Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-03-12
CHARLES auHNER.

known TO the political history of the
United States, ever more absolutely
conveyed conviction of honesty of
motive aud sincerity and recti-
tude of purpose. He was a Re-
publican pure and simple, and
from the first of bis career professed and
lived man of the people, far removed
from tsint or charge Of demagoguery,
above the arts and wiles of politicians,
decided in his views, and OutspOken OF
them, whether they Tailed with or dis
agreed with those of parties. He was an
abolitionist before there was a quarter
million voters of that party, and, next
40 Horace Greeley, did more
Than any other man TO make
the Republican party possible. he
was a statesman in the broadest'
most liberal. and most comprehensive
sense of the term-one of the most en-
iarged understanding of the rights and
liberties Of the people,, and who would,
at any time in his career, as he proved
on several occasions, venture position
and preferment for what he believed
To be the truth. Elected 10 succeed
one of the grandest and most
magnificent of the statesmen OF
the middle period of our history in
san,,te which he had made historic as
ono ,,f the trio of which the illustrious
Clav and Calhoun were the other two,
it was be lieved by many, and predicted
generally. that be would be failure by
comparison with Webster. But, upon
taking his seat in 1850 he shortly made
himself felt Elost aggressively and
ably by an assault upon slavery,
remarkable as surprising any
thing In that line that had
ever been heard in congress, the
commencement of a s5ries Of speeches
that grew in bitterness until the close
Of the war, when the neg 70 was freed
Even then be rested only for few
months, when he begsn the agitation
for the amendments to the cons ututloh'
and FOR tie series Of measures by which
fhe freedmen were the benefica aries
of government subsidies and prOl &C.
ton, his last effort in behalf of the negl'O
being an ardent advocacy of his civil
rights bill on the opening of the present
congress. A bitter opponent of slavery, |
and ss earnest friend of the negro as /
Greeley, like the renowned jour-
nalist. after the war, ne showed
himself above the petty and BIT
ter preiudices that were too proml-
nent with other leaders ofthe Republic
eau party, going so far as to introduce
resolution in thesenate for the erasure of
the names of the battles Of the civil war
from the colors of the regiments of the
regular army, for which he was censured
by the legislature of Massachusetts, an
act that 1as rescinded only few hours
ago, much TO dissatisfaction Of Sumner,
who received that measure OF justice on
he threshold of death. Another proc!
of bis independence, was his arrsign-
n,ent of Grant and his opposition to
Presi, lent johnson, although Vice-Presi-
dent by the votes of his party. his
Grant sae ech cost him the position OF
chairman of the senate committee
on foreign elations, and isolated him
from his parry, with which he never
after became re eOnciled. Entering upon
,,olitical life in the senate, where most
men are content 70 end it, he never
failed to conduct himself, even in the
heat and bitterness of a strife that ended
in bloodshed, with dignity Of manner,
Ioftiness of bearng, and the conviction
Of the highest purpose coilsonant win
fraa5on. Fanatical as we were often
forced to believe him, and opposed to
him for wears. we nevertheless always
regarded him as the most scholarly, stu
dious. honest, upright and courageous OF
the champions of the anti-slavery party.
We freely AND unreservedly pay tribute
n his worth, as to one of whom the re-
public may be proud. WedO not choose
to dig and delve among his speeches to
extract the sen tences that aroused
the hate Of the southern people, nor to
dwell upon the exasloarating scenes and
debates in congress from 1850 to 1861,
when he was conspicuous as our bitter
ext opponent. We prefer to forget
these-to let mis- battie-fag reso-
luton, and that other to pre-
vent the erection Of the civil war tro-
phies in the senate, stand between us
and him as better evidence Of his
kindly feeling for US; Of his renem-
brance that we were his fellow-eoun-
rrvmep. and as more in keep
ing with the principles he enun-
ciated i'm his first great speech on
"The true grandeur Of nations" We
know that leading Republican papers
do not thus fairly deal with the great
public men Of the south, but, like sum-
uer, we prefer to be right and just rather
than subject our judgment to party pre-
iudices or sectional animOs, ties. dad We
the past to live over again, we sheulu
es freely and fervenuy as the u ahUago-
uize Sumner, and those who aLped Win
him. That feeling, and the Goa lvlcllon
Mat the south was right in deisI'uihg
the rights Of the States, will not, hI"-
ever. prevent Us from accOrdinglto hilH
a character for high attainments as g
scholar. for exalted craftsmanship, for
restitude of intention and motive, for
6rmuess and singleness of purpose, and
3 desire TO lead his countrymen, as he
believed, in the path that was logical
result Of the Deelaration OF Inde-
pepdence, Of the constitution, and
the laws made in pursuance of them.
We do not forget his civil rights meas
,,re. which received his latest considera-
tion and the title Of which was last
,lpon his lips, and We trust it viii never
-,,a revived. but we also cannot forget the
,igb- bred delicacy that prompted his
,,revention of the erection Of q perpetual
ins,lt 10 the south, in the senate cham
5,ar and his battle-fsg resolution, which
v,e hone will vet be adopted.
Courier. Journal letter from Spring
field Kentucky, says that Mrs. Alfred,
wife of Or. Alfred, who was brutaIIy
Murdered some time ago, was yesterday
arrested and placed in Jail, charged VIII
the crime. The testimony IN the I ca