The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-01-20

obtain the writer's name and addres
by applying to the publisher of the Re
publican. A. j. G.
Messrs. Sumner and stevens.
Charles Sumner, the protagonist O
the extreme wing of the Republican
party in the Senate, and Thaddeus Ste
Vens, who marshals its forces in the
House, resemble each other in position,
principles, and the peculiar ferocity Oi
their party spirit more than in the gen.
eral ineaments of their mental and
personal characters. The partisan ran.
cor which is common to both strikes
its root into different moral soils Both
are egotists; but Summers is the ego
tism of vanity, Stevens of contemptu-
Gus pride, which is q stronger and more
selfsubsistent quality. Sumner is q
scholar, seeking in literary research
materials for personal display, having
more Of q snowy charlatanism than of
seholarlike exactness; Stevens has none
of the fOibles of a pedant, and is SO lit
tie of q reader that he last winter drew
upon himself volleys of derision by a
motion which betrayed total ignorance
Of the present state of financial science,
although he was at the head of q com
mittee having that class of subjects
| specially in charge. AS parliamentary
debaters these men are as great con-
trast TO each other as in all other mi
nor respects. Summers speeches smell
Of the lamp he cannot speak with ef-
feet without elaborate preparation. Ste
vens trusts to his natural readiness
he deals his most effective thrusts at
points which his adversary leaves at
that moment exposed. Summers speak
ing is ornate and pretentious Stevens's
pertinent and caustic. Sumner has no
capacity as a taOtician his mind has
too little alertness, and his habit of
looking at things through the medium
of books units him for seeing what is
close to his nose without his spectacles.
Stevens has a quick eve for all the cir
cumstanoes which attend the progress
Of a measure through the House; by
an adrOit motion, an apt retort, a skill
full evasion, an adroit amendment, or q
division of the question, he will often
aid or obstruct a bill more in three
minutes than Sumner could in 8 three
hours speech, which had cost him
three weeks preparation. If we follow
them to their homes and inquire into
their ordinary habits, we find the one
a deliver in libraries, without capacity
to acquire property or even to support
q family; the other shrewd and some
what imperiOus man of business, sue
ceeding in the care of large private
undertaking. When we look at the
men, the first glance shows that Sum
ner studies his toilet with the solieitude
of a petit Haitrs, while Stevens dresses
with the careless decency which BELTS
a man occupied with more important
business than self contemplation.
How does It happen that men SO diff
ferent in their moral and intellectual
physiognOmy are the eXponents, in the
two Houses of Congress, of the same
set Of ideas? Party passions aside,
there are no two men in public life
who would be less disposed TO seek
each others society, or 10 sympathise
in each others mental habits There
ought to exist between them the mu-
tual repulsion of haughtiness and vaui-
ty, of mother-Wit and pedsntry, of busi-
ness habits and bookishness. Both |
have suffered private injuries from the |
South but common continent Of |
vengeance does not explain the phe-
nomenon, Effects do not precede their |
causes. IL was because Mr.. Sumner |
had shown great extravagance in vitu
perating the South that he was ss-
ssulted in the ISenate chamber and
Mr.. Stevens iron mills were burnt by
the rebel troops on account of the rep
utation he had previously acquired
Magpanimous and chlvalrous men
would be inclined to act with Iaodefr
alton in q pubic course liable to the
imputation Of private motives; but
as neither of these men has ever been
admired for magnanimity or chivalry,
it is probable that their sorimony may
be rendered more persistent by their
individual grievances. A generous
character appears to advantage in
avenging the injuries of others; but
not Ia eoYertly aVenging their own
under the guise of philanthropy or
public spirit.
These gentlemen have point of re-
semblance in their want of mental bal
ance. Sound judgment results from a
patient survey of all sides of q question,
and the careful weighing of conflicting
considerations A pedant who reads,
not to weigh and consider, but to
gather materials for display, is quite as
likely to 60 wrong as contemner Of
learning who does not read at all. Both
Mr. Sumner and Mr.. Stevens hold the
nsrroWest views Of the narrowest men
in their party. Amy man inspired with
intense malignity towards the South
would easily reach their opinions, no
matter how feeble or confused his in-
tellect Mr.. Sumner lends his learning
and Mr.. Stevens his shreWdness, to the
advocacy Of views which it required
neither learning nor shreWdness, but
only hatred and bigotry, to form. To
humiliate the Southern people, confs-
cate their property, strip them Of polit-
ical privileges, and make their late
slaves their equals, is a policy which
the meanest intellect was competent to
devise, provided that intellect was in
spired by intense malignity. Nothing
IS easier than 70 DRIFT forward on s
strong current Of passion. And when
men can crafty the worst feelings of
human nature under the mask Of pub
lie virtue, pleasing themselves with the
idea that hatred Of their countrymen
is compassion for an oppressed race,
they satisfy their craving for repu tation
at much smaller cost than if they
were, st every step, to consult their
reason or conscience, in laborious in
quiry after truth and right
Whenever the negro question is taken
out of politics, Mr.. Sumner will sink
into insignifcance. As a scholar, he
has produced no original work, as q
statesmau, hs has broached no impor-
tant measure; as political leader, he
has no gift for acquiring ascendency
over other minds. dis natural employ.
ment is literary research, and the repe-
titiOn, in smooth OF stiltsd phrases Of
the thoughts OF abler minds. he has
| Judgment enough TO see that the aboli-
ton of slavery is one Of the great
achievements Of recent times, and he
has the ambition to figure In history
a. the leading apostle of this worthy
cause. He hopes 10 be remembered As
q Clsrkson or a Wuberforce. But, con-
scious that he has no solid claim 10 such
q distinction, he seeks 70 make up in
extravagsnce what he lacks in merit
lust as In his other character Of u liter
AIRY man be tries 70 conceal his poverty
OF original thought BY tricks Of style
and parade Of erudition.
Mr. Stevens is 8 naughty, disoppaint-
ed spirit, selfsufhcient and impractica-
bic, who feels that his success in pub
lie life has not been equal TO ais abili-
ties. and, with touch Of eccentricity
and sc0rn, and the peeyishness Of old
age, he wishes 10 wreAk upon some
body the Pent-up passions Of a life
| time
The prominence Of these gentlemen
in the public eye is no measure Of their
political importance. Since the close