New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-04-09

mcmbcred the name of Charles Sumner. Uo
being dead, yet spcaketh. Not so with The
wicked OpprcssOr--his name will rot. and il
remembered at all, it will only be with ALI.
horrence and disgust. Men who opposcl
Charles Summers course ten wear AGO arc
ashamed of it to-day. Those who oppose his
"civil rights bill' to-day will be glad to have
their record forgotten ten years hence, Our
white sisters and brethren really act as if
they thought there were back seats, second
class fare and Jim Crow cars in heaven, BE
sure your sins will find you out Godi no re-.
spcctcr of persons, but every one that fcarcth
him andworkc tn Righteousness are accented
of HIM.
Second" Mark the perfect man, and be-
hold the upright, for the end of that man is
peace" Whether Mr.. Summers life is in
full harmony with the latter clause of this
verse or not, l am not informed. but will
speak upon this hereafter. But mark and
behold him in the cruel days of slavery, bat
Ting for our freedom, when foes strong and
mighty opposed him, backed up by the gov
crnnlent OF the country, cOuntenanced by
foreign powers and sanctioned by the pulpit
OF the land. Behold him when the odds were
as thousand to One,- hut hc stood rs inn
movable as the mighty mo.ntain upon the
oceans shore, against which the angry waves
dash only to be repulscd. Mark and behold
him when assaulted by the cowardy hand of
the woul'l-bc assassin; and for what : For
murder? No. For robbery? No, not for
that. For.lying? No; but for pleading the
cause OF liberty, that boon of which this proud
country boasts, protesting freedom, but like
other hypocrites, denying it in works. Mark
and behold him in the halls of Congress con-
tending for our equal rights, having arraycd
against him the best talent of the land, the
| H1tp Of fln To- 4
the dccetiulness neutrality-suspicious. and half
Democrats, whose only ambition was office
and plumber, VIM. &. Brownlow notwith.
standing TO the contrary. Charles Sumner,
III the language OF the prophet concerning our
blessed Saviour, "trod the wine press alone. )"
Mark the upright man upon his diving bed
when his pulse was faint; when he was grad
ually leaving the shore Of time, and when
eternity rushed in view. Listen to his manly
voice when he said to his friend, Gen. Hoar,
Take care ofmy civil rights BILL
Thrd~-Thc end of that man is peace.
Whether Mr.. Sumner protested any particu-
lar religion or not | am not informed, but
verify believe that God raised him up TO do
the very work he did, and cannot believe
th;'t uod would raise up 4 man to do so inl-
portant a work, and accomplish so holy n
mission and suffer him to be lost. His w6rl,
was not one of hate but one of love. II was
not one of scllishncss but of great sacrifice.
lis was not popular cause, but one that
was very unpopular. His task was not one
OF drifting with the current, but one of stem
ming. No man unled and unprotected by
God Almighty could ever have stood, so long
and so faithful, as did Charles Sumner. Be-
hold his power, his disintcrcstctlncss his pu-
rlty OF character, his zeal in the pursuit of
justice, his love for the poor oppressed slave,
conclude, therefore, that Hon. Charles
summer Is i'll heaven, rcaping the reward of
his labors. Now, say to you as a people,
let the name OfSumncr be upon every tongue.
his memory i'll every heart, his picture in
every house, and pray God that he will raise
| up another man that will complete the great
| structure OF our temple OF liberty Amen,
| The congregation irrespective of profession
OF religious faith, set apart an hour after re-
GUAR service to be devoted to eulogistic
remarks upon the life and character of lion.
:ls;uiIcr.. g..
On motion, d. w. Atwood was chosen
secretary, Rev. Phillips presiding. A COM
mittee was appointed by the chair, consist
ing OF the following gentlemen: Mcssrs Jas.
Lott, Charles Hooks, Edward Shaw, G. w.
NJ. l.. Ward. ''>'
Mr.. James Lott presented the following
resolutions. which were unanimously adoptcd:
providence to strike down BY the hand of
death our true and tried friend the late la
mentcd Charles Sumner, of Massachusetts.
| IN the midst OF career of prc-cmincnt use
| iulncss, and at period of his life when he
was dcVotlng his entire energies to the pros
ecutlOn OF the great work Of securing to all
American citizens the enjoyment of every
right and privilege, upon plane of perfect
| cquallty, and under the protection of the SUI
| low Of
| culablc value to the colored citizens of this
land Of boosted liberty and equality. where
black skin and curly hair subject their pos
SCISSOR to such brutal, unchristian treatment
from our white c0mpatriots as would to shame
| the hcathen in the wills of Africa: and
| wheh every eye was turned upon him and
every true heart engaged in earnest PRAYER
for his success in so holy a cause therefore,
| Rcsolrca, That we feel it to be our duty to
give Inference to our grief in a manner belit-
ting the occasion, upon this sacred day; while,
in distant city weeping populacc are pay
| ING the last tribute Of respect to the mortal
remains of the departed statesman philantro-
pist.
Resolccd, That while we humby bow to
| the dlspcnsatlon of an all-wsc and mcritful
Providence, in removing from his post earnest,
sympathlzing and self-dcnying friend ofthc
oppressed, and so conscientious, fearless and
able a foe to error, dishonesty and oppression.
at once the hope of the slave and the terror
OF the tyrant, yet We feel, and the feeling
rushcs upon us with irresistible and over
whelmng force, that our loses in a great mca-
su lrrcparablc. For while many of his CO.
labors who in past years stood shoulder to
shoulder with him in freedoms battles, men of
great ability and high rcnown yielding at last
to the iniluncc of ambition attcry of the
people, and fell with their fair names tarnish-
ed, say monuments of the weakness Ofman,
Charles Sumner stood firm and inheXibe upon
the immovable rock of eternal truth, fighting
after alone against fearful odds, enduring I'M
to the end, and at last falling in the heat of
the battle with his face to the foe.
Rosolred, That we deeply sympathize with
his surviving relative in her bereavement
as we do, that we too have lost brother be.
loved.
Rcsolred, That we cannot better Indicate our
appreciation of hia labOrs in our behalf than
by prosecution with the utmost vigor and de-
termination the cause of equal rights and
that we solcmnly resolve this day that we
will never cease to demand our rights until
such laws are enacted by the congress ofthc
United States as will place us in the position
ofperfect equality.
Mr.. Edward Shaw then addressed the meet
inc in his usual eloquent manner. Com.
menceing with the landing of the first slave.
shpa Jamestown, Virginia, in 1896: recount.
ing the history of the slave and that of Charles
Sumner in connection Herewith, from that
time on to his enfranchisment and elevation
referring to the famous eightecn-hour spcech
of Mr.. Sumner in 1856.