New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-30

DAY was fast approaching when the idea which a
far mad only broken out sporadicsy and moved sman
numbers OF men TO open action, should receive a -
enforcement strong enough to transform forlorn hon,
into an army OF irresistible strength. One OF tho.
eternal laws which govern the development OF hum.,
affairs asserted isef-the law that great vro,
which has been maintained In defiance OF tho mora,
sense OF mankind. must finally by the very means ana
measures necessary for Its sustenance render itse a.
insupportable as 70 insure Its downfall and destru,
SO 1t was with Slavery canddly scquit the Amen
can slavepower OF vlful and wanon aggression uno,
the liberties and general interests Of tho American
people III Slavery was to be Kept alive ALL its s,n
porers could not act otherwise than they did SLAYER,
could not 1--we and thrive In an atmosphere OF free In
1uiry and untramneed discussion Therefore fres a.,
quiry and discussion touching Slavery had to be suD.
pressed Slavery could not be secure II slaves escaping
merely across statene thereby escaped the grasp o,
their masters Hence effective fugitive Slave law
was lpperatively demanded Slavery not protect
s interests In the Union unless t power balanced that
OF the Free States IN the National councils Therefore,
by colonization conquest the OF Slave saie.
hadt be augmented hence the annexation OF Texas.
Mexican and intrgues for the acquisition OF cuha
Slavery could not MAINTAIN the equilibrium OF powern
IL permitted Itself to be excluded from the National
Territories. Hence tho breaking down OF Ithe Missouri
Compromise and the ursurpatiOn in Kansas.
Thus Slavery pushed and on by the inc tor,ha
logic OF Its existence the slave masters we're only thu
slaves OF the necessities OF Slavery and all their seeming
exac'ions and usurpatons merely a struggle for
Its life Many OF their demands had been satisfied On
the part OF the North by submission or comprom,se
The Northern people, although with reluctant
had acquesced in the contrivances OF politicians for tho
sake OF peace But when the slavepower went so far
TO demand for Slavery the great domain the nation
which had been held sacred for freedom forever then
the people OF the North suddenly Understood that tho
necessities OF Slavery demanded what they could not
yield Then the conscience OF the masses was relieved
Of the doubts aud fears which had held IL long In
check; their moral impulses quiekened by pracu
cal perceptions the imoral ideas became practical
force anu the final struggle began. IL made In
evitabe by the necessities OF Slavery indeed an
irrepre ssibe conflict.
DID CLAY AND WEBSTER HOPE TO AVOID THE CON-
FLICTf
These things we're impending when Henry Clay and
Daniel Webster, the architects OF the last compromise
left the Senate Had they, with all their far seeing
craftsmanship never understood this logic OF thingsi
When they made their compromise did they only desire
to postpone the final struggle until they should DO gOne
that they might the terrible concu,sion
Or had their great and manifold achievements with the
statesmanship Of organization aud expedency so de-
luded their minds that they really hoped compromise
which only ignored, but did not settle. The great moral
question, could furnish IA enduring basis for future
developments
one thing they and their contemporaries had indeed
accomplished; under their The Republic mad growa
SO great and strong its vitality had become tough
that 1t could endure the final struggle without falling
pieces under its shocks. Whatever their errors, their
decisions, and perhaps, their mi gyings NAV have
BEEN this they had accomplished and then they lief.
the last compromise totterng behind them and turned
faces to the wall and died And with them stepped
into the background The craftsmanship Of organization
expedents, and compromises; aud to tho front came
ready for action the moral idea which TO fight out
the great conflict and TO open new epoch OF American
history That was the historic significance OF tho
remarkable scene which showed us Henry Clay walking
out Of the Senate chamber never TO return when
Charles Sumner sat down there 1.-THE successor Of
Daniel Webster.
No man could in his whole being have s.rikngly
portrayed that contrast When Charles Sumner had been
elected to the Senate, Theodore Parker said to him. 10
letter Of congratulaon, You told me once that you
were in morals, not In politics. Now hope you VIII
show that you still in morals, although in politics
hope you will DO the Senator with Conscience That
hone was grataed He always remained in morals while
in politics He anything else but the senator
with conscience. Charles sumner entered the senate
not IA mere advocate, but the very embodiment oil
the moral idea. From this fountain flowed his hgness
aspirations. had been great anti Slavery men
the before him. they were there with him, men
like Seward and Chase. BIT they had been trained In
different school, Their minds had ranged over other
political fields. They understood politics. He did not
He knew but one political obiect-to combat aud over
throw the great wrong OF Slavery TO the ideal OF
the liberty and equality Of men; and to establish the
universal reign Of peace, Justice and charity" He
brought 10 the Senate studious Mind vast learning,
great legal attanments powerful eoquence strong
and ardent nature and all this vowed service
With all this he not mere eIpounder or pohey
he was worshiper and deyout at the shrine OF
his ideal In no public had the moral idea OF tho
antislayery movement such overriding strength. He
made everything yield to it. He did not possess III rs
possessed him. That was the secret Of his peculiar
! power
He introduced himself into the debates Of the SENATE.
the Slavery question having been sIlenced forever as
politicians then thought, by several speeches other
subects-tLe reception OF kossuth the Land Policy,
Ocean Postage; but they not remarkable and at
| tracted but little attention.
At last he avaled himself OF appropriation tn 10
attack the Fugitive Slave law and at once spirit broke
forth In that first word tho great question which
| startled every listener.
| SUMMERS OPENING ATTACK on SLAVERY.
Thus he opened the argument:
painfully convinced OF the unutterabe wrong and
woe OF savery-profoundy believing that according TO
the true spirit OF the Constitution and the sentiments Of
the fathers, 1t find no place under our national gov
ernmenI could not allow this session TO reschits coss
without making selling opportunity to declare NY
self openly against the usurpaon injustice. ana cruel
ty OF the late Indifferent enactment for the recovery OIL
| fugitive slaves" ........
| Then this significant declaration:
| "Whateyer 1 am or may b., freely of,r to this
| cause. have never been politician. The slave oil
principles, call party master. by sentiment, edn-
cation, and conviction, friend OF human rights In
their utmost expansion, have ever most sincerely
embraced the democratic idea-not indeed as repre-
sened professed by party but according to It's
real significance TRANSPORTED 10 the Declaration OF
Independence and In the Dunctions OF Christianity In
/ 1 no ADVANTAGE merely for ind-