Charles Sumner

They are branches or limbs, which repay the strength they derive from the great trunk by helping to extend in all directions its protecting power.

It is natural that parties in our country should take their strongest complexion from National affairs, because these affairs are of the most absorbing interest.

They arise where, within the locality, a greater sum of good may be accomplished by sustaining a certain person, independent of party, than by voting strictly according to party.

If men unite in constructing the powerful and complex machine of a political organization, it must be rendered complete, and thoroughly competent to its work.

Assuming, then, what few will be so hardy as to deny, that it is proper for people to combine in parties for the promotion of cherished convictions, it follows, as an irresistible consequence, that this combination should be made most…

And it would be wrong to disregard the experience of political history, both at home and abroad, which teaches that it is through the constant, well-directed organization of party that these are best maintained.

It is our duty so to cast our votes on all occasions as to promote the principles we have at heart.

But, independent of example, we are led to this course by conviction of its necessity, in the maintenance of our great cause.

Let us, then, continue to plead, believing that no honest, earnest voice for Freedom can be in vain.

Without the moral support of the Free States, these powerful statesmen would have shrunk from the unequal battle.

But, in the second place, whatever may have been the temporary shock to Emancipation in the Slave States, it will not be denied by candid minds that the efforts in the North have hastened the great day of Freedom.

To this let it be said, in the first place, that our direct and primary object is not Emancipation in the States, but the establishment of Freedom everywhere under the National Government; and there is reason to believe that we have…

He only is in earnest who places Freedom above party, and does not hesitate to leave a party which neglects to serve Freedom.

Most certainly his devotion to Freedom may well be questioned, who adheres to a national party which declines to be the organ of Freedom.

Influenced by the common bias, which indisposes distrust of the political party with which they have been associated, they continue in the companionship early adopted, and often learn to combat for an organization, which, as a whole, is…

No intelligent person, careful and honest in his statements, will undertake to say that either of them does represent these.

But our principles are not sectional; they are applicable to the whole Union,--nay, more, to all the human race.

If at the present moment our efforts seem in any respect sectional or against the South, it is simply because the chief opponents of our principles are there.

There are many who forget that the larger portion of the people at the South are non-slaveholders, interested equally with ourselves--nay, more than we are--in the overthrow of that power which has so long dictated its disastrous and…

Surely it does not become them, or their partisans, to complain that an effort is now made to rally the whole country against their tyranny.

For years this band has acted against the whole country, and subjugated it to Slavery.

You cannot shield yourselves too much against the jealousies and heart-burnings which spring from these misrepresentations; they tend to render alien to each other those who ought to be bound together by fraternal affection."--Farewell…

One of the expedients of party to acquire influence within particular districts is to misrepresent the opinions and aims of other districts.

It is in no respect against the South, but against the Evil Spirit having its home at the South, which has obtained the control of the Government.

I am a man, and regard nothing human as foreign to me," was the sentiment of the Roman poet, who had once been a slave; and these words may be adopted as the motto of our movement.