MESSAGE OF THE GOVERNOR. COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, BOSTON, March 12, 1874. Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives : It becomes my painful duty to announce to you the death of our senior member in the United States Senate. Yesterday afternoon, at ten minutes before three o'clock, in his own rooms at Washington, at the age of sixtythree years, CHARLES SUMNER departed this life. Eighteen years ago he was struck down at his place in the vanguard of freedom, and from that terrible wound, nigh unto death, he never fully recovered, though he struggled against its effects with all the forces of his nature, and was aided by the best efforts of medical science. But he had regained such a measure of health and strength, that of late his intimate friends and associates were encouraged to hope he might be spared to us for some years longer. The shock of his death comes upon us suddenly, and when least expected. The last enemy of man has finally triumphed, and our great orator, scholar, statesman, philanthropist,—the champion of universal freedom and the equal rights of man,-after a life of labor and usefulness, has fallen under the burden of disease long and heroically borne. A Of him, as much as of any man of his time, it may be said, that he lived not for himself or his kindred. special representative of this State, his Commonwealth was the whole country. For years one of the most prom inent and influential citizens of the United States, he was recognized by the civilized world as one of the foremost advocates of struggling humanity. Thus acknowledged at home and abroad, his death will be deeply and sincerely mourned, not alone by his State and this Nation, but by every people and country reaching out for a higher and freer life. Twenty-three years ago this spring he was elected to the United States Senate, and at the time of his death he was the senior member of that body in length of consecutive service. His devotion to the duties of his place was an example worthy of general commendation. He rarely allowed personal considerations of any kind to interfere with his public obligations. Had he not been blessed with an iron constitution, he must long ago have succumbed to the weight of his labors. Devoted to many phases of one comprehensive cause, the advancement of man; throwing himself with great energy and power into whatever work he undertook; it was given him to see a noble triumph of that for which he aspired and wrought. Thousands and thousands of men and women find the way of life easier and brighter because of him, and in almost every town and village of the country, there will be praises of honor to his name. During his long period of service some mistakes he doubtless made, for despite his great learning and intellectual grasp he somewhat lacked the every-day wisdom frequently given to those much his inferiors. But this was in no sense to his discredit as a man. His aims were high, his purposes were pure. His voice was that of an honest man, his endeavors were those of an upright statesman. His moral integrity stands out as a sublime figure in these later years. While the atmosphere around him was foul with corruption, no stain of suspicion ever fell upon him. However other public servants prostituted their positions for selfish ends, we all felt sure that CHARLES SUMNER would not be smirched by any disclosures or investigations. This single fact alone is enough to crown him with glory. Gentlemen, you must have unspeakable satisfaction at this hour in your recent action on the matter relative to the army register and national battle-flags. It was communicated to Mr. Sumner while he was in the full possession of all his faculties, and we may well believe that he rejoiced in this vindication by the constituents whom he had so long and so faithfully served. I thank you for giving me the pleasure of transmitting to him, by the hands of one whom he honored, a representative of those for whom he had so heroically struggled, this fresh token of the regard in which he was held by the people of this Commonwealth. It was his desire, often expressed, that he might fall, when fall he must, while at the post of duty. His wishes in this respect were gratified. The day before his death he was at the Senate Chamber attending to official business as our agent and servant; and one of his last utterances, 'when in the very arms of death, was a request to an intimate friend to take care of the civil rights bill, the passage of which he had much at heart. Thus he went out from among us, with his last moment of consciousness still pleading, as he had so often and so eloquently plead through many years of vigorous manhood, for the down-trodden and oppressed. The great Senator has fallen, and we shall see him no more on earth. Being dead he yet speaketh - by the hopes he inspired, the works he accomplished and the recollection of his virtues. In a few days his mortal remains will be laid away in the grave. Be it ours to guard most tenderly the memory he hath left to us, and approve ourselves the fit constituents of CHARLES SUMNER. W. B. WASHBURN. |