“On the 22d of May, four years ago, we were startled with the
news that Charles Sumner had been struck down in the Senate
Chamber and nearly killed. Yesterday, for the first time since
that event, his eloquence again enchained the attention of the
Senate. The speech which provoked the assault in 1856 has been
more than matched in the one just delivered. The former speech
was read by millions, and the last is undoubtedly destined to
receive a still wider attention. The glowing eloquence and
surpassing erudition of Mr. Sumner give to all his speeches an
attraction difficult to resist, even by those who dislike the
doctrines he proclaims. His last speech is characterized not
only by his usual brilliancy of style, but contains a striking
array of facts and statistics which must have cost much patient
toil in collecting.”