The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-05-05
scHuRz,s EUIoeY ON SUMNER.

parlduLy, hnu Us HIUst iOihoAA AS ~
ry production is universal. He opened
with touching illusions to the universal
loss BY Summers death, followed by bio
graphical reference, an account Of his early
life, studies, the impulses that led him in
to politics, and his entry into the Senate,
Then follows an account Of the rise and
progress of the slavery movement, and ref
erence to the great statesmen then in pub
lie life and the discussion of the all-absorb-
ing question, His comments upon the
public life Of Clay, Webster and others
are full of interest and are drawn with the
hand of master. Then comes sharp,
eloquent and vivid picture Of the war be-
tween the States, in which, Of course, the
slavery question bears prominent part
His sketch of Abraham Lincoln is touch
ingly eloquent and truthful. Following
these are illusions to Summers labors and
great services upon questions of foreign
policy, the Alabama claims, the Trent affair,
etc., closing with review of the later la
bors of his life. We copy what Gen. Schurz
says Of his rupture with the administration,
as follows:
The rupture with the Administration
was brought on by his opposition to the
Santo Domingo Treaty. In the reasons
upon which that opposition was based, /
know that personal feeling had no share.
They were patriotic reasons, publicly
and candidly expressed, and it seems they
were appreciated by large portion of the
American people. 1t has been said that he
provoked the resentment Of the President by
first promising TO support that-treaty and
then opposing it, thus rendering himself
guilty Of an act of duplicity.a He has pub.
licly denied the Justice OF the charge, and
stated the facts as they stood in his memo
ry. am willing to make the fullest allow
ance tor the possibility of misapprehen-
sion of words. But affirm, also, that NJ
living man who knew Mr.. Sum
ner well, will hesitate a moment
10 pronounce the charge of du
plicity as founded on the most radical Of
misapprehensions. An act of duplicty or
his part was simply moral impossibllity
1t was absolutely foreign to his nature
Whatever may have been the defects o.
his character, he never knowingly deceived
human being. There was in him not the
faintest shadow of assimilation disguise
or trickery. Not one of his words evel
had the purpose of double meaning, no
one OF his acts hidden aim. His ike
and dislikes. his approval and disapprov
al, as soon us they were clear to his owl
consciousness, appeared before the wOrlC
in the open light of MONDAY. His frank
ness was so unbounded, his candor so en-.
tire, his nervousness so childlike, that he
lacked even the discretion of ordinary
prudence. tie was almost incapable OF
undertaking his feelings, of toning down
his meaning in the expression. When he
might have gained point by indirection,
he would not have done so, because he
could not. He was one of those who, when
they attack, attack always in front and in
broad daylight The night surprise and
the Hank march were absolutely foreign to
his tactics, because they were incompatible
with his nature. | have known many
men in my life, but never one who was less
capable OF perhdious act or an artful pro
tession. Call him vain, an impracticable
an imperlous man,if you will, but American
history does not mention the name of ont
of whom with greater Justice it can be sale
that he was q true man.
The same candor and purity of motive,
which prompted and characterized his Cd
position to the Santo Domingo scheme
prompted and characterized the attacks
upon the Administration which fol
lowed. The charges he made, auC
the arguments with which he supported
them, feel not called upon to enumerate
Whether and how far they were core, O
erroneous, just or unjust, important or IN
important, the judgment of history will G
termlne. May that Judgment be lust al a
lair to US all But this | can affirm to
day, tor l know it: Charles Sumner neve
made charge which he did not himself
firmly, religiously believe to be tru e
Neither did he condemn those he attacked
Tor anything he did not firmly, relgiousl,
believe to be wrong. And while attacking
those IN power for what he considered
wrong, he was always ready to support
them in all he considered right. After al
he has said of the President, he wOald to-
day, II he lived, cOnscientiously, cordially
Joyously aid in sustaining the President
recent veto on an act of financial legislation
which threatened to infiict deep injury OF
the character, as well as the true interest.
OF the American people.
But ut the time OF which speak all hi
said was so deeply grounded in his feeling
and conscience that it was for him difficult
to understand how others could form diff
ferent conclusions, When. shortly befor,
the National Republican Convention Of
1872, he had delivered that fierce philip
pic Tor which he has been censured 81
much, he turned to me with the question
whether did not think that the state
ments and arguments he had produced
would certainly exercise a decisive influ
ence on the action of that convention. l re
Piled that thought it would not. He wa.
greatly astonished Not as if he INDUCED
In the delusion that his personal wore
would have such authoritative might, bu
1t seemed impossible to him that opinion,
which In him had risen to the full strength
OF overrullng conviction, that feeling o.
duty which in him had grown so solemn
and irresistible as to inspire him TO any
risk and sacrifice, ever so painful, shoulC
tall powerless ut the feet of party which
so long had followed inspirations kindred
TO his own. Such was the righteousness o.
his nature such his faith in the rectitudt
OF his own cause. The result of his effor
is matter of history. After the Philadel
phia Convention, and not until then, he re
solved to oppose his party and to Join 8
movement which was doomed to defeat
lie obeyed his sense of right and duty at
terrible sacrifice He had been one of the
great chiefs of his party, by many regarded
as the greatest. He had stood in the Sen.
ateamighty monument of the struggles and
victories OF the anti-slavery cause He had
been q martyr of his earnestnes Rv All Re-
publicans he had been looked up to with
respect, by many with veneration. He
had been the idol of the people of his