Year: 1874

mcnt.


Its summary is this:


He was an accomplished scholar q good lnQust, a
master OF European literature, and almost devotee OF
art During his latest visit to Europe a year or two
back, ne found no pleasure great that OF ransac
Ing the old bookshops and booksas OF Paris for quaint
and curious editions TO add 10 his collection He
great taker upon art and literature as well as upon
politics. and talked, he did everything. with tre-
mendous energy and with an individual sefconfd dence
which his enemies, and even Of his friends set
down as egotism. Many slyly satirical humorous
stories were told in America dpropos OF Mr. Summers
faith in his own eloquence-stories which would have
affected Mr.. Sumner little il he had heard them,
for he was one OF the few Americans who have
perception OF the meaning OF jest. He was strong.
serious man. often in the wrong often unfair 10 his
Judgment, but consciously yielding prejudice
always inhexlbly faithful TO his principles he
them and gifted with Of thought and speech and
work enough 10 make him distinct and memorable


figure in the history Of his countrys political growth.


The estimate of The Daily Telegraph is ludicrous in
its inadequacy, and its column is mainly occupied
with Mr. Summers social life. Praise of his personal
and social qualities is ingcniOusly tempered with
many subtle sneer, and il is dicHt to say whether
the writer-whom il is impossible not to recognize
was proud of having been invited to dine with
Mr. Sumner of being able to turn his peculiarities
into jest. He accuses Mr. Sumner of loving to sur





with, if they had not fought for, the Commune
laughs at his pretensions to speak French, German
and Magyar, and describes him as ravng by the
hour of Italy and Rome, although his acquaintance
with them went little beyond the photographs that
graeed the walls of his pretty rooms at Washington,
and latterly derived, in the main from letters
written by his friend and countryman, Mr. Story,
from the verbal descriptions Of his numerous friends
who had just returned from the valleys Of the Arno
and the FIBER


Between his liking for Englshmen and warm well
come TO them, and his public speeches abOundng
in the widest and most unmeasured denunciations
of this country" a contrast is drawn which would
be striking if it were not simply false. Equally alb
surd is the picture of Mr. Sumner aristocrat in
England, choosing bis friends chiefly from the House
of Lords He is made to share the responsibility of
the civil war with Mrs. Beecher Stowe and Senator
Toombs and then to have been ready to acquesce in
secession. He is reproached for not having carried
musket, and we are told that, during the agony Of
the fratricdal conflict, his name was seldom upon
the lips of serner and stronger Rubbish of this
sort need not detain us longer.


The Standard does justice to itself the paper
which gave currency during the to the wretched
libes of Manhattan and which then and since
has been foremost in eliminating America and
Americans 1t describes Mr.. Sumner as occupying
for quarter of century very conspicuous but
not very influential position. Then, after a sketch
Ofshis early years, ii says:


In this studous manner, broken only by a heightened
visit Europe the first five and thirty years OF his life
passed away He seemed to be altogether absorbed in
his profession. and TO regard political life with the
pugnance generally felt for II by the wealthy and
lesured class the United States. But his repugnance
only seeming. Essentially, he was man of inor-
dnate vanity and OF that nervous senstveness which
intoxicated by popular applause. He needed there
FORE but the taste Of popularity TO thirst for 1t ever
afterward, the drunkard does for his daily dram.
The taste came in time the occasion of the Mexican



His first speech against the annexation of Texas is
spoken of as extraordinary success, followed by
five wears of effort TO secure hIs election to the
Senate. Once in, he let slip opportunity to stig-
matize and denOunce Slavery and slave-Owners. In
his passion for effect he failed TO make allowances
for the social condition of the South and-but The
Standards account of the Brooks assault can only
be given in its own words:


On one memorable occasion, while speaking on the
Kansas drturbances he permitted himself to use Ian
guage personally insulting TO highly reputed South
Carolina planter Men OF Mr. Summers temperament
are peculiarly liable TO be led in the heat Of de-
bate and if he had apolOgized a:terward for his re-
marks they would doubtless have speedily been forgot
ten He did not think proper 10 do So however This
conduct put HIM all the more IN the wrong as religious
scruples forbade him to fight duel. In England his
scruples would have been understood and respected
but in America where shooting at sight in the public
streets even now uncommon, then an everyda
occurrence they simply made him appear slanderous
coward Taking this of his behavior the nephew Of
the insulted man attacked Mr.. Sumner in the Senate
Chamber after the House had risen and beat him about
the head so severely that he suffered from the effects for


three or years The assault was brutal but in fair
ness 1t must be remembered that Parliamentary Ian
guage is not beous. that the code OF honor OF the
souh required satisfaction and that Mr Summer would
neither retract fight But enough OF the personal
aspects Of the the episode Is chiefly interesting
now as vividly bringing before the temper of the
years Immediately preceding Secession.


This is nearly as bad it could be; but do not
let us suppose that language of that sort is common
in England. The Standard is an exception. Most
English newspapers are remarkable for moderation
and decency of language and might fairly be said
of most that they are written by gentlemen for gen.
tlemen.


In a very different tone is careful paragraph in
The Globe the evening Conservative daily-a tribute
TO Mr. Sumner indeed quite remarkable, and the
more gratifying from opponent of Liberalism
The Globe says:


From 1885, when he elected TO the seat in the
Senate vacated by Webster, who had entered the FIJI
more Cabinet the name of Sumner has been as famous
in Europe as in the United States In his own country
the influence he exered always great and his ten
wears Chairnanshp OF the Committee on Foreign Rela
tions made him power abroad. His argument In the
famous Mason and sldell TO the effect that the
seznre On British ship was unjustfabe according TO
the law OF nations temporary oense TO his coun
tymen but on the whole Sumner was one OF the most
popular American statesmen OF this generation. The
secret Of his success TO the ability he possessed
OF catching the opinion OF tomorrow" on any question
IN which public opinion was excited Once having
,ound this-apd his statesmanlike mind seldom missed