The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-03-20
SINNER.


/ T1ze -2sits and Character. s
4 So washingten Special to Oourier-JOurEal. ~.
AIr. Sumner has been frequently il
the senate this winter. He was very
! much excited in regard 10 the nomina,
tion of Simmons as collector of Boston.
I which he regarded as being mainly In
| spired by the presidents personal hos
! tili5y to him (Sumner) The president
he considered as implacable. He had,
| on his part, in Difference TO the opinions
| of his Massachusetts friends, who felt
] differently from himself about General
| Grant, refrained for a long time from
zassailing him IN his conversation !; but
he had been informed Che said) that the
president had, on passing near his
house, remarked g There is a man
/ who spends his whole time in denoun-
cling me. --t 81
The nomination of Simmons was con-
/ firmed in spite of Mr.. Summers protest,
/ but, for this disappointment, he was IN
part consoled by the action of the Mas
sachusetts legislature in resembling their
resolutions of censure upon his course
! for proposing to strike from the army
| flags the references to the late civil war.
| Whatever the proximate cause of Mr..
| Summers death may be, it Is certain
| that the attack of MIR. Brooks upon him
had nothing to do with it. It is simply
the familiar story of hearty and full iv-
ing, severe habits of study and seden-
tary life, without particle of exercise.
In the summer season Mr.. Sumner oc-
casionalIy rode In carriage, but never
walked or rode on horseback, nor did
he take any outdoor exercise. He
went to the capitol in street car and
I eturned the same way. The wonder is
that, with such habits, he survived as
long as he did but, as he once stated
to an old friend, he had a perfect diges-
ton and physical organization.
There can be no doubt that his death
was accelerated by the wounded feel
ing and disappointment on finding him
self repudiated and denounced by his
own party, after helping to build it up,
and also by the negroes, and that even
in Massachusetts,, the president, for
whom he had hearty contempt, was
stronger than himself
Mr.. Sumner was a close and constant
student. Though capital of-hand de-
batter, he usually prepared his speeches
with the greatest care and pains. His
life was divided between his library and
the senate chamber. He never went to
amusements or lectures, or to parties,
1OhCCO VI ACCCDtlO140s kOCAACSAAuSEg DuS
very rarely, he wentou to dinner. He
had number of friends who habitually
visited him, and to these as well as
strangers he was especially courteous
and hospitable, carefully avoiding any
thing In uttering his own political views
which might give Offense. -, go. -z-
Among his special personal friends
were LOngfellow, Whittier, Wendell
Phillips, Carl SchuTz, Senator Fenton,
Montgomery Blair, Caleb Gushing. the
Marqnis de Chambrun, Mr.. Boutwell,,
Mr.. Hooper, and most. of the Massa-
chusetts delegation, Ben Butler being a
notable exception. Recent political
events had severed Mr.. Summers friend
ship with many prominent representa-
tives in congress and, on the other
hand, cordial relations had grown mp
with number of such democratic sena-
tors as Thurman, Bayard, Casserly,
Stockton and others. For Mr.. Bayard
he frequently expressed the warmest
admiration to gentlemen of the press.
Mr.. Sumner was unusually aceessi-
bic, courteous and communicative, Civ
ing his own views with the utmost
frankness. No man was more keenly
solicitous to know all important politi-
cal events or movements In progress.
Mr.. Sumner was connected with no
church, and if he had any special relig
ious views your correspondent never
heard them expressed.