The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-03-24

| wisuom OF ages and TO become life long stu
dent. 1t was this that led him when a dele
gaze or the city OF Boston to the constitutional
| convention, where the question of popular rep
resentatlon was to be considered and determin-
ca, TO carefully study every page of the doings
OF the Honse OF Commons, aud the House Of
the Lords, to saturate himself with the philosc-
phy, as well as with the practice of the expert
ence OF the world upon this great question J" 1t
was this that led him to say when elected tf the
Senate, "Ah when read that cannoos are fire.
ing and bells are ringing in New England and
| on the Western reserve of Ohio I know 7 can-
not meet the public expectations in this cause'
MI Sumner lad a disposition to forgive This
WA was one OF the sublime features of his charac-
| ter He understood that portion of the Lords
| prayer which we have so often repeated with
our lips; forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
them who trespass against us. He loved his
| enemies. Their hatred and brutality towards
him were recompensed by forgiveness He
| haZarded his own reputation to wipe out the
| stain from that section of his country, which in
the hour of weakness raised puny arm against
immortal principles.
When be w9s informed that Massachusetts
bad rescieDded the censure. he replied, 81 thank
them for removing that stain from me; thank
those that voted for me; tell those that voted
against me, that forgive them all, for know
II they knew my heart they would not have
doLe it,
In the contemplation of this sublime princi-
pie, which was infused through his whole
natnre, we lose sight of the man only TO catch q
glimpse OF God who dwelt within him.
Mr Sumner had faith in an overruling Prov
idence. His whole life illustrates this fact
lie was Christian Statesman. In giving him,
self TO his country he gave himself to God He
| found written upon his heart moral law and
helooked from the law tv the Law -giyer for that
| strength which was necessary to the perform
ance OF each duty imposed by moral obliga-
fSn wsa 9hiae H lhe performance of his duty he fol-
| He had esteem for and compIacency in Gods
moral government. He had gratitude which
'ed him to thank God for his goodness manifest
10 all creation. He held communion with God
AS we carry the affairs of odr families to God.
so he carried the affairs of the Nation In Col
He made the glory of God the supreme end
OF all his actious, the object of his constant and
unuirng pursuit.
He said to young mar, said Rev. Mr. Hale,
who repeated it to me, that when there was
any new subject of debate, when there was
any new course to be adopted, when there
was any policy which seemed strange or diff
cult, when there were any of those clouds of
which we have been speaking when that track
was to be found and was hard to find. he never
took council with men, but separated himself
from men and went alone and col Lferred with
the Highest Authority, and when he was as
sured by the Highest Authority, then he
Always went forward and asked no questions
| more. 1t is not too much to saw that new
problems presented themselves every day, in
consequence of which the good man conferred
every gay with the Highest Authority. Would
to God that IL could be said that all our states
men confer with the Highest Authority, We
have epumerateda a few of the qualities which
| were very apparent in the life Of Mr. Sumner
ne was Industrious, honest, firm, had sense
OF DIS own lnsufhclency, disposition to for.
give and fim trust and confidence in God.
DE loved justice and was faithful to truth.
Ihese qualities endear him to his countrymen
ana TO humanity. Immortal, they will give
MN uever-dyipg fame; and to coming gem
erations, which we trust will be purer and bet-
Ter than their fathers, these qualities will
shine with an effulgence not known to us.
Ihese qualities bad for their substratum soul
| Illuminated with the love of God and wearing
the outward expressions of the religion Of
Christ in the heart. Truly the Lord giveth;
blessed be his name
We shall ever be grateful for what he has
done for us. Time will not allow us to speak
elaborate!y here. Suffice to say that the first
attempt made in the city of Boston, to bring
us into the enjoyment of those rights which
are the lawful heritage of man, but from
which we were debarred, was made by Mr.
Sumner. The strongest and most effectual
speeches. made in the Senate against slavery
and the oppression of the weak by the strong
were made by Mr. Sumner. But would have
you understand that Mr.. Sumner did not labor
for us as negroes; but he labored for us as
men, The principles lie advocated were
general; not sectional but universal. The
benefactions being coextensive with the
principles as such belong to humanity. what
he hasdone for literature science, art, and the diff
has done for the morals of the country, and the
| religious as well as the secular institutions Of
the land hebas done for us and our children We
are part ofthe stupendous whole and it is a fact
that in this government the parts are so ad-
justed that if the spirit of the law were carried
| out. whatever is the privilege of the whole people
ls the privilege OF any par.. As the result of
Mr.. Summers labors we are welcomed to free
I Country frrr institutions aad Ia a naion one aud
| undivided May we nor our children never
! make it less. The scene of mourning caused by
| the death of Mr.. Sumner was sign ficant
The negro forgot his mstrust, the white man his
| pr JUDGE, the South her aDimosity, the North
her deep seated revenge, and like children of
of one family they gathered around the remains
OF the good man and wept OF God our Father
forgive us ALL for we are all sinners. Make us
one ir heart that our lives may be useful and
our deaths triumphant.
Young men | would do injustice to you and to
the honored dead, if l did not commend for
your careful consideration, the life and cbarac-
| ltis said by some there are different degrees
! of honesty aud that the same rule which is used
| to measure the honesty of men in the !ower
walks OF life cannot be applied to the man of
affairs But ii you read the life of Mr. Sumner
you will never have need to make this distinc-
| tion. You will only turn over the pages of his
history, to be more fully convinced that princi-
pie, 10 the main spring OF all noble action That
industry is her own rewarder that inf1exible
! men have been the reformers of the world that
4 the feeling of insufficiency leads to tie pro-
fonndest research, that disposition to forgive is
! the loveliest quality that adorn the charac-
| Ger of m N and that confidence in God is the
foundation OF true greatness. 1 would have
you also remember, that these qualities are the
beautiful roses surrounded by thorns, the prec-
rous diamonds which lie deep in the earth. The
germs of gre ness are in yon, but their develop
ment depends upon your own manly exertions.
In concluding allow me to say that while we
drop tears of grief for our friend and brother
who has been removec by the hand of Provi
dence let us also rejoice in his life, rejoice that
liberty and equal rights became manifest in
him, rejoice that through him the key stone
was prepared upon which we inscribe his name
Rejoice that the day is not far distant when1he
people, remembering his dying words will raise
the keystone AMI with anthems Of praises in
their mouths will drop it in the dome of the
reconstructed union.
For his life which was so illustrious, blessed
be the Dame of the Lord. For his death, which
was triumphant blessed be the name of the Lcrd
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.