Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-03-18
Charles Sumner.
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.

Charles PiDckney Sumner. formerly sheriff
of Boston, and distinguished fot literary
aud social accomplishments. His mother
was daughter of David Jacobs, sub
staItantial farmer Of Hanover, in the Old
Colony Senator Summers grandfather
Major Job Sumner, was an officer of the
American army in the Revolutionary war.
Before Charles Sumner was ten years old
he had received rudimentary education
partly in the public and partly in pri'
vate schools. He had also, without the
knowledge of his parents, by savings from
his allowance of pocket money, purchased
elementary Latin books and made some
progress in the study of the language. In
his eleventh year he was placed in the
Boston Latin School under the instruction
of Benjamin A. Gould, teacher Of re-
pute. He remained in this school five
years, and it of record that he won the
prizes for Latin poetry and English COM
position, aud at the end Of the course re.
ceived the Franklin medal During this
time he become fascinated with the study
of history, devoting the early morning
hours daily to reading the works Of Hume,
Gibbon and other historians.
In the year 1926, when fifteen years
of age, he entered Harvard College. Of
his course here it is to be said that, while
maintaining a creditablc rank in the stud
les of the curriculum, he did not devote
himself to them with the singleness of
purpose requisite for attaining the highest
honors. Nc was, however, exceedingly
diligent in following the bent Of bis own
tastes, and laid broad the foundations Of
his subsequent extraordinary attainments
in history, classics aad polite literature.
Graduating in 1880. he continued his
scheme Of general study for another year,
and then entered the law school. His fa-
vorite study here was juridical science.
His teachers we're Professor Ashman and
Judge Story, with beth Of whom he formed
friendships that were severed only by
death His study of the law was pursued
with passionate srdor and industry that,
joiued with wonderful powers Of acquiring
and retaining knowledge, soou distinguish
ed him above all his young comrades
The textbooks never satisfied him. He
was indefatigablc in tracing principles to
their original sources, and made himself
in this way quite familiar with the con.
tents of the large law library. While ye'
a pupi he began contributing to the liter.
ature of the profession, his essays, always
characterized by breadth of view and ac'
curacy Of learning. and sometimes by re.
markably subtle and ingenious lnves'iga
tlous, being published in the Americar
Jurist and Boston Law Quarterly. Quit
ting the law school. he entered the law
office Ut Benjamin Rand in Boston, to ac
quire knowledge of practice, and abou
this time spent winter in Washington
where he formed the acquaintance of tn,
judges and practising lawyers at the bal
of the Supreme Cour'. BY Chlef.Jus
tice Marshall he was treated with marked
kindness Before he was admitted tt
practice he became principal editor Of tht
American Juris., TO which he had been /,
contributor, and conducted that magazine
for three years with signal ability. Hi
own contributions TO its pages were liberal
5 many Of them being reviews Of elaborate
works on the law in which his wealth o
peculiar learning showed to great advan
tagc.
Ele was admitted to the bar at Worces
ter in 1884, being then % years of age
and having won the reputation Of beinl
the most learned lawyer Of his age in tn,
country. lie opened an office in Boston
and Immediately had as much practice a
he could attend to. He was soon appoint
ed Reporter of the United States Circsi
Court, and in due time three volume
, known as "Sumner's Reports" were pub
lished, the decisions being those of Judg
Story. He had numerous propositions t,
. 60 into partnerships with eminent lawyer
(. which were declined, partly because h
did not lack profitable business aud partl.
because he desired to keep himself fre
of engagements that might interfer
Q with his purpose of gsiug abroad. Dar
ing three years after his admission to th
bar be took Judge Story's place as lee
turer at the Harvard law school, and 70
portion of the time he alss performed tn
, duties of Professor Greenleaf, who wa
absent. Again in lS43 he took Judg
Story's place when the latter was sick
During all the time before his dopartur
for Europe in 1887 bis application t
study was uuremitting, constitutional Ia,
and the law OF nations being his favorit