Charles Sumner

But underlying, interpenetrating, and informing all this brilliancy of genius is the earnest philanthropy of the man,--a philanthropy which gives an effect to all his productions, which the cold-blooded politician, or statesman, even, can…

I would avoid estimating him too highly; but it seems to me that it may be said without extravagance, that to much of the firmly knit strength and unassailable logic of a Webster he unites all the fire and fervor of an Otis, with the grace…

I can almost imagine that around that sick-bed the invisible angels gather, and that on that bruised and mangled head the rays of a divine halo gleam between the blossoms of an imperishable wreath.

I laid down the paper, and still there seemed to press around me a solemn, majestic anthem from a mighty organ.

It came over me like the sound of many waters.

Never, I think, from anything did I receive an impression of greater power and grandeur.

There is but one opinion among all competent judges as to the unexampled feast of eloquence which has been enjoyed in the Senate for the past two days, from the lips of Senator Sumner.

It views the leading men of the other section through the medium of its fear, its hatred, or its contempt, and can recognize no likeness, unless the features are distorted and the canvas is darkened, unless the countenance is wicked and…

He designated Senator Butler as the Don Quixote of Slavery, and Douglas as its Sancho Panza.

I have always felt humiliated by the tone our men have taken in Congress, yielding everything, and never daring to assert their rights or to exercise their true power to crush these fellows into submission.

It is time for us to show that we mean to submit to the Southern bravado no longer.

Especially, I know that it would exceedingly gratify the friends of Freedom, if the arrogance and bullyism of Douglas could be signally rebuked, and his faithlessness to the honor and welfare of his native land be conspicuously exhibited.

I think all honest men must now be convinced that nothing is gained to Freedom by compromises.

The violence, insolence, cruelty, and injustice springing from Slavery are gradually drifting into anarchy,--and anarchy leads first to civil war, and then to military usurpation.

As to Slavery, the Church is exerting a most corrupting influence.

To me it seems the Democratic party is utterly and ostentatiously profligate, the unblushing advocates of human slavery and piratical warfare, the most God-defying party which ever cursed our country.

We are very religious as a people, so far as religion is convenient, and consistent with money-getting, office, and power; but so far as it interferes with those pursuits, we are a nation of infidels.

I have long been convinced that the great obstacle to the cause of human rights and the ultimate prosperity and freedom of our native land is the corruption of the moral sense of our nation.

At the North there was a deep sense of wrong, with indignation at the pretensions of the Slave Power, yearning for a voice in Congress that should speak out the general sentiment.

Union to save Kansas, and Union to save ourselves, should be the watchword.

To dislodge it from this position, and at the same time from its disgusting supremacy in the National Government, will be one and the same work.

In the madness of its despotism, it has selected a position the least tenable of all its assumptions.

The Slave Oligarchy has staked its power in the National Government upon the support of this usurpation.

But this can be done only by her immediate welcome into the Union, under her present Constitution, as a Free State,--of course without recognition of the usurping Tyranny.

This is the special object of labor to which we are summoned by every consideration of regard for that distant Territory, and also by every sentiment of love for our common country.