The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-03-20
No. IS.

nous fugitive slave bill. Thu, Nr sum
nrr had become champion If lie anti
slavery cause before hy was chosen for
tie Uaited States Se1sit-. IN 1851. bv a
coalition Of Democrats and Free Suiler~.
To succeed Daniel Webster. who had
taken 4 position ia 3ir. Fiimpra'- Cabi-
net
Fiie public Inau who wg..- to th, capi-
tai AT ti,at TiInp. ~ bold ard uncuIupru-
ni>ins an opponent of the slave power
as Ar, Sumner was, took EiS fife IL his
hand. IL Wa~ 3ir Summers fatt. TO seal
hi> apn>tieSilip in the. antf--'averv cans.
by niartyrdOm. We use This term In lis
full meaning; for besides an rlp phvs;-
Ell and mental suffering. in cOuse5u-uc..
% the attack OF the assassin. Preston )
Brooks, 1t viii be shown bv the most
competent medical AUTHORITY tl,at Mr.
Sumner never rpcoyeleJi from th,. elects
| of 1t, and that il caused his death az an
age when man of l,is splendid canstitu
ton might expect 70 have many wears
/ more Of full mental force.
Mr.. Summer was man Of courteous
manners and Of refinement in Ills public
lie addresses They contained nothing
which any rational man could aIlece a.
E
because of their anti-Slavery force that
the assaisSins of the slave power deter
mined TO silence him. Sittiugat his desk
in the Senate chamber. he was struck on
the head with Il lieayy cane bv Brooks.
who had made all calculations 10 take
him unawareS. and besides was armed tu
shoot him down If hIs blow faded 70 stun
him, and who had another assassin.
Rhett, armed to aid him il needed
The cowar,lly deed was wen planned.
The first blow stunned Mr. Sumner. ard
from that time Brooks cOut.nutd 70 re
peat his blows upon EiS defpuseiaSS head.
So deep was th- tlegretiatiuu Of the spirit
of the country upder if> conquest by the
slave power that this brutal and coward
ly act was applauded by the South with
no audible dissent. and by nearIS all the
Democratic press and politicians in the
North. This is another measure of the
national dishOnor OF that time. and of
the magnitude of the mission which Mr.
Sumner assumed when lIe entered pub
lie life 10 redeem the country from the
slave power
For more than three wears Mr. Sum
ner was constant sufferer In 1860 he
took part in the canvass which resulted
in the election OF Lincoln. The same
year he delivered IN the Senate his ora
ton entitled THE Barbarism If Sla-
very He was reelected to the Senate
in 1863 and again reelected. The com
plete downfall and humiliation of the
slave power, and the total abolition of
slavery, crowned the life which Mr..
Sumner had devoted TO this cause.
That character in which Mr.. Sumner
made the anti-slavery cause pdramOunt
to party attachments, made him also
peculiarly independent III every matter
in which the action of the Republican
party, or of the administration. was con
trary TO his idea of right.
This quality was distinguished in sew
eraI Instances IN his course as chairman
of the Committee on Foreign Relations,
and more particularly in tine case Of the
scheme to acquire San Domingo. An
administration in the flush Of popularity
proposed this, and Congress was ready
to fall in with it, both because Of defer
ence to the President, and because it
was supposed that the greed of the
American people for annexation would
make it popular But Mr. Sumner pro
nOmced the Il object, - which caused
tOL4TeSS, dlli tiIe ptOi'tt. anu tis' 'tS!-
ministratiOn To pause. lis arguments
brought reflection, and liis courage in
fused that quality into Others. and this
dangerous scheme was abandoned.
1t was not unnatural that Mr. Summers
devotion to a great cause. his suiTerings,
and final triumph in it, and his UInswerv-
ing rectitude should make him somewhat
intOleTnt of opposition and Of those of
inferior training. or who c,,me into the
anti-slavery cause after it had become
the only way to prefer1neTt; but Inc
commanded the respect and admiration
of all for this purity of character, his
learning, and capacity, and his great SER
vices. In all the work of constitutional
and legislative reconstruction to suit
the vast change in the conditions by the
civil war and the abolition Of slavery, he
bore a leading part. Since the erg;,niza-
ton of the government no man lEl>-mOre
impressed his ideas upon the legislation
of the country. 4 great statesman and
orator has fallen In the harness Of the
cOuntry's service, at am age when, had
his life not been shortened by brutal viO-
lence, the country might have enjoyed
for many years more the benefit Of his
ripe wisdom, and great ability.