New-York tribune., 1874-06-10

ali their great and memorable service there In lts
Slavery had staiEsd straight 10 s remorssless I'M
peris career. And w. Mr.. 5owArds most able eno.
ss M wss cWer marks Of recognition Of
his brilliant career than he would nave had " he had
been tho most insignificant OF our Presdens, may 1t
OF be that without questioning hs generous character
his lofty ability. and his illnstrious service There wa,
which hc served no had seemed degree Justify
the Instinct OF slavery that MS VIII WAS not as sterny
Ten years hen States seeding and pre-
pairing scoedewhen tho reuctant nina OF the North
M MT sumner and Mr. Stewards party friends tretDlod
in dspay Mr. Seward ended his last speech IN the Sen
ate guarded plea for tho Union by concessions which
amazed many Of his most earnest friends. know
he thought 10 the part of wise statesnansbp that he
Who was 10 be the head OF the new Administration should
retain n possible the support OF tho opposition of the
North by stunning everything iko menace, ana by
hut his mournfui concluding words, " learned early
Jefferson that 10 political afIirs we cannot always
do what seems absolutely best sounded that
time and unds or those circumstances like mortal cry OF
defeat and surrender. And at tho very Time that MT
evening surprised by visit 10 Washington from large
number OF tho most conspeuous citlHons OF Bos,
and most positive political opponents. He wei.
coined them graveiy seeing that their pur-
most distinguished member OF the psrty made i'm
passioned appeal TO the Senator. You know rs All,
he said 'as fellow. citizens OF yours who have always
and most strongly regretted and opposed your political
course. But al this awful moment. when the country
mean. Won know-we believe that there Is only
who can avert the threatening calamity, one man om
the North really trusts aud by whose oounsels WI bs
will listen and 10 no other ahu We art here In tho
name of humanity and ovsI.cn 20 ip,pro &oa 10
and afier "A moment Mr.. Sumner said; Sir, AIN sur
nrsed tbat Won attrbute to me influence. wiil
however assume IT. lie II What. then. Il that
would have mo do Z" 1--WE impore YOU, Mr. Sumner, as
love your country ana yc a nn,s s.'S ior ne
rising his LOFTY hight, and never more Chares sum
ner than In that momont, "f what You say ~ Indeed
40 moi North trusts IA
think beyond all others. IL ia because the North knows
that under no circumstances Whatever would COM
THE LAST DAYS or DANIEL WEBSTER.
II WAS precisoy because Slavery recognized this when
he made his first porlan speech ana felt for the first
time the immense force behind his words, that call
that speech so significant an event That no
dramatic effect should be wanting. rs Henry Clay had
left the Senate for the last time on the day that Mr.
sumner was sworn IN 80. he was making III, first
great plea for justice under the Constitution MS pede-
cessor DANIEL Webster then Secretary OF State, came
into the Chamber and ALSO for the last time know no
impressive scene There Is the Old senator the II
the chief figure In who. year before the
i'm OF March had made his last speech supporting tho
policy Of Fugitive slave bill and AGAINST the wmot
Proyiso Worn. wasted sad, with powers great and
public service so renowned the Oymplan man who
had sought long. so ably so vainy TO piacaie the
be his seventy ending IN oui I'd hopes and
bitter disappointment and broken heart, gazed with
those eyes of depthless melnncnoy upon MS
spcce ssor And here stinds that successor, with
the Hight OF spolsss youth upon his face, towering.
dauntless radiant the indomitabe Puritan. speaking
alone nor for hrs country only but for huma9 rights
everywhere and always forecsstng the future, herald
did he recall the words Of that younger years
before in Faneul Hail. when he prayed the pirty that
member the impassoned appeal 10 himself that as he
had justly earned the title OF Defender OF the Constit-
tiou, now he should devote ms marvellous powers TO
the overthrow of Slavery. and thereby win nobler
name Alas IL was demanding dawn OF the sunset
II was oeseechlng yessday 70 return aonoisow
No. IN that appeal sumner forecast MS
own glory. Assume them cried ne, THESE upper
formed duties. The aged shall bear witness 10 you te
young shall kindle with rapture as they repeat the
name OF Webster; the large company OF the ransomed
shall teach their children aud their ohlldrens children
TO the latest generation TO call you blessed anu you
shall have yet another title never to De forgotten on
dwell upon this hrst great speech of Mr. Summers
in the Senate because II iilnStra,es ms own pnoe
Once In later days wnen argued wIth nm that OPP
ponents might be sincere and that there was some
reason on the other SIDE thundered in reply Upon
such question there II no other slde' me titne re-
another side to tho question who wou treat
difference OF opinion almost moral delInq and
the hour found the man IN Sumner
SUMMERS ARGUMENTS A Two-EDGED SWORD.
Thus his legal mind In the pursuit moral end, had
sometimes what may call happy lack OF logic. Sure
Of his end everything ought TO make for it, he
felt every thing did make for It, For instance his
first great public Oration The True Grandeur of
the Nations" most powerful presentation OF the
glory and beauty OF peace, and mighty denunclat0n
OF the horrors and wrongs OF war III was an intrepid
impressive discourse, and IFS influence VIII be deep
and lasting But 1t overstaed It's IL exposed
cifizen soldier not only u rdcule but To moral
aversion. And yet the young men Who Sat IN martial
array before orator had not submtts to military
discipline merely for the splendor OF parade but that
IN solemn ana exigent hour they might the more
effectively defend the pubic safety and private honor
school and the hospital and social order ITSELF the
only Of peace and all this not a. the arbitrary
and considered word Of the civil power.
What is military force which he derided
but the last resort the law which he revered in exc.
cutoni As friend asked him, are the judgments Of
Story and Of Shaw advice mereyi Do they not need
be. command every bayOnet In the Statef Il force
wrong, aud must the policeman not only be prohib
don to lay his hand upon the thef Ia tho act TO compel
him to the stationl The young citizen soldiers who
sat before the orator were simply the ultimate police
TO decry to them with resoundng and ain tent power
the practice which covered with false uster was
noble service but 10 do 1t in way that would for
bid just and lawful punishment OF murderer dis-
closed q defective logic. Thus Sumner sometimes used
arguments that were twoedged swords apt to wound
weilder well as the enemy And 80 he sometimes
adopted propositions Of constitutional International
law which led straight to its moral end but which would
hardly have endured the legal microscope. Yet no
maintained them with such feryOr OF conviction such
array precedent, such amp,nde OF Illustration that
to the great popular MIND morally exalted Ike his owD
his statements had the majesty and tho concnsveness
OF demonstrations.
Mr. Lincoln who natural dipiomatist fortunately
understood Mr. Sumner. The President knew well as
the Senator that the sprung from Slavery He had
already said that Union divided against
itself could not stand lie knew as we'll as Sumner
Slavery must be smteD But ho knew also that 10 ms
arm. To stimulate that OPINION, therefore. was the
most precious service 10 the President to the country
and the world Thus II not the appeal to Lincoln.
1t the appeal to public opinion that was demanded
IL Sumne. a direct but his reflected light that
WAS so useful And when the President last raised
his arm-for he pulled unripe fruit and he did moth
ing until he thought the time had fully come-he knew
Sumner had made II When the Assistant Secretary
OF ate carried the engrossed copy OF the Emancipa-
ton Proclamation Mr. Lincoln TO sign, he had been
shaking hands all tho morning. that his writing
unsteady He looked at for moment with his sadly
humorous SMILE and then said, When people that
shaky signature they Will say, See how uncertain he
was.' But was never surer OF anything Ia my ie."
SERVICES IN OUR DARKEST HOUR.
But while Sumner righteously stimulated public
opinion during the war; less one memorable oc
csson did he rghteousy moderate 1t. once yentured
to Mr. Seward what his Judgment was the darkest
hour Of the war He answered instantly, "The time