New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-04-02
Speech OF Hen, Eg. 81. Elliott.
Delivered i'm Colunbia, 3. G., Fiarch &c, In
Com cmoratinn OF Hon. Ciias. { umuer.

ik - u. 1b- III
commcmorati"n Clifton. CiiaS- summer.
Mr.. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLE
MEN We meet tonight to pay our tribute
Of gratitude to one who has peculiar claims
TO the gratitude Of all Americans. We meet
TO acknowledge our Indebtedness to Charles
Sumner for those blessings and rights which
make this life Il boon worth preserving.
Less than eighteen years ago the hand of Il
representative of South Carolina struck q
murtlerous blow al the life of our Statesman
to-day no name is so dear to South Carolina.
The rapidity and vastncss Of this change can
never be fully appreciated. Already VIC fail
TO realize that here, in this State, slavery
once ruled in every department of life. The
pulpit, the platform, the courts, the lc@isla-
tive hall, all alike ring with the echoes Of
that voice which declared that slavery was
the true relation Of the two races on our soil.
And in that chorus OF slavery's praise, the
loudest and deepest curses rested always on
the name Of Charles Sumner. Now, not only
is slavery thing of the past. but we hear
those who once joined in his tlcnunciation
seeking to have us believe that his former
enemies join in dcploring his death as 4 loss
to the white race Of this State. Time has
its rcvcngCs. History is full of startlin. re-
vcsscs ; but know not where we may look,
| in all the records Of listCrT. for resolution
SO vast, so rapid, and so bcneliceut.
But it is to the colorcd race that his life
was peculiarly given; and it is to that race
that his death brings a peculiar sorrow. Ii
was or champion when VIC had none else K
care for US. He was our friend when tht
| ears OF all men seemed closed to our woes
We meet, therefore, my friends, to dc
honor to the great apostle Of our freedom
This is our first thought rs we recall Charles
Sumner. We know he was 4 great orator
| a wise sta csnian, 4 profound scholar, and IN
| able lurist, but we remember. first, that he
was oar friend. 1t was the question of ON
freedom which drew him into political life
and his last dying uiterance was for the final
protection Of our rights. Never before was
there exhibited to the world a granler in
stance Of true devotion to moral aims never
before has the world seen more complete
conservation to principle. Contrast him
with those who have redeemed America from
her great stain, and his is The name which
still challenges our highest enthusiasm. Fol
us he left the secluded walks Of his lcttcrcd
life, and the quiet ways of professional stu
| dies, and plunged into The scctlnT and surg
ing arena Of political strife. From that mo-
mcnt his was the gladator's liiC-his career
an uninterrupted struggle till his pure white
soul went up to its God.
| Charles Sumner was born in Boston, Mas
sachusetts, on January 6, 1911, and died in
Washington on the llth day of the present
month. His education was conducted in the
famous Boston Latin school, in Harvard Col
lcge, and the Harvard law school. Enriched
by an afiuent scholarship, he went abroad to
perfect In travel his knowledge of men and
history.
Returning to America at the age Of q little
more than thirty, he met The first signs o
the approaching struggle between the forces
of slavery and freedom in this republic. Ht
threw himself at once into the front ranks o
those who had resolved that slavery SHOULD
never take one forward step on the soil o
America.
His commanding cloquencc, his varied
learning, and his fearless moral courage
made him tower of strength in that small
army of moral reformcrs. When, therefore
in massachusetts, the first decisive struggle
came, he was chosen to be the successor o
that great Senator who had gone down in al
his might Of intellect to do the bidding o
slavery, Daniel Webster. He took his sea
in the Senate of the United States Decembe
l, 1851, and from that hour Massachusetts
honored him with her confidence, her prid
and her love. Only one other anti-slaver
Senator then sat on that iioor-the lat
Chief Justice Chase. 1t was IN hour of fear
full subservicncy to the vile and hateful spri
of slavery. Every department of Govern
ment was in bondage to that Institution
Nothing bat the most profound moral con
victien could bear up any man in struggl
with that power. Nothing but prophet
soul, looking far into the future and discern
ing through prenent clouds and mists th
great sun Of freedom and right, could hav
sustained him in those first hours Of despon
dent gloom in the Senate. Yet he neve
faltercd or grew weary. He attacked wit
with rcmorsiess argument and moving Gle
: quencc the iDquitous fugitive slave law;
rallied the few friends of freedom in Congress
, to the defense Of the cause of freedom, an
struck giants blows in the hot and ceasles
, warfare which ensured. Here we must loo
for the the truest picture of his moral graz
E deur, not in the hour ofhis triumph, but
the hour Of his defeat not when his yoic
was potential with Presidents and Cahinets
but when he stood alone the object of intel
r est, hatred and scorn, unaided but undaunte.
The slave power pressed its cause with n
lenless energy, and its triumphs were rapi
, and unbroken. The Missouri Compromise
1920 was broken, and Kansas and Nebrask
!, were opened by means of that perfidiou
: wrong to the curse Of slavery. Against tbs
mighty army Mr.. Sumner threw his whol
, power, but in vain. The edict of slavery ha
gone forth, and neither national hono
plighted faith nor the dangers of a dissoutio
of the Union were sufficient to stay th
! ruthless hand which was lifted to strik