The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-08


guage courteous 10 him, but urging
that he had given an incorrect and mis-
leading view of the conduct Of Preston
Brooks and enclosing letter from the
son OF Summers assailant, which accord
Ing TO her conviction, gave an accurate ac-
count OF the whole affair. In ttIr book
before US are reproduced the passages from
Mr.. Brooks's letter which profess 10 give
the correct version Of the incident Mr..
Brooks says. The fact Ia my father waited
until the Senate adjourned and all the
ladies had left and then went ZIP 10 Mr.
Sumner and told him he had read his speech
as dlspassionately az possible. but that
in consideration OF the language he had
used against his (Brooks's) kinkmen. his
State and his country, he deemed il neces-
sary 10 ohastise him Sumner did not try
10 resist IT," The writer of the letter went
on 10 say that the weapon Preston Brooks
used was not a bludReon, but light cane,
which he. the writer. had seen many times.
1t is small gutta percha cane, hollow
from end TO end aud running TO point not
thicker than lady's little finger and 40
frail that II broke after lick or two, He
never hit Sumner with the large end. hut
A Mr. Mccarthy observes, the point of
the contradiction consists in the assertion
that Preston Brooks did not use bludgeon
or a heavy weapon of any kind, but merely
light gutta peroha cane and, as regards
this question. he il willing 10 give the
memory OF Preston Brooks the full benefit
OF the doubt. 1t is certain. however, that
there was an assault and thnt the assault
wac severe enough TO reduce TO insensi-
bility and TO disable for considerable
period a man OF heroulean stature and
strength. The comment that follows 10
pertinent, however: The whole incident,
Of course IL one that seems very shock
ing 10 human feelings now, whether these
feelings belong 10 Europeans or Americans,
but when we remember a certain encounter
Of flsticuffs which took place in the House
Of Commons in 1888 we In England ought,
perhaps, to be somewhat restrained in our
expressions OF horror and disgust at tho
idea OF an assault taking place in a legisla-
tive chamber. 1t has 10 be remembered.
at all events, that the business OF the sitting
had come to close before the assault on
Charles Sumner was committed. whereas
the House of Commons, on the occasion
TO which / refer. was in the midst OF its
Parliamentary work when the free fight
broke out
Charles Sumner was one Of the great
orators whom IL has been our authors
good fortune 10 hear. but NJ Mccarthy
does not reckon him among the very great
est of these, for he does not think that he
Possessed the noble and majestic simple
ity, the poetic feeling and the exqulsitely
melodious voice of John Bright. or that he
the various notes of human emo
ton with the swift and unfailing touch
which was characteristic Of Gladstone.
Nevertheless, in our authors Judgment,
Sumner tnquestionaby should take rank
among great orators as distinguished from
great disclaimers or great deba:ers. He
was ? mar Of deep and varied stuiiess, his
torical. legal and literary. He had during
his earlier life travelled much In Europe
had. indeed spent some years there rs
student and he was we'll acquainted with
England He had been called 70 the bar
but very soon gave up all idea Of practictng
and devoted himself to the more congenlal
work of political reform. He was more
read in English history than
almost any Englishman with whom /
nave converted on such subjects, and /
that in many instances he pointed
out what he declared TO be errors in our
recognized works on English history, and
10 was able TO refer me to authentic and
5tate-preseryed evidence Of which I had
Snown nothing before-evidence which !
absolutely established the justice Of his
criticism
II il well known that dirin all the earlier !
1art OF his career Sumner had an intense
owe for everything In ngland, the scenery |
II the land its historic memories. it's poetry
md its prose. The abolition of slavery
n England and the English colonies through T.
he efforts OF British philanthropists had
established claim or his sympathies and
his admiration, and he might be said to
rave "a ken for his creed on that subject
he doctrines expounded and brought into
g gislation 10y such Englishuen a. Wilber-
oroe. At the time however, near the T.
lose OF the seventh decade OF the last /
entury-when our author came TO know |
'harles Sumner the latters feelings toward /
IN gland had undergone a severe change. |
He could not but zee that throughout the |
ghole of the struggle in the United States
Il the great majority belonging TO society
n England had gone with the Southeulers,
yho broke into rebellion in the hope OF main
aiming slavery His old love for England |
vas profoundly shaken by the disappoint-
nent thus brought upon him, and changed
!; last into something like a feeling of
ated Mr.. Mccarthy goes on 10 say
hat he had many conversations with SUM
er on the subject. and. while be thoroughly
grsed with the Senator in condenning the .
eminent and the policy Of the ruling
lasses in England with regard 10 the Ameri-
an civil war. he did his best 10 explain
hat on slavery, az on many another dues
ion. the ruling classes did not represent
he feelings of the majority OF EnglishmeD.
Dur author pointed out IN Sumner that the
reatest leaders OF thought in England,
he best writer's, If not the best speakers
gladstone was on the Confederate side the
,aders of the English democracy, and the
hole mass of the English workinRmen-
no at that time had no political influence,
ot possessing the franchise before the
rcond Reform act Of lsBS-had remained
onstant 10 Rnti-slayery principles. and
ave their best wishes for the success Of
be Northern cause. j dwelt- says Mr.
lcCarthy, upon the fact that men like
obden and Bright, John Stuart Mill and
oldwin Smith had held firmly TO their
,n,ictionst and that these men warn ra