Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-03-18
Charles Sumner.

Charles Sumner.
Last Wednesday az ten minutes befor'
three the greatest of American Senators
died ut his Washington home. On Friday
his remains were borne from that home t.
the Senate Chamber, whence after brie
services they were taken and conveyed t.
his native city Boston. on the day of the
arrival of the body of her distinguished
son, honored his memory by great meet
inc in Faneuil Hall, where her most distin-
guished citizens spoke brief words of eulo
Nv that were all truth. Sunday at the
capitol, in Doric Hall, the body lay in state.
while thousands of the people whom he
had served came and went. Monday after
noon in Kings Chapel the funeral rites
were held, and from that place procession
moved to Mount Auburn, where Charles
Sumner was buried.
The death of Sumner lifts the curtain
for moment. while the nation pauses, and
reveals the fierce struggles of a quarter
of a century from the doubtful beginning
to the assured triumph. 1t is more than
twenty-five years since Sumner, aristocrat-
ic in all his personal tastes, offended polite
society by identifying himself with cause
that recognized the equal rights of all men.
1t is a little less than that number of years
since he leaped from an advance wave of n
rising tide into the United States Senate
Chamber, there to contend for equal rights.
His first years there were almost with
out active help, but soon one after another
Joined him in strong blows at slavery. 1t
was not n retreating foe they were fighting
With all their zeal they were kept on the
defensive and their fiercest attacks upon
the enemy were for long years to drive it
back from new vantage ground it had
gained.
In all these contests Sumner was nearest
the enemy. Whatever personal character
istics he had that gave him, when success
had come too much the air of Sir Oracle
any man who had found himself on 50
many victorious fields and remembered
that he WAS first in the fight could be par
doned much assumption of leadership.
Against him We're aimed not only intel
lectual weapons but an outrage was com
mitted on his person in the Senate Cham
Der. 1t is strange to think that only eigh-
teen years ago the House of Representa-
tives refused to expel the vile bully who
made the assault, and that it does seem so
strange is vet another of the marks that
show how the sentiment of the country has
year by year advanced after the leaders
in thought
Mr. Summers answering course during
the war and the great influence he had
with Mr.. Lincoln were of great help.
Since its close he has been found the fore
most champion for equal rights, and his
last request, that the civil rights bill should
be taken care. of showed the ruling passion
strong in death
His mark on the course of the nation
with foreign countries has not been slight. |
At the time when he cOunseled the sur
render of Mason and Slidcll, us when he |
urged rejection of the plan of settlement
agreed upon by Reverdy johnson and the
British Government, his words were listen |
ed to and needed. Much indeed of his
best work was done ut tie head of the |
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The arrangement of the Senator and
his party was well nigh forgotten before
his death by those who had been bitter
AGAINST him Just before he left the Senate |
Chamber Massachusetts had given formal
notice to Congress that the resolutions of
condemnation against Sumner, passed in
1872, had been rescinGed.
Above all others the man stood out
in these last months Il peculiar mark, for
in him were the qualities now most needed
in our country-those that join themselves
about incorruptible integrity, No breath |
of suspicion ever touched the perfect hon
esty. Living he contended for the
liberation of a race-so manfully contended |
that what he was was swallowed up of
what he did. Dead, the solemn strains of
"Integer Vitae" rising rightly at his open
grave, call his cOuntrymen to duty-the |
duty of honesty in themselves and of in
sisting upon it in their servants and to the |
knowledge of what manner of man this |
was.