The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-03-17
SENATOR SUMNER.
Enis Brief Illness and sudden
Death.

WASHINGTON, March IL Senator
Sumner passed quiet night under sub
cutaneous injection of morphine TEis
morning at nine He was sleeping under
the effects of it without material change.
Surgeon General Barnes and Doctors
johnson and Lincoln were at that hour
in consultation at the residence of the
Senator. Yesterday he had slight at.
tack affecting the nerves Of the heart,
but when he returned home was sulIi.
ciently we'll to entertain two friends at
dinner, at the close of which he made
allusion to the condition of his heart,
and between nine and ten o'clock he
WIS taken 80 sick as to require the at
tendance of physician An hour or
more thereafter he had second attack
of his old disease, ongihi pectoris -
Several of his nearest personal friends
we're sent for aud remained with MIN
during the night. g az
Senator Schurz, in leaving Mr.. Sum
ner's room at half past tweIve,took Mr..
Sumner by the hand and asked, "Do
you know me p Sumner replied, ''Yes,
but cannot see you" At once Sena-
tor Sumner fell into an easy slumber,
which encouraged some of his friends
to believe he was somewhat better, bu'
a consultation OF physicians held about
that hour did not establish any reason
for such i'm pressous
During the last two hours of Mr.
Summers illness his intellect seemed to
he much clearer, and he was perfectly
conscious to the last This condition
was doubtless the result of his recovery
from the effects of morphine, which had
been freely administered to him this
morning. His sufferings toward the
last seemed to be intense, and he sew
eral times exclaimed, IL want quiet
am tired" He recognized friends who
came into the room One of the last
to whom he spoke was Attorney Gen.
eral Hoar, to whom he said, "Take care
of my civil rights bill"
About quarter before three O'Clock
he was attacked by slight spasm, in
which he died Around his bed at the
time were ex Attorney General Hosr
Dr.. w. p Johnson, Of this city. Maioi
Ben, Perley Poore, George T. Downing
aud James Wormley Other friends
who had been with the dying Senator
throughout the day had left just previ-
Gus, not anticipating that death would
he 80 soon. Senator Schnrz and Hon.
Montgomery Blair entered the room
just as he breathed his last, but Mr.
Sumner was then too near dissolution
to recognize them
The only relative that Senator Sum
ner has is sister, wife of physician
in San Francisco, and to her the sad
news WIS telegraphed Immediately after
his death During the day the house
was visited by great number Of mem
bers of both Houses of Congress and
other prominent citizens, and hundreds
of colored people, prominent among
whom was Fred Dou glass. The side.
walk in front of Mr. Summers residence
was filled with anxious and saddened
friends at the time of his death, and
when the sorrowful announcement was
made the griet of many, especially OF
colored people, found vent in heartfelt,
exclam atoms Of grief and weeping -
Sergeant-at-Arms French, of the Senate
was sent for Immediately, and that OF.
ficial, in connection with a committee
will have charge of the funeral arrange
ments, though of course no time ha.
been fixed therefor. The funeral cere
monies will take place in the Senate
Chamber.
Mr.. Summers age at the time of hi
death was sixty three years.two month.
and five days Senator Sumner hat
been solicitous for his health for severa
days past, the earnest part he has takeI
in questions before the Senate having
given him reason to pay especial regarl
to it, and he remarked last night to
friend some hours before he was attack
ed With serious spasm, which in few
hours eliminated his death, that h
/ wanted to talk to him about his health
He was afraid he was working too hard
WASHINGTON, March 11.--Senato
Sumner, at about two O'Clock yesterda'
afternoon. moved from his seat in th
Senate Chamber to one beside Senate
Sargent, and inquired of Sargent, who
like himself, had taken prominent par
in opposition to the Centennial bill
whether he had received any anony
nous insulting letters on the subject
and adding that he (Sumner) had re
ceived a number of such letters, ant
packages of a more offensive character
both through the mail and by express
He seemed considerably annoyed b,
these insults, and Sargent therefor
turned the conversation to the resolu
tions of the Massachusetts Legislature
E-escinding its censure of Sumner, ant
he expressed himself greatly pleased
with this action.
An hour or more afterward Mr.. Sum
ner called Senator Ferry, of Connect
cnt, aside to a seat on the sofa in tn
Senate Chamberf and talked with hin
"a he had done before in regard to thei
respective states of iil-health, both re
sulting from affection of the spinal cord
He told Ferry he had suffered so mucl
from his heart the night previous tina
he had sent for his doctor to obtail
some relief by an injection under tn
skin He asked Ferry's opinion o
such hyperdermic injections, and frou
lime to time complained of severe pai
while they were talking. Finally, lit
tie before four o'clock, Mr. Sumne
took his hat and coat and went home
his last words in the Senate Chambe
having been uttered in this conversation
with Mr.. Ferry. The apparent vigo
manifested by Mr. Sumner in hi
speeches on the Centennial bill excite,
considerable surprise in view of his Ion,
continued feebleness of health last yeal
and many of his friends expressed thei
apprehension that he was OVERRIDING hi
strength in these efforts.
Il is regarded as remarkable an,
fortunate coincidence, that the resolli
ton of the Massachusetts Legislature
resembling its vote of censure upon MI
sumner, should have been presente,
and read in the Senate before he left j
on the last day of his presence in th
Chamber AS member Of that body.