therefore Constitutional,
was the logical formula with which he dealt with every question
of State. We should be deaf and blind to all the lessons
of history, if we were to declare it to be safe that men
trusted with Executive or even with Legislative power should
act on that principle. Unfortunately, humanity is so constituted
that the benevolent despot is likely to work more mischief
even than a malevolent despot. His example of absolute disregard
of constitutional restraints will be followed by men of very
different motives. Yet the influence of one such man pressing
and urging his companions forward in a Legislative body like
the Senate of the United States, keeping ever before the people
the highest ideals, inspired by the love of liberty, and ever
speaking and working in the fear of God, is inestimable.

Charles Sumner lacked that quality which enables the practical
statesman to adjust the mechanism of complicated statutes.
He had no genius for detail. It would not have been safe
to trust him with Appropriation Bills, or Bills for raising
revenue. But he was competent to deal with questions of the
greatest moment to the State. He knew what are its governing
forces. He retained his hold on those forces. He directed
them. He caused sound principles of action to take effect
in the Government of the State in great emergencies. He converted
the people to his opinion. He inspired the people with lofty
desires. He accomplished wise public ends by wise means.
He maintained his hold on power in an important time. He
took a prominent part in great debates and was the acknowledged
leader of one side of the question. He believed that the
conscience of the people was a better guide than individual
ambitions. He always did the thing he could best do. He
did the thing that most needed to be done, the thing most
effective at the time, the thing that no other man did or
could do. He left to others to do what hundreds of others
could do well enough. He contributed largely to the Government
of his country, in the most trying period of our history,
its motive and its direction. That is a pretty practical
contribution to the voyage which furnishes to the steamship
its engine and its compass. His figure will abide in history
like that of St. Michael in art, an emblem of celestial purity,
of celestial zeal, of celestial courage. It will go down
to immortality with its foot upon the dragon of Slavery, and
with