Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-03-12
DEATH OF CHARLES SUMNER.

been threatening the life OF senator
Charles Sumner has at last fallen and
laid him low. We have no particulars OF
this sudden stroke. We only know that
he died in the place of duty, that his voice
Joined in debate in the Senate only lew
hours previous 10 the time when it was
silenced forever. The knowledge which
the public had of his physical condition
will prevent any surprise at his death.
Thus has passed away one of the great
men of America-great in intellect, great
in the influence which he exercised, great
in the devotion with which he took up the
cause of an enslaved race and fought
their battles till the victory was won IL
is true that Mr.. Sumner was not without
his faults. which were better discerneo
by those who were brought into close re-
lations with him than by distant observ-
ers. but there was a majesty and noble
ness in his character as whole that was
not surpassed by the Grecian and Roman
models that were his admiration and
study. His will be among the names OF
our statesmen that will live forever. Time
will hide the imperfections that appeared
in life, leaving only the form and Inca
ments of what was grand and noble. The
wide world will hear OF his death with
sadness, the colored people will mourn
him as their great leader ard friend, and
his countrymen with whom and against
whom he has exerted himself politically,
will join in paying tribute to his worth
and dropping tears Of sorrow at his grave.
Mr.. Sumner was born at Boston, Janu-
airy G, 1911, and was therefore sixty'three
years old when he died. The family to
which he belonged was distinguished for
mental and physical strength, for
many generations OF liberal culture,
and in him appeared the peculiar
and best product OF so fair a stock.
The Cambridge catalogue shows long
line of Summers, to which in due time was
added the subject of this article. lie
graduated at Harvard in 1880. whence he
passed into the Cambridge Law School,
and was admitted to the bar in 1884. En-
tering into business he soon acquired a
large practice, and was appointed report
or of the Circuit Court of the United
States. While in this office he published
three volumes, known as Summers Re-
ports, containing the decisions Of Judge
Story. He also edited the American Ju
rist, quarterly law journal, and for
three winters after his admission to the
bar lectured in the Cambridge Law
School, where he was offered professor
ship which was declined. In 1887 he
went to Europe and remained there three
years, adding to his classical and legal
knowledge, and gaining wider knowl-
edge of men and places. In 1874 he de-
livered an Grafton in Boston deprecating
war and advocating the principles OF
peace. The next year he spoke decidedly
against the Mexican war, and in 1916 adj
dressed the wing convention of Massa-
chusetts on "The Anti-Slavery Duties of
the Wing Party" In 1913 he left the
wing ranks and enrolled himself as Free
Soiler, and in 1851 was elected 10 the
United States Senate to succeed Daniel
Webster, where he has been continued
without intermission by the people Of
Massachusetts to the present time, having
served as Senator twenty-five consecutive
years. The term which he was filling at
his death expires in March 1875.
The first great speech of Mr.. Sumner in
the Senate was upon the subject Freedom
National, Slavery Sectional The fugi-
tive slave law had been enacted and sus-
tanned and enforced by all the power of
the government under the administration
of Fillmore, of which Daniel Webster was
the strongest pillar, when this speech was
uttered. This was the keynote to his
Intercourse upon the slavery question.
In 1856 came the Kansas-Nebraska strug-
gle. during which he delivered his speech
1.-The Crime against Kansas" for which
he was assailed by the ruflian Brooks.
receiving injuries which nearly cost him
his life at the time. and probably were in
some degree the occasion of the disease of
which he died He went abroad to re-
cover his health, and after three or four
years returned to take his place in the
Senate and continue the war upon slavery
to which he had devoted himself, signal
izing his re-occupancy of his seat by u
spec II of terrible invective upon THE
Barbarism of Slavery
1t was chiefly as an opponent of slavery
that Mr.. Sumner distinguished himself in
his career in the United States Senate, but
his abilities exercised in other directions,
were highly appreciated, particularly up
on the Foreign Relations Committee. But,
as we have before remarked. this great
character was not without its iailings.
Mr.. Sumner was impatient Of cJairadic-
ton, thought no mans opinion should
stand against his own, and was arbitrary
and tictatOrial n "A dauroa that nftap