New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-03-26

"MY DEARSIR: am glad YOU have made
the excellent speech you have kindly SEM
me. If the cOlored citizens will URGE their
own case as you do they will be Irresistible.
| long to sec them acting in concert and with
determination.
CHARLES SUMNER"
| | mention this only tn show how Gcsirous
he was that we should act in concert and
with determination. His death WAS n warn
ing-a lesson; let his words be our ori,In.
My fellow citizens, what shall we do now he
is gone? Who will take his place and Grht
our battles as he did, impotent as we are to
| fight them ourselves? Are we friendlcss >
| trust not 1t was not yesterday that Mr..
Sumner began his labors in our behalf. but rs
carly as 1919, in one of his ablest and and
earliest efforts as a lawyer he argued before
the Supreme Court of Massachusetts in the
case Of Sarah G.. Roberts VS.. The CITY of
Boston, the Justice of admitting n colored
child into public school without regard TO
color or race. His friendship is you see not
of to-day nor of mushroom political growth,
but grew from the depth of his rich and ten
der heart of affection and good will to all
men. The spirit of Charles sumner has gone
to its maker. Who shall help us bear our
grief and carry our sorrows? For us he was
not his mouth in complaint. He was cut OIL
from tic land Of the living while fighting for
Justice to an oppressed race.
MIR. CUAiEMAN: Mr.. Summers abilities
rs Il scholar | viii not attempt to speak OF.
Let some ADLER tongue perform this duty. AS
TO his character OF manners Mr.. sumner,
although digniiied, and of the most refined
and cultivated manners, gentleman OF The
highest type, was yet always accessible to
the humblest citizen. In Il land prolific OF
great neil nc was singularly great. Nature
seemed to have given him her choicest attr-
butes. High in the temple of fame his name
is inscribed on the column of glory to live
while the memory OF man continueth. Sum
ner! shall be the watchword of liberty, equal
ity, justice to all men; virtue, honor and
wisdom throughout the civilized globe, and
when monarchies shall have fallen empires
decay, nations overLhrown, cities destroyed,
and men, whose ONLY greatness is earthly
valor or noisy defamation, shall have been
forgotten, his peerless name shall live for ever;
for as was said of Flamnus by Cicero ellie
viz hand magma cum re scd plenu de.' But
he is gone to q bourne from whence no tray
elcr ret!Tneth, and in obedience to the will
of Him behind whose dealings with men
there always fingers IN inimitabc, incXora-
BE. eternal must.
to young men, to the middle aged, and to the
old. In politics, i'll craftsmanship, in letters,
in manner of living, he is Il iii beacon.
Tie poet Young says
"The chamber where the good man meets
his fate
Is privileged beyond the common walk OF
yirtuou3 life quite on the verge Of heaven"
What an incsiimablc privilege 1t was for
Of I.o.1
side OF orr benciactor: His words ere
the soul took its flight to its maker, are mex
pressblc. The impression they made on me
will live with ne until 90 hence. Thcars'or
it gave me to emulate his deeds hope to
show. The pale messenger which came to
bcCkon h!m to an immortal theatre beyond
the skies, found the Christian ratjipt, the
philanlhropist, bowed in submission to the
will OF his iilai>cr. Looking around him and
seeing his aiiectonatc friends, ~hic aud
black near him, lac lied down
Like one who wraps
The drarcry OF his couch around him,
And lies down 10 pleasant dreams"
No monument can pcrpetuaIe his name
like unto tue coEsccratcd CndCamcnt of the
united hearts Of his COuntrymcn. The true
honor which distinguished Mr.. Sumner from
4 large number OF men, was not the result Of
any adventurous clTcuiilSt lance; but that OF
the mind and soul which he Possessed and of
which all around him was the exponent his
books, his pictures, his statues, his every
collection OF art or otherwise. His WAS a
mind superior to fear, TO selfish interest and
corruption, governed BY the principles Of
uniform rcctitudc and integrity. No bribc
could seducc HIM, no terror awe him in The
performance OF duty. He was Jealous of
public interest. lie was maguanimo,.s with
out being proud; inst, without being harsh.
Such was he who, above all others, we, rs q
race, and his country have lost. We have
lost a faithful friend. Let us, then, fellow
citizens, learn by his death more clearly our
duty to ourselves, our responsibilities, our OBJ
legations, and by unity and good feeling, live
to the glory Of his name, whom men have
called "a prince among men," and to the
consummalion of his great wish, Il high place
among the races in independence and free
dom. He is gone:
Farewell, gallant eagle, thou art buried
in light;
God rest thee in heaven, lost star of our
night"