Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-06-17

teohN'o AfhN u Ai1 VI hfitdN dhh NAAANh
der. And 1t the very time that MIR. Seward
was speaking those words, Mr.. Sumner was
one evening surprised by visit in Washing
ton from largo number Of the most conspicu-
Gus citizens Of Boston all OF whom bad been
among his strongest and most positive political
opponents lie welcomed them gravely, seeing
that their purpose was very Serious and after
a few moments the most distinguished member
Of the party made au upassioned appeal 10 the
Senator " You know US ALL" he said, as
iellow-citzens of yours who have always and
most strongly regretted md opposed your po
litical course. But at THIS awful moment,
when the country hangs upou the edge Of civil
war-and what civil war Means you know
We believe that there is one man only who
can avert the threatening calamity. one man
whom the North really trusts, and By whose
counsels il will be guided. We believe that
you are that man The North Wi listen to
you and TO no other, and we are hrc in the
name Of humanity and civilization 10 implore
you 70 save your country" The speaker was
greatly affected, and after n moment Mr.. Sum
ner said Sir, am surprised that you at
tribute 70 me such influence. ! will, h0wevtr
assume IT, BE il 80. What. then, is it thar
you would have me dor ave implore you,
Mr.. Sumner, as you love your country and your
! God, to vote ior the Crittendon compromise.
Sir said Charles Sumner, rising to bis lofty
hight, and never more Charles Sumner than
in that moment q" il what you say is indeed
true, and Il at this moment the North trusts
me, as you think, beyond all others, it Is be-
cause the North. knows that under no eircum-
stances whatever would ! compromise
rnE LAST DAYS or DASEL WEBSTER
Ii was precisely because Slavery recognized
this when he made his first important speech,
and felt for the first time the immense force be-
hind his words, that call that speech 80 signi.
iieant an event That no dramatic effect
should be wanting, a. henry Clay bad left the
Senate for the last time on the day that Mr..
Sumner was sworn in, so, as he was making
his first great plea for justice under the Constl-
/ tuition, his predecessor, Daniel Webster, then
4 Secretary Of State, came into the Chamber, and
also for the last time know no more impros.
siye scene. There il the old Senator, then tho
chief figure in America, who, year before, Oh
/ the 7th Of March, had made his last speech
supporting the policy of the Fugitive Slave bill
and against the Milmot Proys0. Worn
wasted, sad, with powers 80 great and public
service so renowned, the Olympian man who
had sought so long, 30 ably, 50 vainly, to pla.
cate the implacabe his seventy years ending
| in bafed hopes and bitter disappointment and
a broken heart, gazed with those eyes Of depth
less melancholy upon his successor. And hero
stands that successor, with the light of spotles-
youth upon his face, towering, dauntless, radi'
ant the indomitsble Puritan, speaking as q
/ lawyer, statesman, and a man, not for hi.
/ State alone, nor for his country only, but iOi
human rights everywhere and always forecast
/ ing the future, heraldiug the new America
As Webster looked and listened, did be recall
the words Of that younger man seven years be.
fore in Faneuil Hall, when be prayed the party
that Webster led to declare for emancipation
D a o.
himself that as he had Justly earned the titlC
Of Defender Of the Constitution, so now he
should devote his marvellous powers to the over.
throw Of Slavery, and thereby win a nober name
Alas it was demanding dawn OF the sunset
| IL was beseechng yesterday to return to-mor.
row. 1t was imploring Daniel Webster to be
Charles Sumner. No, fellow-citzens, in tha
appeal Sumner forecast his own glory " As
sune, them" cried he, Z" these unperlormec
duties. The aged shall bear witness TO you
the young shall kindle with rapture as they re
peat the name Of W Webster the large company
of the ransomed shall teach their children anC
tion to call you blessed, and you shall have ye
another title, never to be forgotten on earth OIL
in heaven, Defender OF Humanity"
dwell upon this FIRST great speech OF Mr.
Summers in the Senate, because IL illustrates
his own public qualities and character, his aim
and his methods.
Once in later days, when argued with hiu
that opponents might be sincere, and that there
was some reason on the other side, he thun
dered In reply, Upon such question there i
no other side ~ The time required such
leader-a man who did not believe that ther,
was another side to the question, who woul,
treat difference OF opinion amostas moral dein
quency and the hour found the man in Sum
ner.
sUMNER's ARGUMENTS A Two-EDGED SWORD.
Thus his legal mind, in the pursuit Of
moral end, had sometimes what | may call {
happy lack Of logic. Sure of his end and tha
everything ought TO make for it, be felt tina
everything did make for it. For instance, hi
first great public Grafton, upon " The Tru,
Grandeur OF the Nations, - was most powerful
presentation OF the glory and beauty Of peace
and mighty denunciation Of the horrors ant
wrongs Of war. 1t was an intrepid and i'm
pressve discourse, and its influence will b.
deep and lasting But it oyerstated its Owl
case. 1t exposed the citizen soldier not only t,
ridicule, but to moral aversion And yet tn
young men who sat in martial array before tn
orator had not submitted 10 military discipline
merely for the splendor of parade but that II
the solemn and exigent hour they might TIN
more effectively defend the public safety an,
private honor, the school and the hospital, ant
social order itself, the only guarantee of peace
and all this not at the arbitrary command o
their own will, but by the lawful and consid
cred word Of the civil power. What is mill
tary force which he derided but, in the last re
sort, the law which he reyered, in execution
As friend asked him, are the judgments 0
Story and Of Shaw, advice merely2 Do the,
not, il need be, command every bayonet in tn
State2 l. force wrong, and must the police
man not only be prohibited from carrying
pistol or a club, but must he be forbidden 3
lay his hand upon the thief in the act to com
pei him to the station The young ctizo
soldiers who sat before the orator were simp
the ultimate police. To decry to them wit
resounding and atiluent power the practic
which covered war with false lustre, was
noble service, but to do it in way that woul
forbid just and lawful punishment of mur
derer, disclosed defective logic. Thus Sum
ner sometimes used arguments that were two
edged swords, apt to wound the wielder as we
as the enemy. And 50 he sometimes adopte
propositions Of constitutional or internationa
| law which led straight to its moral end, bu
which would hardly have endured the lega
microscope. Yet he maintained them wit
such ieryor Of conviction, such an array precC
dent, such amplitude Of illustration, that /
| the great popular mind, morally exalted lik
his own, his statements had the majesty an
the conclusiyeness OF demonstration.
| Mr. Lincoln, who was a natural diplOmatis
} fortunately understood Mr.. Sumner. lh
! President knew as well as the Senator that tl
war sprung from slavery. lie had alread
said that the house Of the Union divide
against itself could not stand. lie knew q
well as Sumner that slavery must be smitten
, But he knew also that in his position he coul
} not smite until public opinion lifted his arm
/ 10 stimulate that opinion, therefore, was tn
! most precious service to the President, to til
country, and the world. Thus it was not III
! appeal to Lincoln, it was the appeal 10 publ
D opinion that was demanded. 1t was not Sun
ner s direct, but his reflected light, that was
} useful. And when the President at last raise
his arm-for he plucked no unripe fruit, and
did nothing until he thought the time ha
fully come-he knew that the country wa
! ready, and that no man more than Sumner ha
made it so. When the Assistant Secretary {
. State carried the engrossed copy of the EmaI
I cpation Proclamation to Mr.. Lincoln to sigt
! be had been shaking hands all the morning y
: that his writing was unsteady. lie looked
1t for moment with his sadly humorot
I smile, and then said, When people see thu
shaky signature they will say, See how ur
certain he was But | was never surer
anything in my life"
SERVICES IN OUR DARKEST HOUR.
But while Sumner righteously stimulate
/ public opinion during the war, not less on on
I memorable occasion did he righteously mode
h. ate il. | once yentured to ask Mr., Sewai
what in his judgment was the darkest hour
+ the war. lie answered instantly, - the tin