Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-12-01
SUMMER. s.yyss ,1sllSi
Interesting "reminiscences OF the Great
SenatOr.

Senator. o..
A Washington correspondent Of the
Indianapolis Ne,Os writes: A we'll
known member OF the cabinet tells some
interesting "reminiscences Of Senator
Sumner. A few days before Lincolns
second Inauguration, Sumner called at
the white house and told him that he
was determined to defeat in the senate
his favorite bill regarding Louisiana,
because 1t involved vicious principle,
which would be quoted as precedent
when any large scheme of reconstruc-
ton, applying to the whole confederate
states, might be brought forward. Lin
coin blandly listened to the senator's
rcmonstrances and replied: "Mr. Sum-
ncr, | am not convinced by your argu-
mcnts; and MS to your threat of defeat
ing the bill, | can tell you that is i'm
possible, for know that clear major
ity OF the senate is in its favor"
"But tell you, Mr.. President" an
swercd Sumner, lit shall and will be
defeated"
"Ty it," was the quiet retort.
Sumner did try it. He appeared on
the last night of that session of con-
gress with small law library, partly
on his desk and partly piled up on each
side of it. The bill was introduced.
and, it was supposed, would be imme-
diatcly passed. Sumner, however, had
the floor and began to speak. After he
haa spoken an hour or two it occurred
to Senator Wade, of Ohio, to ask Sum-
ner-as tho session of congress would
soon expire and rs there was much
necessary business still remaining to be
done - how long the senator from
Massachusetts intended to speak. Sum.
ner replied in his most courteous
terms that he feared he could not oct
through his argument in less than six
hours. The senator from Ohio must
see, from the books he had about him.
every one OF which contained matter
bearing on the question of debate, and
from which he intended to make copi-
Gus extracts, that his speech must be of
unusual length, and that he could not
promise that it would come to a close
before the legal session of congress
came to an end. Wade, who had in
his charge what was in effect Lincoln's
bill, was, on this announcement, COM
PEELED TO abandon it. Sumner man
aged to have the whole great subject of
reconstruction postponed to that period
when it could be discussed in all its
larger relations to the welfare of both
sections OF the country. 1t is very like
~ that this incident, rs Sumner told it,
may be Inaccurate in detail if so, the
fault is in the memory of the listener,
not in his long narrative But his OBJ
jcct in telling it was to illustrate a
beautiful quality of Lincoln's character.
81 thought" he said, "that the presi-
dent would consider my opposition n
personal afront Instead of that, YOU
may imagine my surprise when he sent
me note next day asking me to ac-
company Mrs Lincoln in his carriage
TO the ceremonies of the Inauguration,
and also to accompany her to the in
augural ball in the evening. As TO the
ball you may imagine the kind of Won
der that was excited when, with Mrs.
Lincoln on my arm, made my way
through the throng of ladies and gen.
tlcmen present and placed her in her
selected seat The thing was nothing
in itself, but still thought it read les
son to shrewd politicians, when they
had to undertake the task to please
such man as President Lincoln"
1t is evident that Summers way of
rushing in upon Lincoln and Seward
with his vehement advice was not |
adapted to the moral constitution of
Grant and Fish. Perhaps they would
not concede the value of the informa-
ton he was able to give while they re-
sented the s,rcnuousness amounting al |
most to physical force with which he |
urged his opinions on their attention. |
The quarrel which cnsued came in the
natural order of things.
Much has been said about Summers
lack of humorous perceptions; but this
defect has been somewhat overstated. |
There was, it must be admitted, GER
tain tendency in his eloquence to grand |
iloqucnce-a tendency which was in
his mind as well as in his words. Cole
ridge, in his admirable criticism of his |
friend Wordsworth, stated that the |
great poet sometimes brings in scenes
and images too great for the thoughts
they illustrate, and he called this "men-
tai bombasL' rs distinguished from ver-
bal. 1t is Il vice of style into which |
serious minds are apt to slide, when |
they are deficient in that sense of hui
NOR which would instinctivcly correct
or prevent it. Sumner undoubtedly
was not without his full share of this
defect.
At the time when he was among the
most strenuous of those republicans
who opposed the denomination of Grant |
for president, friend called on him
one evening at his rooms in Boston. Flo |
Immediately began to declaim against
the nomination of Grant rs "a nomina-
ton not fit to be made for second |
term" In pause of perhaps half n
minute, when his vehemence was some
what exhausted, and when he stopped
to gather breath for n new assault, the |
friend took the opportunity to remark
that what he had just said reminded
him of something he had read in q
newspaper few days ago
what was that" he eagerly in
quired.
ooh! nothing but this-a coincidence
of opinion between your friend b
and your friend Agassiz."
"How could they have anything in
cOmmon"
WELL" replied the friend, Il know
nothing about the matter except what
the newspapers state. There is an alb
surd report abroad that Agassiz, on
geological grounds, predicts that the
world will be smashed to pieces on the
22d of October The news was COM
municated to your friend b while
he was absorbed in arranging columns
of figures demonstrating that Grant
could not be reelected, and that he
only paused moment in his calcula-
ton to exclaim, Good! anything to beat
Grant!'
AT this Sumner positively roared with
laughter, and his visitor feared he
would drop from his chair so convulsed
with laughter was he with the sudden
turn given to his serious thinking. Tho
guest ventured to add that he must OF
course. know the motto that was sug.
gested for Greeley, the candidate of the
democrats and discontinued republic
cans.
No." he said, recovering himself,
"What is itpn