Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-03-26
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer.
LETTER FROM TENNESSEE.
NASHVILLE, March 19, 1874.
CHARLES SUMNER

CHARLES SUMNER.
The second day of December last was the last
time ever spoke to Charles Sumner. l saw
him afterward in his seat in the Senate, but did
not get to speak to him or feel the warm pres
sure of his hand. l always had liking for
Mr.. Sumner, although by no means agreeing
with him in all his political notions. But l
regarded him as sincere, earnest man, and
the most learned statesman in the councils of
the nation.
The night of the second of December l was
at his residence in Washington, accompanied
BY a mutual friend. The negroes had made
preparations to serenade him that night, and
I wanted to SEQ the performance. 81 tried to
persuade them from doing it" said Mr.. Sum-
ner to US, "telling them that they had better
spend their money to better purpose than
hiring band to serenade me. but they would
do it, and of course" he added, laughing, Il
could not rudely decline"
It happened the band made mistake and
went to the Baltimore depot, a full mile away,
under the impression that he was to be there.
did not regret this on my own account, as it
gave me an opportunity to talk with Mr..
Sumner and see something of the manner of
his life.
He lived in a three story house, his own
Immediately adjoining the Arlington hotel.
His house was filled with all that was rare
and choice-pictures, books, statuary, and
precious gems, brought down from the olden
time. never saw so fine collection of pic.
lures of all descriptions. Many Of these
were given him by admirers, at home and
abroad. His great parlor was so full OF stat
uary and art gems that one could hardly
move about without running against some OF
them. His study was upstairs, Immediately
over the .parlor. Here was great table in
the centre of the room, loaded down with
books, documents and papers. All around,
the walls were so thickly covered with pic
lures that you could hardly see square inch
of the original surface. The chairs and sofas
were filled with books, 80 much so that when
visitors came the books would often have to
be emptied onto the floor to give them seats.
There he lived and there he died. He had
three or four servants, took his meals at home,
and entertained his few intimate friends ele.
gantly. He kept no carriage, but rode back
and forth, to and from the Senate in the street
cars.
We remained with him until the band
commenced playing, when we went down to
hear the speech. A slight rain was falling,
and he did not speak long. He counseled
the colored people to be sober, industrious,
earn their own living and strive to educate
themselves and their children. While Mr..
Sumner has frequently given the negroes bad
advice, we must admit that he has often given
them good advice also.
am by no means an admirer of Mr.. Sum-
ners political course, taken as whole. But
he has performed many noble actions. l was
in the gallery of the Senate year and a half
ago, when he introduced his famous "battle
flag resolution" That was one of the good
deeds of his life. The substance of the reso-
luton was that the name Of none Of the bat
ties of the late war should be inscribed on
the regimental flags, because we are now one
nation, and the memory Of the civil war
should not be cherished in manner to wound
the feelings of the southern people. We
could not, Mr.. Sumner said, invite the south
ern people to swear faithful allegiance to
flag that bears the insignia of their defeat.
He wanted all reference to the civil war
stricken from the flags of the army and the
country. : .... .t....
For this noble act of magnanimity the
skillet-headed, shallow-brain short-sighted
legislature of Massachusetts passed resolu-
tions severely censuring Mr.. Sumner. This
wounded him very much, but did not change
his opinions. A more liberal legislature, stim'
ulated by an enlightened public sentiment,
expunged the "censure'' short time ago, and
the same was presented to the Senate a few
days before the Senator's death.
AS is we'll known, Mr.. Sumner called upon
his head the vials of wrath from the Radical
party by his support of Greeley against Grant
at the last Presidential election. He was, in
truth, for reconciliation with the South. The
great fault we have to find with him, was his
advocacy of the :odious civil rights bill, with
its numerous Objectionable features. But let
his memory be reyered for his noble traits,
and let his faults be buried with him. The
grave is at the end of the road which each of
US travel, and we should extend the same
charity to the memory of those who have gone
before that we ourselves desire at the last day.
"After lifes fitful fever,
He sleeps WELL"
AN OPEN WINTER.
The winter opened about three months ago
and has not closed yet. The fact is, there
has been no winter, to speak Of, the country
over. Here in this latitude the people are
concerned about ice, and we'll they may be,
for the ice crop Of the North is "thin" indeed.
You in Yotkville, and the country nearer
the coast, are better off in that particular than
the people here. You can get ice from the
North by way of the sea, and in any quantity.
If the "crop" in New York and Boston is
short, you can 60 to Greenland and tow down
an ice berg. The people here cannot do that,
unless they brought the "berg" around by
New Orleans, and by the time they get it here
it would be melted away to puddle of salt
water. NEMo.
LAWS OF THE STATE.
An Act to Establish Certain State Scholarships in
the University of South Carolina. =.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
ponrooopfo :; yao &c fbo Ctoto orcnuxL r..I.