New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-10-17
MIR. sum ner In London.
Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial
LONDON, September %, Is

LONDON, September %, 1872.
A few days ago an elderly gentleman
alighted at the door of Maurigy's Hotel, and
entering, stood for a moment exchanging a
steady look with the veteran proprietor of
the establishment. The newly-arrived guest
spoke to him in French, the hotel proprie-
tors native tongue-''M. Maurigy, you do
not know me-" 81 know you perfectly"
responded the old man. "You are Senator
Sumner. Fifteen years have passed, and
where now are the men who used to gather
round you then? Where is Lord Brougham,
and where is Lord CranmOuth? And Lord
Palmerston ; yes, he used to come and see
you too. They are gone" Then Maurigy
invites the Senator in, and proceeds to treat
him as if he were the last of his famous pa
irons. But the old hotel proprietor is about
the only one of Charles Summers former
friends who was here to welcome him. Not,
indeed, because they have gone the way of
Maurigy's list, for many yet remain but
chiefly because the Senator has hit the dead
season straight on the bead. No member of
the aristocracy less democratic than Sir
Charles Dixie could be found in London in
September without raising suspicious as to
the condition of his estates; and / need
hardly say that Sir Charles Immediately paid
his respects to the Senator, and enjoyed his
company at dinner.
/ cannot help thinking that but for GER
tain speech which Charles Sumner delivered
in the Senate, and which has had a wide Cir
culation in this country, there would have
been larger muster of his former friends on
the occasion of this visit; but it was with
pleasure that he received telegram from
those who were his dearest friends here, the
Duke and Duchess of Argyle, conveying
most cordial invitation to him to visit them
| at Inverary Castle, where they now are. a
! similar telegram came from John Bright, in
| wiling him to ROchdale. Mr.. Sumner did not
| like to believe that his speech concerning
| England had aienated any of the many and
warm friends he had made in this country,
and my apprehensons that such is the case
may be shown to be unfOunded when he re-
turns here from Paris a few weeks hence.
But l may say, concerning that speech,
| though l believe it to have been mistaken in
several of its points, that bitter as it was to
the English, it had much to do in securing
the apology of England, and the new princi-
pie of International law, upon the basis of
which the settlement was finally reached.
| Mr. Sumner has devoted his time since he
has been in London chiefly TO visiting the
galleries of art He is not only passionate
admirer of the works of art-Of which, as it
is we'll known, he has q good collection in
| Washington--but he is, so far as the Vene-
tan and Dutch schools are concerned, a con-
noisseur. He sat for a long time each day
gazing upon the Turner's and Claudes in the
National Gallery, but his chief enthusiasm
was for AIRY Scheffer's Francisco de
Rimini," in the Bethnal Green marquis of
Hartford) collection. This he seemed to
think as grand a picture as was ever painted.
But as walked with him amid great works
of art, the veteran Senator's mind again and
again wandered to the American struggle,
and no one who had seen him then could
have any doubt that he has come to this
country with heavy heart. M. ID. G.