sumner He has had in
that body an experience of the brutal barbar-
ism of slavery which the whole country has
studied and we see slavery there now, on the
one hand, in the seornful arrogance of such
men as Mason of Virginia, and, on the other,
in the coarseness and drunken vulgarity of
such as Wigfal of Texas. Shall Mr.. Sumner
speak softly, dainty, and with bated breath,
lest such men be offended and take it into
their heads to vote on the rabid pro.slavery
side of the next question that comes up
Vote against Kansas, for instance D.? Why,
the stupidest unreason should crawl off into
some dark hole of meanness, before venturing
to say so, There is common, even in the
senate, vulgar, insulting, and graceless bar
harism of speech in behalf of slavery, which
ought to move the whole country to astonish
ment and the severest rebuke. But those who
use such speech assume to be masters of the
place and oracles of propriety. The demo
cratic party appauds and honors them
Should Mr.. Sumner descend to their level and
adopt their style, he would deserve sharp crit
lcism. But, his worst enemies know very
well that he never departs from the style Of
the accomplished scholar and orator. 1t is
the truth he utters that shakes the nerves Of
the slave interest and creates sensation.