Ellsworth American., 1874-08-13
Miscellaneous. q
Charles Sumner.

erlcan Press has been just and even
generous in its praise of one who has
occupied place in the front rank
of those who have wrought in Ameri-
can institutions and American politics
a great revolution. Poesy has brought
its flowers TO smother in beauty and
sweetness the great mans grave. He
rests from Herculean toll from the
obloquy Of enemies from the fawning
of friends; from forensic strife, and
from the perplexities that addressed
him from turbulent future. 1t is not
likely that his genius will be estimat.
ed at lis exact worth during this gen.
Grafton, or that his work will be dis
criminatingly and impartially weighed.
That he was great man, there is no
question. That he was man of
strong convictions, of honest and earn
est purposes, of genuine patriotism, Of
the fine learning and remarkable gifts
is, we suppose, universally conceded.
Still the question remains to be set
tied whether, in any proper sense, he
can be regarded as having been wise
statesman or an astute politician.
As we remember him, throughout
his public career, he seems only to
have been a moral reformer, clothed
with political power. He was only
more powerful than Phillips and Gar
rison, in that he had vote to give
which they had not, and an opportuni-
ty which they did not possess, to dis
cuss a question of common interest TO
the three on the floor of the United
States Senate. That he did his work
any better than his great anti-slavery
compeers would have done it, in the
same place, may legitimately be
doubted. He was one of them, actua.
ted by the same motives, driving first,
last and always at the same thing.
Slavery. TO him, was the great crime
OF the nation and the age; and to its
destruction, and the destruction of the
political power that was built upon it,
he bent all the force OF his powerful
nature, aud contributed all the wealth
of his culture and his character. He
subordinatcd everything To this. This
was his mission, and by following it,
with the exclusiyeness and persistence
tuat characterized his course, he vol
UNFAIRLY relinquished, though uncon.
sciou.lv,-that impartial consideration
of public questions which character
lzcs the wise and comprehensive states
man, and that adaptation 10 conditions
utl th., Ia,
itician After all the credit shall be
given To Mr.. Sumner that of right be-
longs to him as a legislator, it will be
found that to take out of his career all
that he achieved within the lines OF
MS &c.. -~f~"'''. will In.va ra~. ~
nothing on which to buiiu public
reputation. General Wilson with lit
tie of his power. and none OF his err
uiition, was better and safer work
er in the ordinary pratical affairs of
legislation than he. We are aware
tina. this is a point on which he was
sensitive, and on which his most ar
dent admirers areenot less so but we
believe the Judgment we have render
ed will stand. The truth is he could
no more have been statesman or a
politician, with great moral issue be-
fore the nation, than he could have
been u traitor. II was his nature to
seize upon this and to hold to it, sub
ordlnatlng everything else to it. He
NAV have been greater or less for this :;
that Involves a question which each
man will settle for himself
The unlovely side of Mr.. Sumner
was exposed in Mr.. Curtis's eulogy-
hy lar the best, most comprehensive
and sympathetic of all the eulogies
that have been uttered. When the
eulogist, on the occasion had venturel
10 suggest that the Senator had sin
cerc opponents, and that there was
some reason on the other side, he re-
spoLded; upon sucn question
there is no other side" Thi 5 response
was entirely characteristic Mr..
Sumner was an enormous egotist-
partly SO bv the superlative strength
of his convictions, and partly by con-
situation. He saw but one side, he
admitted that there could be but one
side, and assumed that he held it. 1t
is no secret that with his compeers Of
the Senate Mr.. Sumner was not a
favorite, even among those who voted
with him, and who acknowledged him
in some sense to be their leader. He
was arrogant, dictatorial, imperious.
His bearing was that of man who
saw no peer. This, of course, render
ed him unpopular with all those who
felt such an assumption to be per-
sonal insult. During portion of his
caTeer,-the early portion,-this ego
tism was not without it's good results.
The North had been brow-beaten by a
band Of accustomed legislators, who
understood the uses of arrogance, and
were not bashful in employing it.
To this Mr.. Sumner had the privilege
and power to oppose nature and
temper SO wonderfully sefl-assured
and self-sufficient that no headway
could be made against him. He was
rock that not only stood unmoved by
the waves of arrogance that beat
dgdll1SL ulIu,UuG hui lcu tuCLu DdCh upon
the angry sea shattered into harmless
spray. 1t was around him and behind
him in this attitude that the strength
of the North gathered.
As the smoke of the great conflict in
which he bore SO prominent part has
cleared away, and the animosi ties and
antagonisms begotten of his imperious
temperament are forgotten over his
grave, it is delightful to find so many
who loved him tenderly, to learn that
to the distressed he was benefcient !;
to the humble, kind to those who SER
we'd him, gracious and to his friends,
genial and companionable. The trib-
utes that have come to him from the
humble walks of life are those which
speak loudest of the fine quality Of his
manhood.
Mr. Sumner follows the rule of great
men. however, in his personal friend