Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-05-06
Generous Trihnic 10 sumner.
rrloor or cosopr.sras ArAn, or xssnsrrI,

NN.I
pie whose representatives are here asscmoleu
Strange rs, in looking back upon the past
the assertion may seem, Impossible ~ y Woulu
have been ten years ago to make u, " ~ w.
the less true. that to-day Mississippi regrets
the death Of Charles sumner ana shce,ey
unitcs In paying honor 70 his ,n ni, , ~,
because of the splendof Of his intellect, thougn
in him was extnguished one OF the brightest
ligbts which have illustrated the councils OF
Tho government for nearly a quarter Of cen
tury. Not because Of the high culture, the
elegant scholarship and the varied learning,
which revealed themselves 40 clearly In all his
public Efforts as to justify the application 70
him Of Johnson's ielicitous expression lie
touched nothing which he did not adorn.' Not
this. though these arc qualities by no means, il
is to he feared, so common in public places a.
10 make their disappearance in even single
instance. matter Of indifference, but because
of those peculiar and strongly marked moral
traits of his character which gave the coloring
to the whole tenor Of his singulafly dramatic
public career, making him for long period, TO
a large portion of his c0untfymen, the SUBJECT
of as deep and passionate hostility as TO
another he was one Of enthusiastic admiration,
and which are not the less the cause that now
mites all these parties, 80 widely differing, ~
n common sorrow to-day over his lleless re-
mains 1t sol thcse high moral qualities that
| wish 10 speak, for these have been the traits
which have, in after years, ~ have considered
the successive acts and utterances of this re-
marknble man, fastened most strongly my at
tention, and impressed themselves most iOrci-
bly, upon my Imagination, my sensibllites and
nv heart | leave to others to speak OF his in
tellectual superiority, Of those rare gifts with
which nature had 80 lavishly endowed him, and
of the power 10 use them which he had ac-
quired by education ] say nothing Of his vast
and varied stores Of knowledge, or the wide
extent Of his reading in the elegant Literature
Of ancient and modern times or his wonderful
power Of retaining what he had read, or OF his
readiness Of drawing upon these fertile re-
sources to illustrate his own arguments
say nothing of his cl0quencc as an orator, Of
his skill as a logician, OF his powers Of iascua-
ton in the unrestrained freedom Of the social
circle, which last 1t was my misfortune not to
have experienced. These, indeed, were the
qualities which gave him eminence, not only
in our country but throughout the world, and
which have made the name OF Charles Sumner
an integral part Of our nation $ glory. They
were the qualities which gave to those moral
traits Of which have spoken the power 10 i'm
press themselves upon the history Of the age
and Of civilization itself, and without which
those traits, however intensely developed, would
have extended no influence beyond the personal
circle Immediately surrounding their possessor
More eloquent tongues than mine will do them
justice.
II was certainly gracious act toward the
Sjuth, though unhappily it Jared upon the
sensbilites Of the people at the other extreme
of the Union, 10 propose to erase from the BAN
ners Of the national army the mementoes Of the
bloody internal struggle which might be re.
garded as assaling the pride or wounding the
sensibilities Of the Southern people. That pro.
posal will never be forgotten by that people &c
long as the name of Charles Sumner lives il
the memory of man. But while it touched The
heart and elected her profound gratitude, hei
people would not have asked Of the North sucs
an act Of self-renunciation. Conscious thai
they themselves were animated by devotion Il
constitutional liberty, and that the brightes
pages Of history are replete with evidences o
the depth and sincerity OF that devotion, they
can but cherish the recolections of the battle
fought and the victories won 10 defence OF thei
hopeless cause and respecting, as all true ant
brave men must respect, the martial spiri
with which the men Of the North vindcateC
the integrity Of the Union, and their devotion
to the principles Of human freedom, they do
not ask, they do not wish the North TO strik,
the mementoes Of heroism and victory iron
either records or monuments or battle flags
They would rather that both sections SHOULD
gather up the glories won by each section, no
enyous, but proud OF each other, and regarl
them as q common heritage OF American valor
Let us hope that future generations, whel
they remember the deeds OF heroism and deyo
tion done on both sides, will speak, not o
Northern prowess or Southern courage, but o
the heroistn, fostitude, and courage of Ameri
cans in war Of ideas war in which eacl
section signalized its conservation to the prin
ciples, as each understood them, Of American
liberty, and of the Constitution received iron
their fathers. 1t was my misfortune, perhap
my fault personally, never to have known thi
eminent philanthropist and statesman. Tn
impulse was often strong on me to 60 ~ hin
and offer him my hand, and my heart with it
and TO express to him my thanks for his kin
and cOnsideratc course toward the people Wit
whom am identified. II did not yield t
that impulse it was because the thought occure
that other days were coming in which such
demonstration might be more opportune an
less liable to misconstruction Suddenly an
without premonition, a day has come at last t
which for such purpose there is no TO MOI
row. My regret is therefore intensified by th
thought that failed to speak to him out OF I'll
iullness Of my heart while there was yet tim,
How often is it that death thus brings unava
ingly back TO our remembrance opportun
ties unimproved, in which generous overture
prompted by the heart remain unoilered, fran
ayowals which rise to the lips remain unspoker
and the injustice and wrong with which col
science reproached us remain unrepaired?
Charles Sumner in life believed that all occ
sion for strife and distrust between the Mort
and South had passed away, and there no long
remained any cause Tor continued estrangeme
between these two sections oil our commI
country Are there not many Of US who
licve the same thing2 Is not that the comm
sentiment or, II not, ought it not TO be Of d
great mass OF our people, North and Soutl
Bound to each other by a common CoDstit
ton, destined TO live together under comm
government, forming unitedly but sing
member Of the great family of nations, shi
we not now, of last, endeavor to grow iowa
each other once more in heart as we are alrea
indissolubiy linked TO each other in fortune
Shall we not, while honoring the memory
this great champion Of human liberty, Il
feeling sympathizer with human sorrow, Il
earnest pleader for the exercise Of human ter
erness and heavenly charity, lay aside the CO
cealments which serve only TO perpetuate IN
understandings and distrust, and frankly CO
Tess that on both sides we most earnestly des
to be one one not merely in political organ
alton one not merely in identity of instil
tions one not merely in community of lar
uage, and literature, and traditions, and cou
try but more, and better than all that, @
also in feeling and in heart Am | mstak
in this? Do the concealments OF which
speak still cover animosities which neither iii
nor reflection nor the march OF events have
suihced to subdue? ! cannot believe it. Sir
have been here have scrutnized your sen
ments. as expressed not merely in public
bate, but in the abandon Of personal coniiden
! know well the sentiments Of these my Sou
ern friends, whose hearts are NO iufolded Il
the feeling Of each is the feeling Of all an
see on both sides only the seeming Of q
straint which each apparently hesilstes to q
miss. The South, PROSTATE, exhausted, drain
of her liie-blood as well as of her material
sources, yet still honorable and true, acceI
the bitter award of the bloody arbitram.
without reservation, resolutely determined
abide the result with chiyalrous fidelity. Y
as If struck dumb by the magnitude Of her
verses, she suffers on in silence. The Nort
exultant in her triumph and elevated by ST
cess, still cherishes as we are assured hei
full Of magnapimous emotions toward her d
armed and discounted antagonist, and yet,
il under some mysterious SPELL her words a
acts arc words and acts Of suspicion and a
trust Would that the spirit OF the illustro
dead, whom We lament to-day, could speak fr,
the grave 10 both parties 10 this deplorable d
cord in tones which should reach each and eve
heart throughout this broad territory.
eountrymen know one another and You v
love one another.
SussER's SIsIER. The following beauti
sisterly tribute has just been received by Sena
Stickney, of Boston
SAN Francisco, Cal, April %, 1874
Ekarla. Gtt.L.o. Al. ~