New-York tribune., 1900-08-04
SUMNER AND CHASE.
NEW VOLUMES IN THE AMERICAN
STATESMEN SERIES

Series) Houghton. NIililin & Co.
In some respects these biographies more
closely related to each other than any other
two Of the series to which they belong. OF the
anti-slavery statesmen-as distinguished from
agitators-Sumner the most conspicuous in
the East Chase was in the West Others,
doubtless. exerted greater influence upon the
actual course Of events that resulted in the
Proclamation Of Emancipation; but they were
the men in whom the spirit of the movement
found its most perfect embodiment. There is
striking similarity, also. in their personalities
and in their fortunes. Both were men Of lofty
character, great ability and single hearted
patriotism; but each lacked those indefinable
traits which are essential to the securing of a
devoted personal following and political sue
cess-a lack which stamped the careers of both
with 4 certain incffectiveness and political iso-
lation. For both rte seemed to end in failure.
Sumner saw himself censured by the Legisla-
ture Of the State he had nobly served and
abandoned by his party and many of his
friends; while Chase, though lifted to position
which sho q amply have satisfied the most
e-actng ambition, was embittered by the loss
of the one reward-thA T-esidency-upon which
he had set his hear.
AS a succinct account of the principal events
Of Summers life Mr.. storey's work leaves moth
ing to be desired. Il is written with excellent
an elaborate portrayal OF the great Senator's
personality is rot attempted, the grand outlines
Of his character are drawn with precision and
with a sound sense of proportion. There is
neither undue insistence upon the defects
of temperament and judgment which some have
allowed to overshadow Summers greatness, nor
indiscriminate laudation- For the most part
only that is said which ought now to be said
Of a man who. though not Of quite heroic pro-
portions merited and has secured the admira
ton and gratitude of the Nation The guiding
principle Of Summers career-his rule Of con-
duct as Mr.. Storey calls twas announced by
him at the very beginning of his public life in
words which are well worth repeating. Il
hear" he said at a convention of anti-slavery
Wings called 10 repudiate the nomination of
Taylor, the old political saw that we must
take the least Of two evils For my
self, If the two evils are presented to me will
take neither. There are matters legiti
mately within the range of expediency and COM
promise. But the question Islaveryl before the
country is of another character This will not
admit Of compromise II is not within the do
main Of expediency. To bc irrOng this is
10 be bchOITy icrOhq." In the maintenance of
this general principle he never faltered. AS
regards slavery, in particular if he did not like
Garrison and Phillips, allow his hatred Of it 20
obstruct his vision Of the perhaps greater wrong
TO humanity which lay in the threat Of seces-
sion, he never failed to insist that the slavery
question lay outside of the sphere CT policy
Even in the dark days of the winter Of 1861
when the leaders of the victorious Republican
party shrank back appalled, from the abyss
which opened beneath their feet, and seemed
ready 10 yield everything that the South had de-
manded, he firmly main tained this position. To
William Claain of Massachusetts. he wrote:
In the name of liberty 1 supplicate you not to
let massachusetts take any backward step
not inch. not O hairs brcGdth." Again. on
January s: Sunday evening had visit from
ThuTlow Weed and Seward. They urge
thar we cannot have a united North unless
make an effort at adjustment, to which I re-
ply: We have tlafs verdict Of the people last
November; that is enough The slave States
are mad. They will all move Nothing now
but ab5ect humiliation the part of the North
can stay them. Nobody can foresee precisely
all that is in the future, but do not doubt that
any conflict VIII precipitate the doom of slavery.
II viii probably so down in blood" The moral
strength of this attitude-of this general con-
ception of duty. well of its special appli-
cation to the then existing situations un-
deniable. But for the practical point of view it
has the defect that like all conduct that is
based upon ethical distractions, it may, if the
circumstances are not sufficiently considered.
defeat its ends; and it was just this alb
stract and somewhat wooden" way % apply
ing moral and political principles that was
Summers chief defect.
This seems especially clear to US now in this
very matter of the events of the secession
winter of 1861 Even if actual compromise
were not theoretically right. nor practically pos
sibe, il still did not follow that it was wise or
right while the Teins Of government were still
in Buchanan's hands, to force the border States
preciptately to follow the Cotton States y an
ostentatious show of uncompromising temper
In fact on looking back upon the events Of that
time, one feels compelled to say of Summers
course: 1t was magnificent, but it was not
craftsmanship, Much more commendable from
tt4t point view. appears the conduct Of
Seward $50 profoundly scorned by Sumner) for
the simple re"son that. apparently futile and
shifty as il it tended to maintain the st
ing situation until Lincoln was inaugurated and
to 3lige the South take the offensive under
circumstances which showed it to be mani
festy in the y.rong Had Sumner controlled
events there would by March / have been no
chance Of saving the Union. Stewards con-
ciIiatory speech of Jancaly l. was probab bly
one Of the wisest. it Of the ablest
ever delivered in the Senate and Summers
comments upon il reveal clearly the difference
l-Jeecn The impractical theorist and the prac-
tical statesman. our friends" he wrote to
Governor andrew, on January II. are all tran
quii. cxceof 50 far as disturbed by Stewards
speech He read me his speech four
days IN advance Of is delivery. I pleaded with
him fer the sake Of the cause the country and
his own good name 10 abandon all his PROPOSE
lions. and simply to declare that Mr.. Lincoln
NO ~ naugurated the 4th Of March
p -iGeut Of the United States and rally the
country 10 his support. ] DO not think that we