The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-02-02

became a graduate of Harvard in 1880.
Like Motley, ne enjoyed early affluence
and advantages, and succeeded in spite
of them. In 1881 he entered the Har-
ward law school, where he studied I'M
der the renowned Judge Joseph Story.
He continued for several years to ap-
ply himself to study il class room, Of
fee and library, bringing to his books
a marvellous memory and extraordinary
intellectual industry. He spent the
years from 1897 to 1910 abroad as a
student and observer, in London, Paris,
Rome, Berlin and other European CEN
tiers, becoming acquainted with the
leading public men of Europe. His
studies and taste led him toward poll
tics and the law His legal studies
were not such as would develop the
shrewd practitioner at the bar; for, as
his eulOgist, Mr.. George William Curtis,
afterward said of him: He was not
formed for q jury lawyer where the
jury was less than a nation or man.
kind" and, in sporting language,
though he had a fine eye for country,
he had a poor scent for the trail" His
tastes drew him rather to public and
constitutional law-the law of peace
and war and of nations-and' in these
he had a preparation that stood him in
good stead in the years to come. In
these ten years of study and travel and
reflection we find developing Sumner
the scholar-a scholar whose attain
ments were admirably manifested in
his first notable public grafton, deliver
ed July 4, 1916, on THE Grandeur Of
Nations" a magnificent plea for peace,
a severe denunciation of war.
Sumner the Free Soiler.
R,1t of greater interest is Sumner the
anti-slavery senator and moral re-
former. The inspiration Of Summers
early career is found in the cause OF
free soil. He became interested very
early in the anti-slavery movement.
He was a subscriber to the Liberator
in its early years, and he was a friend
of Garrison, Phillips and Charming In
1871 he criticised Webster's correspond
ence in the Creole case" as giving IN
necessary national support and coun-
tenance to the slave interest. He de-
nouneed the admission of Texas, and
he held the war with Mexico to be .-un-
constitutional in origin, unjust in cnaF-
acter and detestable in object, ana,
above all, he held that if additional
territory be forced upon us, from all
such territory slavery should be for
ever excluded" At the conclusion Of
the Mexican war, with the prospect be-
fore US of slavery extension toward the
south and west, Sumner felt that the
time had come when men of all par
ties should unite against slavery. In
politics he was a wing But he under
stood that party was means, not
an end, and if his party would not
serve his purpose he would find an or
ganization that would.
Sumner and the Fugitive Slave Law.
On. Nov. s, 1850, in FaneuiI hall, soon
after the passage of the fugitive slave
law of that year, Sumner spoke on Our
Immediate Anti-Slavery Duties" This
nounced the fugitive slave law and de-
nberately counseled resistance.
Il viii not" he said, "dishonor this
home Of the pilgrims and of the reYolu-
ton oy admitting nay, cannot believe
that this bill viii be executed here.
Among. US as elsewhere, individuals
may forget humanity in fancied loyal
~ 10 law, but the public conscience will
not allow man who has trodden our
streets as a freeman to be dragged
away as slave"
This is the speech that is said to
have made Sumner senator. It sounded
the keynote of the free sellers of Amer
lea in the face of the "5Rality' legisla-
ton and compromise of 1850. The
speech was denounced as reasonable
by southern men and apolOgists for
slavery, and il is certain that more
than anything else it determined Sum-
ner's selection by the free soil party as
It's candidate for the senate. In the
election OF 1850 there was a coalition in
Massachusetts between the free soilers
and the Democrats. in the choice of
state senators and representatives,
with the understanding that the state
officers chosen by the legislature should
be Democrats and the United States
senator a free soiler. Sumner was cho-
sen senator in April, 1851, after a long
contest
He was not a member Of either of
the great parties. He was pledged then