New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-03-19
TsfE SIMMER MEMORIAL.

TsrE SINNER MEMORIAL.
The large hall of the Sumner school build
mo was crowded TO ovcriiowing on Monday
evening last, under the auspices of the COM
mitee of arrangements appointed at public
meeting on the day after Mr.. Summers
death.
The Following was the programme of the
meeting:
President. John +. Cook, esq; vice-pres-
dents. VIM H. Smith and Henry Johnson,
esus.: secretaries, John Thomas Johnson
ana John Il. brooks, esqs.; chaplain, Rev.
DIR. Reeves; orator of the evening, j. Sella
Martin; other orators: Hons. Frederick
Douglass. l.. L. S. Pinchback, J. L. Rapier,
r. Ii. Cain, Prof. a. NJ. Green, and ID. a.
Straker.
The following distinguished persons occu-
pied seats ON the platform:
Hon. Frederick Douglass, James I. Rapier,
of Alabama, Rev. DR.. Bngy, Hon. L. ID. 5.
Pinchback, VIM. Nesbitt, esq, OF Pa, Hon.
Il. ii. Cain, Walker Lewis, esq, Gordon
Snowlcn, John II. Brooks, Professor Storum,
John Thomas johnson, George +. L. Cooke,
VIM. Syrhax, Archie Lewis, Henry Johnson,
J. Sella Martin, DR.. {. ID. Purvs, W. ID.
Strakcr, Samuel Proctor, Henry Piper, VIM.
Settle, &. A. Stewart, Wm. j. Wilson, VIM.
III. Smith, Chairman of the committee OF ar,
rangcments,) Alfred Jones, &. w. Smith and
Charles III. Morse.
The following resolutions were then read
bv Prof. A. NJ. Green, and, upon the ques-
ton being put by the Chair, were unanimous
ly adopted:
All men are ordained unto life and unto
death. All who live are therefore ripening,
however involuntarily, for this ordination OF
Ueayen-the harvest of death. Men, like
fruit or grain, attain TO that maturity oil ripe
ness previously ordained for them by their
Creator, when the sickle is thrust i'll and
they are launched from the shores of time
upon the broad bosom of Eternity. Those
who ripen unto holiness by the faithful per-
Torrance of good works, by an answering
devotion to a correct and proper conception
of duty to God and their fellow-men, are
Gathered at the harvest into the garner OF
eternal repose, forever at rest from the
storms and hurricanes that sweep so violent
Iy across the plains OF moral existence
Considered in the light of these reflections,
and measured by the standard of his good
works, his incessant labor in the cause oil
Justice and humanity, the stormy conflicts
incident TO his espousal OF the cause OF JUS
tce, and his persistent aggrcssions upon
oppression and wrong-throuSh which his
eventful life was passed-we regard the
Hon. Charles Sumner as having attained TO
that degree of human perfection where
heaven was more appropriate than earth his
dwelling place, and the society OF angels
more appropriate for his companionship than
the dearest and most exalted association
known among men. Acknowledging, there
fore, the wisdom of the aforesaid DEGREES
established in The righteous economy OF
. L. lou ,,,t, ,,l. Ia S,lh
mission TO that dispensation OF Providence
which has removed from life of assiduous
and excessive toll and labor i'll the field of
patriotism and philanthropy Americas
brightest Jewel as statesman, patriot,
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. Charles Sumner, late
United States Senator from the State OF
Massachusetts.
Resolred. That our love and admiration for
the great Senator who labored SO ardently
and ACCOMPLISHED so much for Us shall in
crease with our own advancement and APP
probation of that freedom and equality
which he sought TO establish as the best and
surest foundation upon which to build for
future permanency, prosperity and happiness
our somewhat still distracted country:
Rcsolred, That in the great bereavement
of this hour we look to Almighty God for
cons olation. He alone is able to bind up
the broken-heartcd-to temper the wind TO
the shorn lamb; He alone is righteous in all
His ways and holy in all His works. Re-
membering these solemn truths, we turn
from the silent scpulchre of our departed
friend, reverently eXclaiming, 1.-THE Lord
gave, and the Lord hath taken away.
Blessed he the name of the Lord"
SPEECH OF J. sELLA MARTIN, ESQ.
Bretlren of the african race: We are sum-
moned TO this spot by the voice of great
calamity. The civilized world has felt the
shock of the announcement that Charles
Sumner is dead.
While the white race to which he belonged,
will, throughout Christendom, guide the sem
timents of their mourning through the various
realms where Sumner walked as a master,
whether Of learning, of oratory or OF states
manship, our souls are confined among the
shadows of that great sorrow which has lett
the African race in widowhood by the loss
OF one whose philanthropy rose respondent
over every one of his other distinguished
characteristics and clothed us, while he lived,
with considerations of an internal respect.
We are not here at this time to take a
measurement of his character. Other classes
may feel calm enough TO submit his life to the
test of biographical analysis; but in the
deep agitation of our bereavement we can
see nothing but his corpse, and think of moth
ing but our races loss by his death. During
the Sabbath day that has just passed, fifty
thousand pulpits throughout our land lifted
TO God their walls of sorrow that great man
had fallen in Israel, and poured forth an
avalanche Of eulogies which have swept all