Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-06-11
CHARLES SUMNER.
His Last Day in the United STA ties Sen

His Last Day in the United Sta ties Senate
A friend of humanity, his policy was
peace, and the settlement of disputes
between nations by arbitration instead
of by war was one of his fondest dreams.
Possessed of such benignant sentiments,
on December 2, 1872, he introduced a
bill which he requested to have '.read
in full for information. ! shall give it
here; for to carry it to the desk was one
of my first acts as page. 1t was as
follows:
"A bill to regulate the Army Register and
the RegimeItal ColorS of the United States.
WHEREAS, The national amity and good
will among feilOy-cit!zenS can be assured
only through oblivion of past differences.
and it is contrary to the usage of civilized
nations to pcrpetuate the memory Of civil
war: Therefore
..Bs it ennctcd by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States OF
America i'll Congress assembled, That the
names of battles with fellow-citizens shall
not be continued in the army Register OR
placed on the regimental colors of the
United States"
The bill was ordered to be printed,
and that was the end of its pilgrimage
in Congress. 1t never became a law
But it was discussed elsewhere! The
Legislature of Massachusetts heard OF it
with deepest indignation. The act OF
Senator Sumner was stigmatized rs ian
attempt to degrade the loyal soldiery OF
the Union and their grand achieve
ments. and resolution of censure was
introduced and passed by the Legisla-
ture of the State which had made him
its Senator.
The resolution of censure was an In
Justice, which would have provoked
some men to wrath. But with Mr..
Sumner it occasioned not anger, but
grief. He had served his State for more
than twenty years; and it had stood
proudly by him in all his efforts. That
it should now, after his long and faithful
career, nisinterpret his motives, and
seem to brand him with reproach, was
perhaps the saddest blow he had ever
sustained. His manner BETRAYED how
it bore upon his mind. Yet when De
cembcr again appeared, the Senator wa.
| again found at his seat on the opening
day. this time to introduce his famous
Civil Rights Bill-the first bill of the
session. But, as the days slipped by,
his face was less frequently seen in the
Senate. December, January. February
passed-his visits were few and brief.
On the 10th of March, however, he
was in attendance. remember it well.
| had not seen him for quite while,
and he called me to his desk. | thought
he looked more cheerful than usual,
and | asked after his health. As he
whitfield n pen. he smilin@ly chatted
with me and stated that he had come
to the Senate to hear pleasant news.
He had scarcely made the remark when
Senator Boutwell,. his colleague. arose
and sent up to the clerks desk to be
read resolution of the Massachusetts
Legislature. As the clerk proceeded all
eyes turned upon Senator Sum-
ner. who was eagerly listening. 1t was
a resolution resembling the vote of cen
sure! Within few moments after the
reading the Senator left the Chamber,
/ aud, as parted from him at the door,
he shook hands kindly and said: Good
byen'
Those were his last words to me- The
next day he was caL.-Ednsund alton,
in 81 NicbOIus