, 1874-03-22

DAILY. TRIBUNE: SUNDA
around his magnificent person the conscience
and Thought OF his stato, and ct much OF tnt
country, were prostitutod. To this man Alr
Sumner suceesIed By tho anontmens OF th<
| faithful few, a. the young David Uas selected b
Samuel to sunceed tho more imposing Saul.
TUE RISE OF SUMMERS SCHOOL.
The personal ambition Of politicians is almost
/ paxtricah1y mixed with movements forward OF
| retrograde. Iu the Administration Of Monroe
began series of personal int1gaes which, III
Jackson's two terms deyeloped III the elimina-
ton Of Calhoun, aud. in Folks Administration,
in the elimination Of Van Buren,. These two,
Calhoun and Van Bnren, are OF moro conse-
9nence to American history than either Clny or
Webster Their struggle to reach the presi-
denoy, and Van Duren's ,repulse from Demo-
! cratic Convention, led to the Free-SojI move
1nent in the North by way OF revenge. Just after
Mr. Calhoun introduced his ultra Slavery reso-
lutions OF Feb. 49, 1871, that State Law accom-
OF the United States. Ihen died almost in q
body the veterans who Jagged supernuous on the
stage: Clay, Calhoun, and Webster.
The bolt undertaken by Van Buren,, and the
| assumption Of Territorial rights for Slavery BY
Calhoun. went right on and, whom the optiu,-
lstic bland. and rather muddle-hcadel Dir. Fill
more came up, by the accident Of sssplits" in the
| game Of political faro the weakest Cabinet even
tho Wings could compose slnilingly advanced the
| Fugitive, Slave bill. The drdn1dtis personD Of
the anal struggle WAS then ready to hand. Tie
young Sumner was ready for the Senate, and
Mr.. Webster properly expired with some express
sion Of wonder that. being 10 supernumsrary, he
could !" still lye." For a 1irtlo while, Mr.
Douglas believed that tho Fillmore policy was
winning one, and that he conld 30 il two better
by brcaklng down all the conlpronise-fencss so
a. to get gratitude in tho South Ha died like
Webster. an unsuccessful seeker for the Prosi-
deucy. Then followed violence in Kansas, on
the floor Of the Senate, and at Harpars Ferry.
Horny A..Wise reused the military spirit in tie
South, Capt. Ellsworth in the West, GOV. Danka
u New England. Tho war came Is naturally as
tame runs OF clouds break. Secess,on was q
political blessing in thnt it withdrew from tho
entire Congress to cooperate with the new Ad-
milustration.
SUMNER AND HIS ASSOCIATES.
In that Senate Which assembled July 4, 1861,
about ton weeks after the affair at Fort Sumter.
the following men cnly retain the first rank:
fessenden. Sumner, aud TrumbulL Thirty
months afterward on Dec I, 1868. tho Senate,
with many new accesslons, had none Of rromi-
1,ence. colfa1 became Speaker of the House:
aud Blaine, Fenton. Boutwell,, Dawes, Thad
Stevens, Creswoil. Winter Daris. 8chenck, Gar
field, Julian, Farnsworth, Washburue, Lovejoy,
and Frank Malr were members. Tho Congress-
OF tho United States never equaled that House,
oafore or afterwards. It continued throughout
Lale WAL. Huu uuWu 10 A63., 10 Dc Lue Superior
OF the Senate. I think that the Senate has
again recovered the palm, particularly in 1874,
when the currency question has been debated.
Mr. Sumner arose Immediately, at the out
break of the War, to be an authority in tue land
and abroad. At tho Heal Of tho Foreign
Affairs Committee of the Senate, he and Thad-
deus Stevons, while entertaining little respect |
fog A1r. Stewards moral courage and political ]
character. gave him muscular support which
buttsessed him up. At the same time they both !!
In
izing instrument With which they determined to |
rub ont the the last poro and Bscd OF Slavery,
aud OF political discrimination between wh,ta |
and black. These are the mon to compare with |
each othor.
THE THREE LEADERS OF CONGRESS-
in the hnmanties OF the conflict were Winter !
Dayis, and Stevens, and Charles Sumner. These
man pseRarod Eeconstrnction, and led Congress
and Mr. Lincoln far ahead Of their natural pro-
pcnsty or normal courage il, the matter OF
Emancipation and Black~Sufrrage. The historian
must not forget tho fact TINT the Republican
party was neither ready nor earnest about either
Of these measured whon it passed them. Tho
hand did what the heart hung back about Tho
it had not yet acquired. Sumner. |
StevenB. aud Davis were dca1 in earnest, and I
beloved and pushed the party up to the work.
Herain is Charles Sumner the great Senator Of
the period. He compelled the preiudcos OF race
to yield, aal the Republican party is full OF men
to-day who say We've got too much nigger in
our party" Yesterday, on the street, public
officer from Now England State said to me:
Sumner WAS pushing his Supplementary
Civil Rights to uncomfortable lengths. Ny blood
is not warm enough yet to put my children to
school with negroes and divide a bedroom or q
bed With da:koys.'
quote this to show the reluctant repulsoua
of race, infinitely decreased since the close OF |
we're brave Generals who felt like breakin9 their
swords. and strong politicians, like Robert T.
ochenca, who hardly approved Of Emancipation,
shen Mr. Lincoln concluded to proclaim it. II |
III to rebound 20 the peaca, good
morals, industry, and political problty Of the
Nation, Mr. Summers fame will be imperisbable
1ith the blnck rico, and SECURE with the whites.
t now seems probable that his Radicalisn will
,rove to have been craftsmanship also.
He was devoted to his ideas, aud never be-
rayed them. He WIS also trua to his friends,
md gave them help. but not to the sacrifice oI
liz own sense Of personal sovereignty. Ha had
II the will OF the greatest men. Learning and
,ffice mover made him e!feminnte, although he
led by them beyond the pzoprieties Of tho day.
Ie was no saint, however, in little respects. |
Ie loved tue table and good wine. His temper
vas high, and he wis easily provoked; aud, with
;rec he lacked Charity. Yet his aroused feel
ngs we're never deba3cd by malignity. He roa1ed |
ike lon His fury was mona1chEs. He could
trike down his opponent. but paver sting him
'lth the tang5 OF auouSmous hato. Toward the |
nd OF life. his sense Of outraged rights was |
oothed to tranquility, anu ho approached Ma
urc to rejoin her in the grave with tho mag |
animity OF one not littler than tho part ho had
1aye1. Few men respected him moro than his | :
Of the Democratic party and the !
'outh: Stevenson. Thurman. Merrirnon, Nc
'reery, and Gordon. The President initiated
heHe and honored himself d. the bier, and his
aughtcr was thoughtful enonghto lay a cross OF
oWers there. GATH.
LITERARY ITEMS.
Ha,per's Magazine for April has four illus
k,t