The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-03-19

pecEogss, He was conscious to the
! last, and pasted away without q s6ug-
/ gle. The following brief sketch of
his life and public services is furnish
ed by the Warrington eoFrespendsnt
of the Graphic:
Charles Sumner was born at BOstoE,
January 6, 1911, and graduated from
Harvard University In 1880. He
studied law under Cbl6f.Ju Justice Story
and was admitted to the Bar in 1884.
While pracficing his profession he
4 edited the sAmerican Jurist, and
published series of Chief-J ustics
| Story,s decisions known as tsSumner's
REPORTS In early life Mr.. Sumner
was q Wing, bnt was opposed to the
Mexican war, and the annexation of
Texas put him in opposition to the
party, and in 1S4S he definitely joined
the new Free-Soil party. Hisfirst ap-
pearance in pnblic life was his cleo
ton to the United States Senate, in
1850, By a,coalition of the Free-Soilers
/ and Democrats. His sueeess was gen
orally regarded as a proof of the high
esteem in which his personal character
was. held by the people of his State,
while it was also evidence of the
/ growth of the Anti-Slavery moEe-
mont.
From 1850 to the present time Mr..
Summer has represented Massachu-
setts in the Senate, although for near
/ ly three years he was unable to dis
charge the duties OF his position in
consequences of the attack made upon
him by Preston Brooks in 1856. Dur
/ ing the war he was as conspicuous a
defender OF the Union as he had pre-
viOusly been An opponent of slavery.
From March 1861 to March 1871 he
was Chairman Of the Committee on
Foreign Relations, from " hich he was
removed on taking part in the LibeT-.
al Republican revolt of 1872. His
illness was sudden and unexpected,
and It is generally believed that It was
due directly to tbs wounds inflicted
| by Brooks. The character and ability
Of Charles Sumner are too well known
/ to need any comment hera- he has
died at his post after . service of near.
l ly twenty-five years in the cause of
| freedom and country; and he viii be
mourned by all classes of his country
men, without distinction of party or
race.
Mr.. Sumner was one of the marked
men Of his period. He was great in
many respects, If not in most. AS a
student he was tirelsss, and as schol-
ar. had few. if any, eqP@iis, in public
! life. He was ee--.. : ..e0ued With the
spirit Of nez Like Story sAd John
Quin sy Adams, and catchipx the spirit
OF their example aimed # a similar
eminence.s His ne ss.Ts instinct for or
atory was fed unit st became passion
and before his greas injury was an Ell
oqnent and powerful speaker. he.
/ inherited the traditions OF the Wing
party, and WaA the personal friend of
most of its disting gnished leaders; but
Mt the. threshold of political life he
broke with the party on the slavery
political agitator. Elected to the
Senate he took prominent part in
/ the anti-alavery crusade. not always
judicious but always courageous and
usually in advance of the sentiment of
the time. His course drew down on
him the,infense hostility of his oppo-
nents whom he could not disarm and
would not c0nciliate, and the attack
upon him by Mr.. Brooks was the in
/ evitable logic of the situation. But
j it was in the opposition that Mr.. Sum-,
i ner was truly himself. He was born
and trained to criticise and arraign.
1 He appeared greater when storming
position that seemed impregnable. He
could not manage a defence, and
would have failed as the leader of an
administration in power. This was
why he made no greater figure after
his party came into power. He lack-'
i ed the quiclSness of mind and move-
/ ment, the versatility of talent, the
/ elasticity of temper, required for party
| leadership or political manag ement.
He was utterly destitute of huInor.-
He was irritable to fault, and so ex-
acting of personal deference and SO
i greedy for personal applause aud fol-
lowing that his peers often found il
dificHlt to maintain pleasant personal
relations with him. Ackn0 Wledging
ne equal, be too often hurt the self-re-
spect of his associates by treating
them as interiors, But he was thor
oughly honest. He belonged TO the
small class of men who tower above
the political notorieties and schemers
Of the time as statesmen. His phiIan-
thropy was a matter of principle. His
regard for the negro race. he labored
so hard to emancipate and enfranchise
was almost paternal. His personal
character was above the reach of call
Il
from him, no one sullied his name
with suspicion. His name is indelli-
bly, impressed upon the age in which
he acted such a conspicuous part, and
his memory win be one of the nations
cherished treasures. Thus they de-
part Chase and Seward, Greeley and
Stsnton. Hale and Lincoln, Andrew
and LoYej0y and SteVens--the men
( who made an epoch and were its pill
lars have gone on, And last, though
not least, the great Senator closes his
argument and leaves a grateful and
admiIing country the legacy of his
example and influence.
4 The expressions of sorrow at the
termination Of the life Of this distin-
euished man are universal. The fn-
neral obseques at the Capitol, on Fri
day, prior to the removal of the re-
mains to Massachusetts,, were the most
grand aud imposing since those of
President lincoln, and men of al
parties combined in paying tribute to
the distinguished dead.
,s-.----
Central RaeIac Railroad Track Sinking.
SAN FRANc1sco, March 13,-The fol-
lowing dispatch has been received:
BATTLE MOUNTAIN, NEv., March 13.
The track of the @. P. II. r., about
sixteen miles from here at the Stone
house, is reported unpassable. The
track is snnk for a distance of one
and a-half miles, and abont forty live
yards of track washed away. "A Gull
vert and portiona of the track are
washed away short distance east of
down this morning from Carlin and
is still working at the Stone-house
breaks, but it is that no trains can get
through to-day. The force employed
: can not fix it before tonight or to-
r morrow morning. The west bound
slr,aaannsrar. train is side-fracknd here .