Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-05-06

! dil-iDSOTDlH0 UlSSlOit.
He received and revered the Constitution
of our country, as ordained by the same
will and power which proclaimed the great
Magma Charta of human freedom, the Dec
laration of Independence, and therefore
never forgot the fundamental idea of
equality before the law" nor that all
men are created equal He brought no
fixed allegiance to party platforms, and
found no withes in the Constitution that re-
strained him from resisting any claims for
the protection of slavery; but that instru-
ment was everywhere to be interpreted
broadly and beneficently in the interests of
humanity, worldwide and divinely free.
Bestowing care even IL. trifies, his
orations in the Senate, as might be expect
ed, were prepared as for a grand occasion,
and, towering in his place like n tribune of
the people, the heavy, resoundiny tones of
his voice We're wont to draw the attention
of willing listeners to words which soon
found through the press far wider accept
ance. His arguments were methodcal,
abundant in information, stiffened by apt
and pregnant sentences, Studiously observ-
ant of the syllogistic beginning, middle and
end. and, though rarely what is called
brilliant or illumined by wit, were always
clearly put forth, with the paramount OBJ
iect of spreading light and with the con
vincing majesty OF earnestness.
Those among US who have found it some
times difficult to agree with him never
found it difficult to respect his fairness of
purpose, his unflinching integrity, CT his
wealth of learning In his orbit us n states
man he scared high from the beginning to
the end, and ever sought with moral intre-
pidity noble ends by noble means. As to
the largest share of legislative measures,
he was apt to be right He sturdily and
sorrowfully resisted the banishment of
coin, rs an alien, from the base of sound
currency. Upon questions of popular
rights he was often leader; in all steps of
reform he was never a laggard. The doe
trines he espoused, if not exclusively his
own, appeared to belong to him by the
possessory title of constant use and earnest
adherence He needed no admonition to
" stick" If it cannot properly be claimed
that - his doctrines persuaded one genera
tion and live to govern the next" it may
be claimed that his early text, of - Free
dom national, slavery sectional = did not
wait for the next generation to be even
more than verified Freedom is national
and slavery forever extinct. In the surg
ing conflicts in behalf of universal liberty
the deceased Senator has gathered many
laurcls, and if Il few more remained to be
won, his brow was already covered. He
I will be numbered among those who helped
to change a great chapter in our history.
By a life of unstinted and unselfish labor he
secured the undying gratitude of IN eman-
cipated race and the general approval of
mankind.
Mr.. Sumner was ever surrounded by
books They were his most beloved friends
and surrendered many of their secret treas
ures to their constant wooer. New books
rs well rs OLD, Longfelow as we'll rs Plato
and Milton, oft robbed him of sleep He
was somewhat fastidiOus lover of the
beautiful in art, busily collecting such no
table objects rs were historically rare, su-
perb in material, or cunning in workman
ship; but neither this elegant refinement of
taste nor the epicurean Seclusion of his
daily life, lifted him above willing labor and
the tenderest sympathy for those who were
rude, unlettered and degraded by even the
darkest browed slavery To him the
"Greek Slave " in marble appeared tran
scendently beautiful; but the chain. the
ugly system. that chafed the limbs and
bound the living slave, was an intolerable
atrocity. even n manacle on the symbol of
God.
Mr.. Summers habits of industry, though
the sands of his fourth term rs Senator
were fast running out, clung to him to the
very last, and in no three months of his
life were they much better DISPLAYED. nor
rest nor pastime more hahitually scorned
than in those which brought his labors to
an end.
Most men have some specially wherein
; they chiefly excel, and doubtless the GREAT
subject of the natural rights of man most
deeply excited the enthusiasm of Charles
Sumner; but he brought valuable contri-
buttons into the discussion of Il wide field
of topics, political and historical: and upon
: international law it may not be wrong to
;, say. he was possibly more profoundly
! learned than upon the subject which most
contributed to build up and support his
reputation. Few men have done more
work, and fewer still have done it so well.
While Chairman of the Committee on For
eign Relations, in all critical emergencies
!. he was viglant and powerful friend of
peace, and as such merits the countrv's
grateful remembrance. The principle en-
bodied in our late treaty with Great Brit
ain, of the arbitration of international diff
: ferences, he eagerly accepted rs the herald
i of peace to future generations. in harmony
with his earliest idea of the True Grand
human progress.
Public men during life very often receive
the poorest kind of thanks for their noblest
efforts The world at large is not ALWAYS
I swift to comprehend; associates look on
with torpid Indifference; ami enemies are
made glad by every new field exposed to
g assault. But when the grave closes the
scene, praise of the dead harms no rival.
and the final verdict of history proclaims
only truth, generously, perhaps but free
1 from detractiOn and all uncharitableness
4 and then public men who have deserved
/ well of their country obtain that full meas
ure of recognition and reverence which at
: last confers merited rank in the roll of the
: worthiest of mankind.
= The present age, however, ALWAYS suffers
e at all points by contrast with the past, be-
II cause none but the great among the un.
I numbered hosts turned to dust-the few
: screened and idolzed products of picked
centurles-have been preserved, while AL
0 of the present age are visible and so near
: that no deformities can be hidden. There
! is no sun, that has not long ceased to shine
q whose spots remain unrevealed.
Our deceased associate, unsheitered by
wealth, by family, or by party, was exposed
first and last to much adverse criticism
0 from which, IN spite of much real admira-
n ton, impartiality will not now wholly re-
4 lease him. His persistency in pushing his
$ own measures to the front. though to theil
q present hurt or to the hurt of others, often
( provoked rebuke. His enemies he easily
It forgave, but could not so easily bury the
e slender personal affronts received in any
D wordy encounters from his peers. His
self-conddence, admirable enough when he
/ was right, wls no less unmistakable anG
$ glittering when he happened to be wrong
g 10 his conclusions, sincerely reached, he
gave regal pretensions, and for them ac.
+ cepted nothing less than unconditional sub
Il mission. Unconscious of personal offenst
e he imperiously and with the stride of ;
+ colossus trampled down whatever argu