The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-05-05
SCHURz ON SUMNER.
A NOBLE TRIBUTE TO THE
STATESMAN OF FREEDOM.
THE PLACE THAT SUMNER FILLS IN
-. HISTORY. III 81

IIPE WORK OF THE GREAT AMERICAN
THE REAR GUARD OF FREEDOM PRESENT.
A Boston dispatch to the Chicago Tribune
gives a good abstract of Schurz's great
speech on Sumner:
The scene in Music Hall to-day was one
thai will not be soon forgotten Dy thcse
who were fortunate enough 10 be present
The arrangements were admirsoie, sne ene
EXERCISES. in every part, justified the highest
authorizations The decorations were eie-
can't exceeding anything ever attempted
bafore in Boston; no fisg~ or mourning COZ
ors were used, the decorations beng sasnpiy
evergreen and flowers, but the general OF
feet was wonderfully graceful and pressing
The committee were at great pains 70
secure the attendance of all of Mr. sum
ner's personal friends VINO couid come,
those who were such in the eazty part
of his career, as well as those VINO Ia
later wears were Intimately associated
with him in labors and sympathy. Among
the first TO appear was William Lloyd Carl
son. who sat on the front OF the PLATFORM at
tie right OF the orators desk; around DIN
were Ralph waldo Emerson, Henry w.
I,ngfeIIaw. and oliver Wendell Holmes.
Senator Washburn occupied a seat at the left
of the desk. Among the other invited
cuasts present were the state authorities,
the United States and state judges, ek -Cnief
.Justlce Bigelow and ex-JuGge curtis,
Joshua B. Smith, Charles Francs ADAMS
John q. Whittier, Mrs. Lydia Maria Child,
Mrs. Horace Mann, Mrs. Agsssiz, Cyrus w:
Field. A. A. Low, 3. b. Chlttenden ana
Elliot c. Cowdin, OF New Hork; Horace
White, OF Chicagoc Aurat Halsted, OF Cin-
cinnati: and Henry Watterson, OF LOUIS
vile In the body of the house were most
of the members of the Massachusetts legis-
Iature. and many people Of aecal distinction
from all sections Of the state BY % O'Clock
all the room assigned TO holders OF standing
l..tr
aisles. or into positions that interfered with
the view of those seated, was permitted.
The hall was as full IS 1t could De
without crowding and confnsion. The gem
tlemen were ia large majority, DuI the
ladies' were numbered by the hundreds.
Punctually at O'Clock Mayor Cobb, followed
by the R:v- Phillips Brooks, Senator Carl
Scburz and Wendell Phillips, entered from
the ante room on the right of the organ, and
were greeted with respectful, but not bois-
ferrous, applause. AS soon as they were
seated. the organ was heard, and the exer-
cises began The prayer was brief, and was
listened TO with bowed heads and the deepest
silence. The singing, both OF the prayer by
Ssorck and OF DIR. Holmes hymn, was by the
full Apollo club. 1t was sweet, strong, ana
imDressive and was considered on all hands
a singularly beautiful and satisfactory fea-
ture of the occasion.
TILE BUboGY.
When Senator Schurz arose, he was greeted
in cordial manner, which signified rather
interest than enthusiasm. The printed
sheets of his Grafton lay on the desk before
him, and he began the reading in aquiet
tone, conversational rather than declama-
tory. but earnest and attractive. Through
the early historical portions of the address,
he preserved the same style, succeeding in
keeDinp the closest attention OF Inc vast as
sembly. vet seemingly without effort. His
slight foreign accent was not, after
the first movements, any impeachment.
The first deep sensation was produced
by that fine passage in which the
condition of the nation whan sumner TOOK
his seat in the Senate was depicted, and the
careful philosophical analysis of the change
in our politics signified by the entrance of
Sumner on the stage just Quilted by Webster
and CLAY, was listened to with eager atten-
tion, the orator meanwhile gradually-almost
notwithstanding at the sympathy
with his thought until suddenly a thrilling
sound of applause burst forth, as IL admira-
tion could not longer be restrained from
manifestation. from this time on the inte-
rest deepened and the applause was frequent.
The passages treating OF the bsttle-hag reso-
lutions- Of Summers course in the Santo
Domingo business and of his break with the
republican party in 1872, were spoken with
a great force and intensity OF feeling, and
several impassioned vindications OF Summers
lofty motives and faithfulness to his eonvic-
tons of duty, through evil and good report,
were responded to with applause that often
interrupted the delivery for several seconds.
MANY passages of the Grafton as pointed
were omitted, but for nearly two hours and
a half. the audience listened with evident
delight and no indication of WEAKNESS. At
its close the distinguished gentle men on the
platform nasteneu LO offer their coDgratula-
lions. and it was the universal testimony
that the effort was worthy of the occasion
and be;tered the repu alton OF the already
distinguished orator. The following are the
most striking portions OF
THE GRAFTON.
One of the most eloquent and impressive
passages in Senator Schurz's Grafton, was the
contrast of the political era of Webster and
CLAW with thar of Sumner, strikingly signal
lied the entrance OF Sumner into the Senate
on the day that Clay left it. The following
paragraphs sre from this portion of the ora
ton. The problems to be solved by the
statesmen of that period were of an imnnin
emily practical nature. They had TO estao
Iish the position of the young repablit
among the powers of the earth, to make hel
rights as a neutral respected TO secure the
safety of her maritime interests. They bad tC
provide for national defense. They had te
set the interior household OF the republic m
working order They had to find remedies
for hnrdensame public debt and a dis r.
dered currency. They had to invent and orr
ginate policies 20 bring to light the resources
OF the Land. sleeping unknown to the virgin
soil; to open aud make accessible to the hus
bandmsn the wild acres yet untouched; tc
protect The frontier settler against the in
roads of the savage to call into full activity
the agricultural, Commercial, ana industrial
energies OF the people; to deyeloPe and ex
tend the prosperity of the nation so as L
make even the discontended cease to doubs
that the National Uniso was and should u
maintained as q blessing te all. Thus we
find the statemanshipof those times pusily
occupied with practical dstail of foreign pol
lev, national defense, ineacial policy, tariffs
banks, organization Of governmental de
partments, land policy, Indian policy, in
ternal Improvement, settlement of disputes
and difficulties among the states, contriv