Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-03-16
DEATH Of CHARLES SUMNER.

three years. He was born in Boston of
distinguished parents, and manifesting
a desire for knowledge, received every
advantage that could be afforded, and ct
an early age emerged from Harvard,
having won many honors in his career
as a student. He chose the profession
of the law and was early admitted to
the bar and to practice, but found time
to compile and edit several law books
and law reports, as we'll as to deliver
lectures before the law students at Cam
bridge. Spending year or more in
England, he formed friendship and &C
quaintance with many noted men Of
Eng land, who at that time and since,
have figured largely in English politics
and literature. Among Mr.. Summers
early Oratorical efforts, was an address
delivered in Boston on THE True Grand
eur Of Nations which gave him great
credit, not onl y on account Of its merit
as scholarly and finished production,
but its mastery treatment of the sub
ject' The eminent Judge Story was so
well pleased with this speech of Sumner
that he said, Il shall die content if
Charles Sumner is to succeed me-" and
Chancellor Kent considered Sumner as
the only man fit to succeed Story in the
Harvard Law School professorship.
When the agitation in regard to the an
nexation to Texas disturbed the country,
Sumner, who had heretofore had nothing
to do with politics, left for time his
law books and grappled with the then ex-
citing question. He delivered several
speeches in opposition to the measure,
that were charged with the fire and spo-
ken with the zeal that then kindled in
the bosom of him who was so soon to
step upon the arena of national politics.
He carly foresaw that Freedom and Sla-
very were antagonistic principles, and
that the time was rapidly Fastening
when slavery would triumph, or must be
subdued In the nation.
The Free Soil party was being formed
at this time, and Sumner espoused the
cause with Garrison, Phillips and Whit
tier, and soon after delivered powerful
speech before the Free Soil Convention
entitled "Our Present Anti Slavery Du-
ties" By q curious turn in Massachu-
sets politics, coalition was formed,
which after an excited contest, made
Charles Sumner United States senator.
He took his place in the Senate when,
perhaps, no one except Hale dared to
lift his voice in opposition to the domi-
nant slave power. The Fugitive Slave
bill had been enacted, and in Massachu-
sets and even Vermont, the slave hunt
er was kidnapping and sending back to
slavery the victims which he could ar.
rest the Kansas-Nebraska bill was be.
fore the senate, and the fearless Sumner
aroused by the doings and the domineer.
ing spirit Of the slave holders, and NOV
ed by his Unborn love Of justice and free
dom, stood up in the face Of the power
fui opposition and made speech, mem
orable as a sublime defense of freedom
and the rights of man. He closed tina
speech with the prophetic words Thus
Sir, now standing at the very verge o
Freedom in Nebraska and Kansas. | lift
myself to the vision of that happy res
direction, by which freedom will be Sc
cured not only in these territories, bu
eOeryaChere uider tie National qove,7a
:. naent. More clearly than ever before
now penetrate the All Hail Hereafte
. when Slavery must disappear. Sool
after this Mr.. Sumner made his famou
speech ''Crime against Kansas" and wa
assaulted in the senate chamber by tn
brutal Preston S. Brooks of S. Carolina
The effect of the blows received by Mr.
= Sumner were nearly fatal, and for tn
next three or four years he was obliee
to suspend mental labor, and was fo
.. the whole time under the care of physi
. clans. Upon his return to his seat i
the senate, on favorable opportunit
he spoke of the ''Barbarism of Slavery.
and never was the hateful form of tn
monster, slavery, exhibited in name
to make 1t appear so hideous and so tel
rible. The march of events was favor
able to the wishes of the great statesma
II and he saw Lincoln elected President o
the very issue for which he had so lon
and so vigorously contended. The wa
came, and with it all the trials, tn
! struggles and the sacrifices but Sumne
was ever ready with counsel advic
- and encouragement, to urge on the loy
al north in duty his eye first saw tia
i emancipation was necessary and tina
the utter overthrow of the cause of tn
rebellion must be brought about, befor
y any permanent peace could be establish
; ed. Since the war, Mr.. Sumner has o.
" ten been unfortunate in his positions
~ and has suffered defeat and censure, br
often what he contended for and lost wa
= afterwards seen to have been wise an
necessary, and time has been his Wind
Il Gator. Receiving censure at home b
his own state, he lived to see Massach,