, 1874-05-02
A Magnificent Tribute to, tho
Memory Of tho Massachu-
sotts Senator.
Tie Career of the Great CHAM
pion of Freedom.
Analysis Of His Character, and Sum-
mary Of His Work.

Full Text Of the Grafton Delivered
at Boston on Wednesday
Last.
Whom tho nows went forth, "Obarlos sumnor
10 doad," tremor Of strange emotion WAS folt all
over ho1and. 1t Was Us II magnificent star, .
etar unlike all others, which tho living gonora-
ton had boon wont to bollold fl1od and ipmova-
bio above tholr heads, had all at onoo disappoar-
I'd from tho aky, and tho pooplo Rtarod into tho
groat void darkened by tho sudden abaenoe OF
tho familiar light.
On tho 1Gll Of March funornl procession
passed through tho streets Of Boston. Uncount-
Cd thousands OF men, women, and ohildron had
sgeomb1od to 300 It. No uncomm on pngoant had
Attracted thom; no military parade with glitter
Ing uniforms and gay bannors; no pompous ar
ray Of dignitaries In official roboB; nothing but
carriages, aud o learao with D co1ln md In It
tho corpse OF Charles Sumner. But thoro they
stood,-a multitude Immeasurablo to tho eyo,
rich and poor. whlto and blaek, old snd young
10 grave and mournful slonco, to bid last sad
farewell to him who WAS boing borne to his
grave. And every broeze from every point Of
the compass camo loaded with Sigh Of sorrow.
fndeed thore vas not city or town In this grcas
raiproceHsion with tho aamo spectacle OF D
profound universal senso Of great bereavement.
Was 1t love; waB It gratitude for tho services
rendered to tho people; was It the ballled ex-
poctation OF grcater service still to como was 1t
admiration Of his talonts or his virtues, that III
spired 30 goncrnl an emotion OF sorrow?
Ho had stood aloof from tho multitude tho
friendship of his heart had been given to
but few; to tho many ho had appeared
distant, self-satisnea, aud cold. His public
lfo had boon full OF bitter conflicts. No man
had arouBcd against hin,se]t 1orcor aniuloaitias
Although warmly recognized by many, the pub
lo aeryicaB Of no man hal boon moro acrimo-
niously questioned by opponents NoBtatcsmau's q
motives, qualities Of heart and mind, wisdom and
character, except bis integrity, had boon the sub
1cee Of more heated controversy; and yet, when
sudden death snatchcd him from us, friond and
Zoo bowed their heads alike. Eyory patriotio
oitizon fclt poorer than tho day before. Every
true American heart trombled with the appre-
hsnsion that the Republic had lost something it
could i'll spare. Even from far distant lands,
scross tho ocean, voices camo, miugliug their
sympathetic grief with our own.
When you, Mr.. Mayor, in tho name Of tho City
Government Of Boston, invited me to interpret
that which millions think and fool thanked
you for tho proud privilege you Ind conferred
upon me. and the invitation appealed so irreaist-
IDLY to my frioudghfp for tho man we had lost,
that could not decline 1t. And yet, tho thought
struck mo TINT you might have prepared great
er triumph to his momory had you summoned,
not mo, his friend, but ono Of those vino had
stood against him in the struggles OF his life. to
bear testimony to Charles sumnor'a virtues.
There arc mnny among them today. to whose
senae Of Justice you might havo safely conadoa
tho Office, which to me Ia q task Of lovo.
Hero I SEQ his frionds around mo, tho friends
Of his youth, Of hts manhood, OF lis advancing
ago; among them, mon whose illustrfouR names
arc household words, as far rs the Engliah
tongue is spoken, aud far beyond. saw tham
standing round his open gravn when 1t roooivod
the 1owor-deoked coffin, mute Badnoss heavily
olouding their brows. I understood their grief,
for nobody could share it moro than I.
In such i presence, tho temptation is great to
sock that consolation for our loBa which bcroavcd
friendship finds IN tho e1altation OF its boreayo-
mont. but not to you or mo belongs lis mem
ory now that ho is gone. His doods. hiB ex-
ample, aDd ha fame, ho loft as legacy to tho
American people and to mankind; and 1t ia my
Office to speak Of this inheritance. cappot
epeak OF 1t without Affection. T shall endoavor
10 do It with Justice.
THE STORY OF Nh. suMSEn'B EARLY LIpE.
Among tho public characters of Au,orica,
Oharlos Summer stands peculiar and unique. His
Senatorial career ia q conspicuous part Of our
noIt,,ol history Ant IN orf,er n annroc;ate fin
tes43. .AAEoJ s' 49, 49, 49,, T.. ~ r., "s"s ~
man ~ Inc oaroef' "e "uas 'ooA Nv tne ssofy u
his life
The American people tako pride In saying That
almost all their great historic characters wore
ao1g-n,nlo mn, Win ,v;t,,nu, t1o ADVANTAGE ~
@ae,.a 49, ssA; "ae us WV ~
weaisn ana carry opportunities won tnelf eduoa"
ton, raiHod themselves to uaefalneas and dis
tlnction, and achieved their groatness through
fortuno t. is ini10od ar 1es cnh,n ;. n rarnod
1;t.ia ov ,sI;no hareSo,tnd t6 in,ajy oo,iS,.irv