New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-30

ure which had stung him 10 deeply, ana When ,stus
vigor lifted him up aud new sunourst OF nope Iu
mined ms life How thankful We all are that be hVea
that one year longerl q. ..,,, ,n
those dark DAYS when many clouds hung over MN.
would not then the much yilned man been tne Sam
millions OF hearts with pang OF Dersa' y, s rnv ~,
praise is now every lip for tbe purity OF ms Ie' @
ms fidelity TO great principies anu tor tno
ioftuess Of his parriotismf Was De not .
year ago the same the same III In pr VIA. hai
same in principle, the same IN character H a. 49, 49,
he done then that so.smanY who praise MN 0dIy
should have then disowned him see wh.t ne ma u'T
He had simply been true u MA convictions OF Iiy.
had approved and urged wnat ne thougn. . aie,
he had attacked and opp9S'eI ~ wn1 ne ned sacri.
wrong. To his convictions Oh uu a. -" % Inn the
feed political associations most GEAR 10 nln' nno
security % ms duty he had stood up
aganst those powerful than ne ne had 11p9's ~
himself 70 reproach oDioluy anu . % on nrsise
TO-DAY: and vet for doing he was cried Town Du ys
terday. He mad nveu up 70 ta =. T Je oq prncinIe
when be entered the sennte lis sSo " ,ssatad
call no party master" That declaration WaS Nes..I
call I,lrtv master the act was wth rcproaeh
The spirit impellng him 10 do so was the same con
powerful party which controlled his state IN the
days Daniel Webster, and TO JON ieeole ininory.
favor aud defy the power Of the wealthy Shy
and refined, in order 70 plead the cause Oh ne
down-trodden aud degraded 70 stand np against the
slave power in Congress with courage never
TO attack the prejudice of blrh aud religion ana 70 plead
~ ,rlessly for the rights or the fOrebOrn citizen AT
time when the Know-Nothing movement was con
trolling his STATE and might nave cma ans
ctnation when Others rrembled with fear; to
march ahead of ms followers wHeh they were
afraid TO follow; rise up alone for what ne th0ught
right would not rise with MIN IL was tnat
brave spirit which does every lng denes ever SIs'
risks everything, sacrifices everything comfort society,
party popular support station OF honor prospects, or
sense OF right and eonyctoh Ol uu,S racted
him yesterday. and for which you honor LIN again
to-day, and VIII honor him forever.
THE LESSON OF THE RESOLUTION or cENsURE.
All, what a lesson this for the American psopei
LESSON learned so Often and, alas forgotten almost
often as il Is learned! Is 1t well o discourage, 20 pro-
scribe in your public that independent spirit which
will boldly assert conscientious sense OF duty, even
against the power party II Is vel t. teach
them that they the command and interest OF
party even at price OF conscience or they mn,t e
crushed under its heel whatever the past service,
Whatever their ability, wheyer ther eh-raS III a y
l. u well to make them believe that he WIN dares
TO himself must De hunted as POn1ieal Outlaw Nbo
been sad mural OF his death, uad Charles Sumner
dIed "a year ago. ,.,.,-
always been the independent spirit the andelyIlE
OF duty which bro&e the way Tor every great pro
gressye movement since mankind has a history when
gave the American e0ones their soSereighy ahI
made tnIs great republic winch dehed the pow
men ana whieh-wno knows-may again be
neeGed some day TO DEFY the power Oh Rho
subtle tyranny OF cation II order TO preyerYe TINS
as "a republic And therefore let no man understand me
as Offering what have sad about Mr.. summers course
during the last period or his life, an apology for what
he aid. He was right before his own conscience and
needs no apology Woe To the republic when 10 looks IN
vain for tue VINO seek the truth without prejudice
ana speak truth without fear, as they understand IT,
no matter whether the world be willing 70 listen or hot
Alas for the generation that wonld put such men INTO
for what was IN them noOlest and best. Who
VIII not agree that, had power or partisan
spirit which prosecuted him because nc 1ol-
lowed higher aims than party interest," ever sue
ceeded subugating and moulding hun after us tash
ION against MS conscience, against his convection or
duty nd of rght, he would have sunk into ms
grave miserable ruin VI his great seI Wrecked IN bS
moral nature deserving only tear OF PITY FOR ne was
great and useful only because he dared 10 be himself all
the days his life and for this you have, Wnen he aled'
From the coffin which hides his body, Charles Sumner
rises up before our eyes historic eharaetr Les
look &C him once more his lie hes before u IKE an
open book which contains no double meanings, no
crooked passages, no my stories, no eonceaimehts Is
Even lis warmest friend will in it the model OF
perfect craftsmanship, nor mat eage gla.ee Nh n
from lofty eminence at one sweep surveys inc WHO'S
field on when by labor, Thought, strife, accomno-
t1e destiRes of a nation are worked out-and
winch. while surveying the whole. yet observes
am. peuetraes the fitness and working OF every deta!
o the great machinery; not that ever calm and
ue existing things lust as they are and exciting
forces Just what they can accomplish, anu wbile
instruclug cOnciating persuadIng, and mOldng those
forces. guiding them on toward an ideal end cor
recLy estimates comparative good aud comparative
eyI, mpels or Restraints as that estimate nay CON
maud That is the genius OF craftsmanship, lifting
times al circumstances and all great objects " DO
Mr. summers natural abilities were Of the first
order; Uut they were supplemented by acquired abilities
create by Inspiration it produced by study and work
Neither had hls mind superior constructive caDaeli'.
NAen desired % originate measure " legislation no
scarcely elaborated Us practical detail; be usually
threw ais Idea into INC form OF resolution. OF OIL
gYiE the main hls purpose only and then Ie yinced
10 Je discussion OF e principles involved. AZ WAS diri
cult Tor hun TO look at question OF aproDm from more
point OF view Iad 30 comprehend It's different
bearings It's complex relations wltu other questions or
proD.ens and 10 tha one point OF view be was apt TO
subject all other considerations. lie not only thought
bur he did not hesitate 20 say that all construction OF the
Constitution must De suDseryien % the supreme duty
giving the anpest protection to tue natural ugdts
Of man by direct national legislation he was not Tree
from mat tendency 70 forget tina limits which
bound the legitimate range OF legislative anu govern
mental acsi9n. On ~ s.."5 %erS
one f Is ast regrets tla his health All not hermit nm
70 make speech ia favor OF an early resumption OF
specie payments. On matters OF later national law and
foreign affairs tho recognized authority OF tAe
senate.
But some Of his very shortcomings served TO increase
public life thrown INTO pgroI Of revolutionary
character wncn one great end was tue sel-DpOsed
subject OF "A universal slrugge, a struggle when was
nor made not manufacture 10y the desin OF men, out
had grown from the natural couct " existing things,
rresistbly and On, until tenyelopeh All tho
Thought OF the nation aud that one great endaUpesug
than u the practical sense 10 the moral impulses
OF mel, making or them the nghtng force. There MI.
SumDer found his place, ana there ne grew great,
Tor mat moral impulse was stronger IN MN than IN
most OF the world around MIN; ana ~ was IN
him not a mere crude, untutOred force OF nHure,
but educated and elevated by thought and study;
ana found III his brain ana neaFt an anoy Of strOAg
weapons gwen 10 but few: vast Information legal
learning indusI1y' e,o4ueace' uhuauusI eouISse,
an independent ana IRON VIII profound cohNisS-
ions, unsounded devotion and sublime Iatn. IL found
"A
which reached aud the forces which must b. set
in motion and driven reach them. Thus keeping
the end steadily, obstnately, intensely In view, he
marched ahead Of his followers, never disturbed ny
their anxetles and tears. showing them that what was
necessary Was possibe and forcing them 20 iOOg hlm
IA great moving pOwer-such as the struggle required
Nor said that this impatient, lrrepresslDe
Propulsion was against all prudence ana sound iudE-
ment, for n must not be forgotten that, when Mr.
sumner stepped into the front, tine policy OF compromise
was exhausted the time % composition and eXpedent
was past Things lad far that the idea OF
in9 tins end, which ultimately must be reached, by
concession and gradual and peaoeable process,
utterly hopeless. The conflicting forces could not
recOncled the na struggle indeed IRE ressIDe
and Inc yl.abe AND all that could then be done 70