New-York tribune., 1877-01-06
CHARLES SUMNER.

VISIT To FURoPF-SCHooI. DAYS.
fTRoM AZ cccAsIoNAL CORRESPONDENT TIVE TRIpuNEl
BosroN, Jan. Sit has been n subject of re-
grit TO TIE many Gicuds aud admirers OF Chares
Sumner in Massachusetts and elsewhere that no adc-
qusto memorial Of that statesman. in the fern OF a
biography seemed likely 10 appear soon after his de-
cease the of several ccueiuen we're suggested as
fitted to undertake such work-Longfcuow, iiiliard,
Curtis and Whittier among the num5er-but IL was I'M
dcystood that a or these his associates, either
because OF advancing sge failing health, or meoccuna
ton other duties, compelled 10 decline tie office
of boaraphcr II necessary, however, that such
work, x attempted vt all, SHOULD he accomplished
speedily the who could aid in !; were fast passing
away. and the material for its purpose was becoming
more dicu 20 reach. 1t this point of view that
the subject received the serious attention OF Mr. sum
pcr's htcraiy executors. These Prof bongciiow
Edward L. Pierce aDd Francis " Balch. the latter gen
cnan being also general executor of Mr. Summers Will
In consultation among them, ere was strong recosm
tion of tie necessity of biography, aud Prof Long
fellow being unable 10 engage in It's preparation 'he
second literary executor the Hon Edward L. Pierce
induced to assume it
Mir. Pierce nd some excellent qualifications Tor the Po-
si;,oB Of borrabcr HeiS lawyer OF Boston "a brother
OF the Hon. Henry L. Pierce Nj c., and is g'ntcuah
OF studous tastes he has written effectively and grace
fully on variety TOPICS especially on legal questions
and in dscussous OF phiauthTcplc enterprises. No uan
was more in sympathy with MIR. Summer than was MI
Pierce and would MT summers admirers more cheer
fully welcome his oiographer He has entered upon ms
work con on,ore and has given large amount Of time
and Il for the last year and a-half As result
while even The more intimate friends OF MI Sumner have
been amening there 10 be no satisfactory Lne
Of hin the work has been cons any IN progress Ihe
material collected, the narrative Is written the ar
rangcmcnl fully made. and the first volume is half out OF
the clcctrotvpc!s bands The secret has been asohis
nely wei kept and its first announcement To the public
Is made.
"Iiic and Letters Of Charles Sumner" which Is lis
tlc will form two octave volumes about tn size ~ tc
recently Published Lie Of George Tcgnof and "iil be
prhshed ly McSsr> Roberts Brothers OF Boston ahou'
tue last OF April slay. The letters ani reco
Lctions upJn which Il is based have been Ohtain2d Will
much labor by correspondence in boh hcmispheFes Nj
sumucr himself uost ,c1puloIs irtSTyer of su"
letters as lie received WRcn be died ne had about 100
volumes of these carefully bound his effects His
own earliest letters were carefully kent by these
TO whom they written Bat Of the more nterestif
period Of his ife with which pdblc is not tamilia'
there the thorough and elaborate record made in
his diary and ia his leiiels to George ;. haTd and
Judge story all Of which of vade are reproduced in The
volumes
Mr. Summers ancestry ls traced TO English origin. His
gr.indather job Sumner, graduate OF Harvard
College, a man OF decided strength of character, whc
served through the entire of the Revolution out OF
which lie q colonel. He died early in tbs public
service az commissioner TO settle accounts with the
state Of Georgia. buried St. Paul's Chnrchyard
on broadway, New-York. HIS son, and the father OF
Charles was also q graduate OF Harvard, and first
lawyer aud aiteIward High Sheriff Of Boston He and
also Mr. Summers mother were plain people, but the
sheriff wassscboorly in his taste, for the tie aud had
tie friendship OF Joseph dfterw ard judge story then
young lawyer from Matbchead. There were nine chill
drcu in Sheriff Summers amy, of which Charles aud
the eldest Charles was educated at the
Boston School, but his father intended im FOR
West Point for military academy education THIS
plan was changed by improvement in the elder Sum-
mi. College IL
years Of age, in 1926.
In college Sumner was good, hut not Dill aht
scholar lie oisikCd mathematics cordially. His init
mate friends were John W Browne of Salon, a man o.
Talent but :, IN, what eccentric, who afterward prac
ticed law, and died 90 years ago; Jonathan r
StcaIns who became ccrg, man. ard is the pastor
OF "a PIcbytCrign ciuicb u NJ waTh n j.; Thomas Hop
knson who was afterward Judge Of the Court Of Com
mon Pleas aud q railroad president in Massachusetts,
and Charlemagne Tower, since a railroad manager and
now living In PGtsvic, Penn. Sumner was iUterOr To
the last three OF these in college distinction They
describe him as grave studous in their rccOlectioi
of him. but lis letters That preserved do not indicate
the carefuness composition that he afterward evnc"d
This college chapter Of the book which Is very iOfcue-
considering the material at command concludes viihah
account Of pedestrian tour 10 West Point made lY
Sumner at 10 years OF age.
lie spent year that followed his graduation In de-
liberation the chOi.e of prfe> king unsuc
eessfuy be made usher Ia the Boston LAtn School
He received prize this period in competition limited
20 from the Boston Society for the Diffusion ct
Useful KnowledAc. for essay upon Commerce. wLicl
was conferred at the H. nds Of Daniel Webster He weni
20 Salem also 10 hear Mr Webster plead in the famous
Kpapp trial lie eXhib ted his trst, and for long tame
his only interest politics. by becoming warm Anti
Mason. He read great deal aid wrote considerably,
and finally chose the law profession. though with
out en- tnusiasm in the selection.
Sumner entered the Law School at 20 years of age,
the intention Of remaining only two years, hut was
peIsuadcd by Judge Story continue another year He
at that tse had reached nearly his fu hight Of six feet
two inches yet he weighed but 12O pounds. He is de-
scrbed as gauu angoiny with eyes Redeemed bv eXces
sivc use in study. He had ite interest in anything
ASIDE study took part In athletic sports neither
fsbed shot, r0wed; had no attraction tn horses In
SOC sty he was basful and awkward and obiviOus 10
female charms The only interest he had shown in the
other up this time was IN Funny kembes acting
She had 10 icetOn and completely masueti@rd
sumner lie delighted TO talk of her. and went 10 sec
her Later lie would turn away from the most
beautiful woman engage in conversation with The
ariest sayant from whom ledge 20 be obtained
H. was points, beng made the subject OF
wagers beauty always last in them. remarkable
letter Oh the subject Of religion, giving his views IN full
MI this tne appears in ts chapter. IL written III
reply t. his fricnd Stcarn, WHO was then preparing for
the ministry aud concerned 70? Summers salvation
The important OF this por ion of his life how
ever was the friendship formed between min and Judge
Story. IL was oi the intimate aDd tender nature
The distinguished judge accepted him pet and pro
tee and was ia intimate association with him ever |
after
The years next after leaving the Law School were |
passed in a lawyers Office, at No. COurts; Boston, the
same aiterward ttnabsed by John A. Andrew. Geo. s
HnIaId WIS with SUMNER here. lie wrote Iauch more
than he pacliccd. his taste being for Discussing pm