New-York tribune., 1873-02-07
A TALK WITH SUMNER.
HIS VIEWS OF FOREIGN STATESMEN AND
HOME POLITICS.

BROUGHAMS OPINION OF NAPOLEON ILL.,
AMERICAN ENERGY-THERE Is HOPE FOR
THE COUNTRY.
FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THB TRTBUEBl
WASHINGTON Jan. 19.-Senator Sumner although
compelled by physical weakness to withdraw for
time from the Senate. where he has long been a
controlling power, and from the social circles so
long graced 10y his presence is not deprived of the
society of his friends Reclining in an arm chair in
his library, surrounded by manuscripts and books
and choice paintings he receives constant success
sion of visitors entertaining them one and all with
his vell-knOwn genial courtesy and urbanity. Yes
terday was invited to call upon the Senator with
party of his friends, and we found him locking
better than wohad anticipated. His eye is brilliant
his smile as ready as ever to illumne his face; and
strange to say, he has never at any period OF his
career appeared so sereney cheerful and hopeful.
Mr. Sumner seemed to take great deal of pride IN
displaying for the benefit of his friends, the rare
treasures which he has brought with him from his
recent tour in Europe old Bible the property OF
John Buuyan; manuscript copy of that spirited
lyrio of Burns. Scots, wha hae WI Wallace bled;
volumes belonging to Pope and Voltaire, enriched
with comments and emendatOns in the handwriting
of these authors and most curious little book, an
elementary geography written In Latin, and pub
lished in Lorraine in the 10th century, by some
obscure schOomaster, whose work Is made memoTa-
bile to us by the fact that it baptizes the new world
then so recently discovered with the name which 1t
still bears In this work it is first suggested that
the Western Continent should be called America and
out of respect to Amercus Vespucius the dscOverer
aman Of rare skill and sagacity. The author (who
evidently has no prophetic insight into the woman
movement adds quantity: And this is the more
proper and desirable since both Europe and Asia
have been named after women" After we had ex-
IL no
conversation turned upon public men and affairs.
The first person discussed was President Theirs,
of whom Sumner spoke with high commendation.
He pronounced him a man of great learning. varied
accomplishments wide experience. profound sagacity;
amodel for the youth of France who could not do bet
ter than 70 cultivate their faculties aTduousy he
had done; statesman in the highest sense of the
word and standing as he did at the head of affairs
the right man in the right place. There no
doubt Sumner said. that Theirs would have pre-
ferred a constitutional monarchy TO the republic;
hut satisfied that the republic ne
cessity in France, he had resigned his in
cunations and would be true to the form of
government which was the peoples choice.
Whatever we may think Of NJ. Thiers's wisdom and
integrity as a statesman, there is question: be-
lieve, as TO his literary ability and, above all, his
knowledge Of art He had a splendid collection of
paintings and statues valued 100000 francs, and
which during the recent disturbances i'll Paris
DESTROYED by the Communists. Moreover, he has
long been promising the French public work upon
art. This we learned from Sumner would probably
never appear NJ. Thiers finds that he would have TO
study faithfully all the principal statues and paint
ings i'm the world in order to do his subject justice,
and, unfortunately, he has not the time TO devote
himself to a task arduous. Judging however,
from the delightful conversations upon art with Mr..
o. AZ hp n
subtle and profound critic: his appreciation of for
cign artists seemed to me most unusual in French
man, the intense nationality Of whose countrymen-
at least until the advent of Taine-has rendered
them incapable of entering into the spirit of the
great writers and artists of other nations
Gladstone was the next person that we talked
about and | for one felt more sympathy with Mr..
Summers appreciation of this great man than with
his admiration Of Theirs Our Senator spoke of the
English statesman with heartfelt warmth He was
the greatest statesman, he said, that England had
ever had; of grand ability, of unblemished
integrity He repeated several times How proud
] should be of him if were an Englishman." Sum-
ner secuted the idea that England is declining in
power on the contrary he thinks that her strength
is augmenting and that she never before so
GREET. 1t is indeed singular 10 see how fOndly
ne seems to think of the mother country,
with that tenderness of remembrance to
which Hawthorne refers, in spite of his
recent sharp and bitter collision with the English
people. He spoke with enthusiasm Of the beauty of
England with its smooth green swards and gisten-
fening hedges, the whole country lovely landscape
GARDEN of the grandeur of its architecture its
thedrals and palaces begrimed with smoke OBJ
scured by a foggy atmosphere; but moro truly no.
BILE and satisfactory than the more splendid monu-
ments of France he told of the impression the stu
pendousness of London always made upon him, that
vast city where you could ride for miles in any di-
recton and still find yourself among Of palaces.
While we were thus chatting of people and events
IN Summers library, the body of Napoleon, the ex-
Emperor was lying in state at Chiselhurst; the
courts of Europe had donned their mourn
ing in his honor; and statesmen and gen
erals were paying homage to his wife as
regent O& France, and greeting his son as
Napoleon the Fourth. The conversation turned
naturally uponthe life of this man, who has exerted
such disastrous influence upon the fortunes Of
France and Europe. And now for the first time did
we see the lion in Sumner aroused; a CLEAN Of the
old fiery scon and indignation. 81 am thankful"
he said that have never varied in my opinion of
that man at any period any opinion, that is, of his
moral baseness his capacity, his mental caliber is
problematical have not been able to determine it
20 my own satisfaction"
Tell us about your early acquaintance with hin"
said one of his guests. This was fortunate sugges
ton for it called out fund of sparkling anecdotes
about the pleasant days of DID, and the brilliant peo-
pie that figured in them.
II met Napoleon first at Lady BlessngtOn's. then
was young, enthusiastic, determined, thorough
Yankee. and had been good deal petted and ca
ressed in Lady Blessington's circle. One evening
the Prince arrived Unexpectedly, and she called
Count D'Orsay and told him we must be made
known to each other SO it was Count D'Orsay that
rrince of daudes a man who if be had lived in an