Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 12 (of 20)

More tardily, but with equal force, the Methodists declared against Slavery, speaking by such great preachers as George Whitefield and John Wesley. From the historian Hildreth,...

Look at these words, and it appears, in the first place, that this inhibition is addressed to the States, and not to Congress, whose powers are not touched by it. Look still fur...

The poem became at once famous. It had the success of Victor Hugo or Byron. Its author took rank, not only at the head of his contemporaries, but even among classics of antiquit...

If the President were on earth, he would protest against any monotony of panegyric. He never exaggerated. He was always cautious in praise, as in censure. In endeavor to estimat...

“This letter, although short, is explicit and unmistakable in its meaning. Its purpose is evident to the most casual observer. Knowing, as he must, at the time, that the Preside...

Such instances, so recent, show how little the injunction of International Law has been regarded by Great Britain, whether before or after the Crimean War; and yet British censo...

War is always a scourge. Never can it be regarded without sadness. It is one of the mysteries of Providence, that such an evil is allowed to vex mankind. Few deprecated it more...

4. Irreversible guaranties cannot be obtained by _oaths_. All oaths are uncertain. It has been said, “The strongest oaths are straw.” Political oaths have become a proverb, whet...

He commands the death of the Macedonian king before his plans can be executed. Treason rises and proposes poison. All Hell applauds; and Treason, in disguise, fares forth to ins...

As a faithful reader of the “Evening Post” for many years, I have perused your article insisting that all present effort for guaranties of national security and national faith m...

As in that remarkable instance, there is the same indifference to _historic precedents_. I do not refer to cases decided in prize courts, where the question is of _strict law_,...

Strange that the Chief Justice, forgetting the jurisprudence and literature of France, forgot also the brilliant testimony of Lafayette, who, communicating to Congress at Philad...

The apology is too obvious. “Nothing but good of the dead.” This is a familiar saying, which, to a certain extent, is acknowledged. But it is entirely inapplicable, when statues...

Such is their spirit. Grounding arms, they now resort to other means. Cunning takes the place of war. As they precipitated themselves out of the Union, they now seek to precipit...

MR. HENDERSON. The Senator, then, admits that the States are in the Union. Now I ask him if we can restore the Union without restoring State Governments in the seceded States.

“Sir, the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. SUMNER] has brought in a sublimated specimen of humanitarianism that does not apply to these accursed Rebels at this time. They do not...

“I cannot sit down to my work this morning, albeit pressed for time, without giving you the homage of my sincere admiration and respect for killing Louisiana, at least _pro temp...

19. The latest instance, in point of time, worth while to name in this list, is that of the Brazilian ship Santa Cruz, which, in 1850, was seized and burned, with all her lading...

Such a vengeance will be a kiss of reconciliation; for it will remove every obstacle to peace and harmony. The people where Slavery once ruled will bless the blow that destroyed...

Mr. Wilson said: “I shall vote against exempting from taxation any book whatever, even the Bible.… I am against these exemptions. What, Sir! a tax on books a tax on knowledge? S...

To this speech the Republican candidate replied promptly, and did not forget his championship. Quoting the great words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men ar...

“It seems plain, from the acts incorporating these companies, and the testimony of those best conversant with the history of their incorporations, that it was the policy of the...

MR. PRESIDENT,--The proposition to terminate the Reciprocity Treaty has been mystified in various ways. There has been mystification because it came from the Committee on Foreig...

But the Senator from Kentucky tells us that the original defect in the notice by the President is of such a character that it cannot be cured by any subsequent ratification; and...

“A copy of your speech on the treatment of prisoners of war has just fallen into my hands. I think the country under deep obligations to you for that speech, and for saving it f...

At the date of the contract, 30th March, 1863, the price of Banca in the market was fifty-seven to fifty-eight cents a pound. Revely was less. The price stipulated in the contra...

“Here Scylla bellows from her dire abodes, Tremendous pest, abhorred by man and gods! … Six horrid necks she rears, and six terrific heads; Her jaws grin dreadful with three row...

A letter was read from Governor Andrew, declaring his purpose to retire from office at the close of the present year, when Hon. Alexander H. Bullock, of Worcester, was unanimous...

“I have written very plainly to the President, urging delay. But I fear he will pursue his wrong course. With illegal courts and usurping ‘reconstruction,’ I know not where you...

TERMINATION OF THE CANADIAN RECIPROCITY TREATY. Speeches in the Senate, on the Joint Resolution giving Notice for the Termination of the Canadian Reciprocity Treaty, December 21...

[182] This last requirement was the substance of a concurrent resolution of the two Houses of Congress, adopted in the House February 20, 1866, by a vote of 109 Yeas to 40 Nays,...