New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-28

breakfast or dinner table. Few men have been such
slaves to their mall lie would often rec rsa at The
moment OF opening. His ability to take IN a ,htnage
mahuscilpt MAS peculiar. i9ur' cTGn Thai an
observer would suppose he had but glanced at Il; and
were ons OF ronnS matter the disposition secretary
should make OF H. But he reserved 10 nhusc Iyonst
0l letters anu Wrole win n's o" p"n% os necessity
required. OF these letters he never retained I'm
thrown into the mailing basket, oil by himself as st
they were completed ana the answered & o,nort
pigeonholed or destroyed. according TO thei imPu
ance OF these letters received. perhaps one IN nun
dred was saved; and yet lt Noumes oi 2noppniiers
each were packed and sent 10 Boston to ms literary
executors after his DEATH These letters propapy re-
letter books prior to that time were already In Boston.
There were, However among these the oooks h wa
Howe LOngfellow, Motley, Whittier, Felton,, ana ms
blood relations. His biographer vii and material i1 or
his life I'm these letters, ana those ne Wrote i'll ans"ei
them. In fact, they contain his biography
HIS AFFECTIoNATE NATURE.
Mr.. Summers nature was inexpressbly sweet gente'
genial and tender Those brought into personal reia
mons with him simply loved him. His personal wants
we're few and far as possible, supplied by NM
self His servants felt their work 10 be labor OF love,
and they seldom called upon, and, as one OF
them expressed it, We're so sweety thanked tnat they
arGce TO accomplish what they felt was necessary 10
1is comfort. They were sometimes hnrt espeeihatH
ana unattended when they were within can.
He would sometimes, in warm weather. SIT lltte al
twilight in tue beautiful square, gem OF paIk-op
posite his house. Here many little folk would be at
play. 1t unusual thing to see curly head be-
tween his knees, small hand playing with his mn
gers He did play with them, nor did he seem really
sensible of their presence but he would pat their heads
after another would. without his summons steal up
TO his seat and look up into his eyes So TOO was
TO his lap there in the room IL was apt to
he fonnd near his chair one of his secretaries who had
returned to the city after long absence, came by
appointment TO him. bringing with MIN his wie ana
little girl of two wears. The Senator showed them
autographs for hours. The child patient little thing
todded about with them, but at last began to show
signs OF Mr. sumner was first 10 notice as
he had her cuddled up against hlm isn't ms chlla
hungry - said he and then he rang Tor servant; ana
the cup of milk he ordered was brought he gave
it TO the child himself, but in the most maerOtiact
manner. without at all inerrupng the conversation
After this she remained with hm till they all left; II
to notice the ways of dogs when near him
After circng round him they would lie down near ms
feet Once, when sitting alone reading, on the
piazza of Prof. Longfellows cottage at Nahant,
there four dogs, each from neiGhborlng places,
posted around him one shaggy wasr-aos 4au iau ,s
head the senator's knee YET he had been III ts
place less than twenty-our hours, had never caneu
them or noticed them; but somehow tAey seemed 70
know that he took pleasure IN thef presence, Mhea IN
the country he always had dog OF two at MS nees.
He loved horses, although he owned none Dut ne
pictures Of the latter and none OF the former except
the Dray Horses, by Herring. Farmers have SAID hey
could learn OF him than lie could OF them aDolt
their own business, but particularly as 70 cattle
In the "Topcs of the Times" the character OF Mr..
Sumner made the subject of special editorial com
ment in which his public course is described without
any pretense to admiration, but in a spirit Of ju-
dical GOODNESS and impartial censure. In the
view OF the writer, Mr.. Sumner was a moral
| reformer clothed with political power, rather
than wise and accomplished statesman. He
was ego.Ist partly by the strength OF his
convictions. andparty by natural constitution Through
out he doctrnaire,a theorst in politics,
and moralst in staesmanship. Still, the writer not
ungraclouy admits that the work which he conscien
| tiously followed through many years has made him
| immortal. While hundreds have come and gone with
hollow show of craftsmanship, he has won the laurel
armed DO right for the sake Of right for the
sake Of his country and Of humanity, and he will be re-
garded in the future OF the nations greatest bene
| factors.