New-York tribune., 1874-03-12

c'nD,omentarv Civil Rights bill, which Mr.. Sumner
nad offered March Q, 1871, and, after some
.mnndments the bill was passed-the necessary Two
thirds vote however, not obtained In the House.
N, Simmer had previously made an attempt 70
attach the bill TO the Amnesty act which passed the
uonse jan IS but the opposition of Senators TO Mt
summers bill was so strong that it carried down
the original bill. During the same month he pro
rosed an amendment TO the Constitution, providing
sor the election of President by the people abosn
,ns the Office of Vice-PreSident and limiting eacn
sneumbent of the Presidential otice to sinele
term On the Amnesty act as 1t passed the senate
Nay 81 his vote AMI that of Senator Nye "ele
~. only ones recorded in opposition, after MI
Sumner had moved to add the supple
.,sr,arv Civil Rights bill as an amend
a,.ot and the motion had been disagreed to-
n, Friday. Nav 81. he moved that the Aprortlon-
mont h,ll be postponed and announced that on thls
,,t;op he intended to make speech IN Vlndlea'loh
"a bimself lie then addressed the Senate IN
oosch which occupied eleven columns OF lie iRiB-
,NE In this address he arraignod President OIant lo
having assumed personal control Of the kepuohcah
marty for private ends for disrogardng the consul
trBoo and the law. and making the Presidential
Office " little more than q plaything and per
op,site~ and finally for elaring nepotism ana
sen.rsl unftness for his position. This address
1yas uublisbed As A cafiDagn document. and was
deemed one of the heaviest blows the AdminiStra-
tlou party received
Mr. summers probable attitude in relation 10 the
Presidential contest Of 1872 was the object OF great
,ol;citnde throughout the country. There could be
DO doubt. of course. as TO opinion OF Gen. Grants
ftnesa for second term, hut it was by no means
,ettled that he would disregard the action OF the
recullr Nominating Convention. and 90 far rs 70
.cit ilT
in conversation with q delegate to the Cincinnati
Convention some days after Mr.. Greeley's nominal
lion. lac said he Rad " no fears of Mr. Greeley as
President" and that he had deserved the Office by
long aud national course of philanthropy and con-
rderat,5nr lie also commended the tariff plank
t tie Cincinnati platform " the most
honest expression on the subject ever made
tv any Convention since he had entered pub
lie Hf, A few days later he stated that he should
AWAIT tie action Of the Philadelphia Convention,
Sboping for a nomination that would unite the
Republican party. which Grant could not" Nnen
tbe foreordaiped result at Philadelphia was made
Known Mr. Summers action vas looked for
with great interest but he preserved a
gtric. silence until tho latter part oi July, when,
being asked for counsel by several colOred citizens
In Washington. he replied in long and forcibie
.etter stating the reasons why he thought that
nave ,he anteceder Is Of the rival candidates, de-
pcrbal the insult offered TO the Republic Of SautO
bomin-o, placed in contrast the spontaneous support
Hocored TO Horace Greeley with the enforced support
Sscsiycd by Gen. Grant, and portrayed the era OF
Irtornity aud peace which would follow the cleo
hon of tle Liberal candidate. The condition Of his
health did not permit of his taking any part IN the
panvass, and about q month later, he left for
Europe receiving at Liverpool the news Of his nom
lnation by the Liberals and Democrats for Governor
Df his State, which be declined, the Hon. T. W. Bird
boiug nominated in his stead.
Mr. Sumner returned from Europe in time for the
Tpeusng of Congress- and on the first day Of the ses
hion introduced resolution providing that "the
names of battles vllh felov-cii2eDs shall not be
Bontnued in the Army Register or placed on the
tegimeutal cOlols Of the United States few days
after IN tho Massachusetts, House OF Representa-
iycs, a Alr Hoyt of Athol offered a resolution cen
Iuriug Senator Sumner for q" attempt to degrade
the loyal soldfry of tho ratiOn aud their grand
achievements by this proposal. The resolution
adopted and remained the records of the General
Court a dark blot on tho fame OF Massachusetts,,
until within few weeks, when a resembling resolu-
zion was passed by a very large majority. The heat
of the campagr had died away and the members of
lhe legislative body saw that they bad disgraced
not their Senator but themselves. The credit of this
reeisiOn is due largely TO the poet Whittier, who
lnaugurated the agitation FOR sweeping the OBJ
hoxiOus measure from the records, and labored
Earnestly 10 bring it to a successful conclusion On
The ISth of December, 1872, Mr. Sumner pronounced
On the Senate a just and appreciative eulogy on
6arret Davis. whose seat death had made vacant.
30 tue meeting held IN New-YOrB in November
,ast 10 express the indignation of the people
over tho Virgiuius outgases he sent a letter
fhe tenor Of which was that our sympathy with
CASTELAR, and the Spanish Republic should be such
ns 10 restrain anv mCnaces of war and that the
common watchword should be the immediate
Emancipation Of the cnslaved blacks in the West
sndies. During the financial debates which have
occupied so much Of the time Of the Senate during
Ghe present stssion. Senator Sumner expressed no
ehaDge in his well-kuown views against imitation
and in favor of speedy roturn to specie payments
perhaps his most important action during
fhe present session was his Offer of a
eubsttute for the CoDtcnnial bill as passed by the
tlousc providing that the celebration should be
national and not international in its character In
eupport of this substitute he spoke briefly when n-
troducing H. and on Saturday last in the discussion
If tse same subject, no made his last speech, and
closed faithful, patriotic and brilliant service Of
nearly quarter Of a century.
In regard To his domestic life there is little TO be
Said HIS marriage which took plac, Few years
ego. was not happy one and "a separation was soon
had by mutual consent, a circumstance which did
not however at al affect the intimate relations
ksting between M sumner and his fa,hcI-in-law.
the Hon Samuel Hooper Of Boston. He leaves
children.
In person Mr. Sumner was tall well formed, and
Commanding His dignity and impressive courtesy
nat well upon a princely frame His voice was re-
piarksbly melodious. and his action in speaking
graceful ~ well as animated. The fire and glow Of
bis youth can only c4ist in the memory of few, but