National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-11
SENATOR SUMNER.

HIS INCAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND THE
FORCE OF WORDS.
washington Correspondents St. Louis Republic
The following extract from the London Daily
Telegraphs obituary Of Mr.. Sumner suggests
an anecdote in the same vein:
But it was Mr.. Summers misfortune that he
never spprec;ated the full sting Of the strong
language which he habitually employed.
When, In 1895, England rose like one man to
protest against the unmeasured terms of
obloquy leveled BY him at this country, he
was himself sstounded at the effect that his
distrfhes produced upon us, and in his private
letters to English correspondents, stroye eagerly
to explain away their bitterness.
This incapacity to understand the force of
words was Mr.. Summers strangest and most
incomprehensible failing, when we consider 1t
together with the fact that in his choice of
phraseebgy from purely pathological stand
point he was altogether pedantic. One even
ing, shortly after Mr.. schurz returned from
Boston, had occasion TO call upon him, and
found him with Ex-Governor Lyon discussing
the character and relating the "reminiscences
of the late Senator. Mr.. schqrz made an OBJ
servation almost exactly identical with the
opening sentence of the above quotation. He
hWhen we were engaged in the santo Do
mingo debate" said our Missouri Senator, 81
was very anxious TO keep the tone Of the dis
cussion as impersonal as possible on our side.
knew we had the right on our side, and was
conscious that personal invective directed
against the Administration could have no effect
bht 70 weaken the force Of our general line of
argument. 1t was obvious that the only way
in which the measure could be defeated, OPP
aa1 49, h. n,,I al,
by the majority In the Senate, was by creating
against the scheme Of itself q pressure Of pub
lie sentiment that would compel the msjority
TO bend to the popular will. It was also OBJ
Vious that the only way In which such pres
sure could be worked up was BY demonstrating
the wrongfu1ness Of the measure and its bane-
fulness to the general public veal, which any
to indicate personal hostility to the President
as q motive, would tend to undermine the logic
of our position.
az had no apprehension that any one on our
side would be likely to be betrayed into such
cotton unless It should be Mr.. Sumner. So I
laid before him the logic Of the case, and he
fully agreed with me as to the inexpediency of
pairing q speech on the subject to be delivered
In few days, and he invited me to look it
over With him and assist his judgment in d.
vesting Il OF Objectionable personal features. I
did so, the result being that several passages
were struck out entirely and others entirely
modified and toped down. LEFT him late at
night, satisfied that the speech he was to de-
liver on the morrow would be an effective piece
Of augmentation, and that It would not be
crippled by any weak points. The next day
Mr.. Sumner rose in the Senate and proceeded
with his speech. / could see that its unex-
pected temperatures toward the Administra-
ton was redoubling its effect at every point;
that 1t was depriving the opposition of their
only available defence, which was by attacking
on the ground that We were using this question
as q cover from which to make personal war on
the President. But as Mr.. Sumner reached the
close of his prepared speech imagine my amaze
ment and CONSERVATION when he launched at
the head Of the President about q dozen SEN
fences of the most terrible and savage INJECT
i've, as comprehensive in its araignment as it
was faultless In Its rhetoric, and as impoitic in
its effect as IL was impressive in it's delivery
81 glanced around at Sumner as he sat down,
and saw by the expression of his face that he
was perfectly and serenely satisfied with him
self. Presently he came over to my seat,
tapped me on the shoulder and said:
BY the way, Schurz, how did you like the
closing portions Of my speech The idea oc-
Cured to me this morning, and it seemed to
me the speech would hardly be complete with
out them
w. SUMMIT, 1TePleu, -Lney were HILL
nately worse than any of the passages we
struck OUT
"Do you really think soi" asked Mr.. Sum-
ner, elevating bis eyebrows In, the most limo
cent astonishment. He really had no idea that
he had said anything to offend the President.
Afterward went and pointed out the object
ionable nature Of his words, and he was then
go strongly impressed with what had said
that he went and had the concluding portion of
his snffch slnnressef In the GIohS
che wes always So" pursued Mr. Schurz
HE could not understand why it was that men
took such mortal umbrkge at his words. He
certainly did not IN his heart feel towards men
the unkindness that his tongue sometimes ut
tered"