Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-10-08
Senator Summers Speech.


following passages from it,
On this most interesting occasion, so proper
for gratitude, it is difficult TO see anything but
the cause; and yet, appearing before you en-
the invitation of committee Of the common
wealth, l must not forget that | owe this
privilege to my public character as a senator
of Massachusetts. 1t is in this character that
have been often invited before; but now the
invitation has more than its accustomed sig
niticance, for, at the close of long period of
public service, it brings me face tor face with
my constituents. In different condition Of
the country, could not decline the opportun-
ity which is afforded of reviewing the rela-
tons between us; of showing at least how
you took me from private stations, all untried,
and gave me one of your highest trusts and
how this trust was enhanced by the generosity
| with which you sustained me against obloquy
and vindictive assault, especially by your I'M
| paralleled indulgence to me throughout pro-
tracted disability; and, perhaps, might be
so bold, of presenting for your consideration
some sketch of what l have attempted, con-
| sciouS that, if not always successful, have
been at all times faithful to my convictions,
and faithful also to your interests, sparing
nothing of time or effort, and making up by
| industry for any lack of ability, so that, dur
| lllS d SGINlCC VI IlOlt lldu clcNGH years,
l have never once visited home while con-
| greSs was in session, or been absent for a
| single day, unless when compelled by i'll
ness, and during the session, which has just
| closed, filled with most lahorious duties,
was not out of my seat, from beginning to end,
| for single hour. But this is not the time for
| such review. | have no heart for it while
| my country is in danger. And yet shall not
lose the occasion to challenge the scrutiny Of
| all, even here in this commercial metropolis
where the interests of business are sometimes
| placed above all interests. Frankly and fear
lessly make my appeal. In all simplicity l
ask you to consider what l have done, as your
servant, whether in the senate or out of the
senate, in matters of legislation or in matters
of business. If there is any one disposed to
criticise or complain, let him be heard. Let
the whole record of my public acts be opened
and let any of the numerous persons who have
come to me on business testify. | know too
well the strength of my case to shrink from
any inquiry, even though stimulated by the
luminosity of political warfare.
But there are two accusations often repeat
ed to which l reply on the spot, and do so
with less hesitation because the topics are
germane to this occasion. The first is that
| from my place in the senate | early proclaim
| ed slavery to be barbarism. Never shall the
cause of freedom go by default if l can help
it; and l rejoice that on that occasion, in pres
| ence Of the slayeholding conspirators, vaunt-
| ing the ennobling character of slavery, | used
| no soft words. 1t is true, that, in direct reply
| to most offensive assumptions, l proclaimed
| slavery barbarous in origin; barbarouS in law ;
barbarous in all its pretenSions barbarous in
the instruments it employs; barbarous in con-
| sequences; barbarous in spirit; barbarouS
ttHrlnD ,l,,
barians and developes everywhere alike in
the individual and in the society to which it
belongs, the essential elements of barbarism.
1t is true that on the same occasion portray
ed slavery as founded in violence and sustain
ed only by violence, and declared that such
| wrong must, by a sure law of compensation
| blast the master as well as the slave; blast
| the land on which they live; blast the COM
| munity of which they are a part blast the
| government which does not forbid the out
rage; and the longer it exists, and the more
| completely it prevails, must its blasting ntfu-
| ence penetrate the whole social system. And
was not right: Since then the testimony
has been overwhelming. committee of the
senate has made report, which has been eX-
tenslvely circulated, on the barbarities of this
rebellion. You know the whole story to which
each day testities 1t is in some single Incl
| NNllt tlltAt bu MAY SGG lue lOW-WdleT marx OF
social life, and l know nothing in which the
barbarsm of slavery is more completely ex-
hibited than in the fate of our brave soldiers
dug up from honorable graves, where at last
they had found rest, that their bones might be
carved into keepsakes, and their skulls into
drinking cups, to crafty the malignant hate of
slave masters.
| The other accusation is similar in character.
1t Is said that have too often introduced the
slavery question. At this moment, seeing
what slavery has done, doubt if you will not
rather say. that l introduced it too seldom.
If on this account | had neglected any single
interest of my constituents; if | had been
less strenuous whenever the foreign relations,
or manufactures. or commerce, or finances
OF the country were involved; if | had failed
to take my part in all that concerns the peo-
pie OF Massachusetts and all that is embraced
within the manifold duties of a senator; then,
indeed, | might be open to condemnation
But you will not regret that your rep1 esenta-
tive, who has been faithful in all other things,
has been always constant and earnest against
| slavery and that he announced from the be-
ginning the magnitude of the question, and
our duties with regard to it. Say what you
| will, the slave is the humblest and grandest
figure of our times. What humanity What
grandeur! both alike illimtabe In his pre-
sence all other questions are so petty that for
public man to be wrong with regard to him
is to be wholly wrong. How then did | err !?
The cause would have justified better per-
tinacity than l can boast. In the senate of
Rome, the elder Cato, convinced that peace
was possible only by the destruction of Garth
| age, concluded all his speeches on every mat
ter Of debate, by the well known words, ''But
whatever you may think of the question under
| consideration, this | know, Carthage must be
| destroyed" | have never read that the vet
| eran senator was condemned for patriotic ar
| dor. With better reason, far, / too might
have cried always, ''this / know, slavery must
be troyed'-Delenda est Sergitudo. But
while seeking to limit and constrain slavery,
| never have proposed anything except in
strictest conformity with the constitution, for
l have always recognized the constitution as
my guide, which was bound in all respects
to follow.
Such are the accusations to which l now
thus briefly reply. Now that we are all
united in the policy of emancipation, they
become of little consequences for even if
were once alone | am no longer so.
place myself, with the loyal multitudes of
the north, firmly and sincerely by the side
OF the president, where, indeed, | have ever
been.
If you will bear with me yet longer in allu-
slons which / make with reluctance. shall
quote as my unanswerable defence the words
OF Edmund Burke, when addressing his con-
stituents of Bristol:
And now, gentlemen, on this serious dav.
"hen come, as it were to make up nv ac-
, count with you, let me take to myself some
degree OF honest pride on the nati,ra of tho