The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-01-22

kA
So that to BYRON, a to every man entirely
great In any direction, his hour has como at
last, and. though for . time shut out from
the full measure OF fame which was his due.
he has now entered on his right inheritance
of honor. 1t matters not whether his cen
tenary Is signalized by outward ~observances
Of conventional homage; the millions Of hu-
man beings to whom his verse is a precious
possession and unfolding Joy. will gratefully
remember the day when he was born.
Summers Dream Of Continental Empire.
A highly esteemed correspondent writes
to us asking for information concerning
CHARLES SUMMERS effort to make the ex-
pulsion OF the British flag from North Amer
lea a condition to the settlement Of the Ala
bama claims"
II Mr.. SUMNER made such an effort the
facts are not in our possession. II there Is
In existence evidence OF such an effort on his
part, we shall be obliged to anybody who
will tell us where it may be found.
Up to the time OF tho rejection Of the
CLARENDoN-JoHNsoN treaty by the Senate
by an almost unanimous vote, Mr.. SUMNER,
as he himself declared, had carefully avoided
expressing any opinion on the irritating
question Of our claims against Great Britain.
He was Chairman of tho Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations. When the inadequate
plan OF settlement negotiated by REvERDY
JOHNSON came before the Senate for ~ratifica-
ton. Mr.. SUMNER delivered in executive
session on April IS, 1868. a speech from which
tho seal Of secrecy was afterward removed
by order OF the Senate. SUMMERS speech
was not needed to kill the CLARENDON
JOHNSON treaty, and its effect here at home
has been overestimated. In England it oc-
casioned great excitement, being regarded
almost as a threat OF war. 1t was the sub
jecto of discussion In Parliament.
In this speech MIR. SUMNER insisted upon
reparation from tho British Government In
two forms, first. an acknowledgment Of
wrong and a national apology to tho United
States. and, secondly, assessed damages for
the losses occasioned by tho ravages OF tho
rebel cruisers. But there is nothing in Mr..
SUMMERS aggressive Grafton on our claims
against England to indicate that at that
time he thought Of demanding tho abandon
ment Of Canada by Great Britain as one Of
the conditions Of settlement.
On the contrary, Mr.. SUMMERS sentiments
at that time concerning the transfer OF
Canada to the United States were clearly
denoted in a speech which he delivered a
few months later at Worcester. Addressing
tho Massachusetts Republican Convention
on Sept. q, 1859. Mr.. SUMNER said:
Sometimes there are whispers Of territorial compsn-
ation. and Canada u named a. tho confederation. Bot
he knows England little who supposes that this nation
could undertake any suoh transfer. And be knows eur
country little, and little also Of that gre at liberty which
is surs who supposes that We could receive such .
tTansfer. Territory may b conveyed. but not . people"
Soon after this, as we find by an examine
ton OF the Congressional Globe, certain Brit
ish subjects In British Columbia petitioned
tho Queen to take stops looking toward tho
transfer OF The Northwest province to the
United States. Senator CoRBErr Of Oregon
introduced on Jan. 10, 1870, a resolution
directing the Secretary Of State to inquire
into the expediency Of proposing to Great
Britain to include In any treaty for the ad-
justment OF the Alabama claims a. article
providing for the transfer Of British Column
bia to the United States. This resolution
was referred as Mr.. SUMMERS own motion
to the Committee on Foreign Relations, OF
which he was Chairman. The resolution
would havs been directly In the line Of his
policy, had he wanted to make the expul-
sion of the British flag from North America
q condition Of settlement. But the resolu-
ton was never even reported back to the
Senate. 1t was permitted to die In one Of
Mr.. SUMMERS ~pigeonholes.
This incident, like the Worcester speech,
fails to indicate that SUMNER hoped to use
tho A1,ha N ltHinIlfu NO n EpiPa with yyhtCh
to cut Canada adrift from England.
But there is absolutely no doubt that
SUMMER did hope for and expect a perma-
nent union, sooner or later, between the
American republic and Its neighbors. North
and South. One of the dreams Of his some
what sentimental craftsmanship was q
greater United States. embracing the entire
continent. He thought that this result
would be brought about, not by war or
diplomacy, but by the peaceful and natural
operation Of tho influences Of propinquity
and commerce. He counted much on the
effect of commercial reciprocity. In tho
Worcester speech from which wo have
quoted, after rejecting the idea OF acquiring
Canada as compensation for the wrongs
which England had done us, he went on,
with almost apocalyptic fervor, prophesying
ultimate union with Canada:
"rhs end 10 certain; nsr shall We wait long for Its
mighty fudlmsnt It's beginning ID the sstsblishmsnt Of
peace at home. through which the national unity shall
become manifest. This Is the nrst step; the rest will
follow. In the procession Of events II Ia now al hand,
and he 10 blind who does not discern It. From the Fro
zen Sea TO the tepid waters OF the Mexican Gulf. from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, the whole vast continent,
smiling with Outstretched prairies where the coal fields
below vie with the infinite corn fields above; teeming
with copper. silver, aud gold; Milling fast with y free
people. TO whom the telegraph and steam are constant
servants; breathing already with colleges and libraries;
interlacsd by rtvsu which are great highways; studded
with inland seas where fests are sailing. aud poured
rsuud all old Oceans constant ddss'; with tributary
commerce. ana still expanding domaia-suoh will DO tho
Great Republic. one and indivtsible. with . common
Constitution, . common liberty, aud q common glory"
For many years SUMMERS mind had dwelt
constantly upon this Vision OF a continental
American republics noble and attractive
vision always to the imagination OF Ameri-
cans. He had compiled from Il multitude OF
sources q monograph entitled Prophetic
Voices Concerning America," containing the
opinions and ~urophecies OF various observers