Sumner did nothing of the kind. His self-poise and
self-control for nine months was simply admirable. "Endurance is the
crowning quality," says Lowell, "And patience all the passion of great
hearts." Certainly during those trying months they were Sumner's, the
endurance and the patience. First the blade, he had to familiarize himself
with the routine and rules of the Senate; then the ear, he had to study
the personnel of the Senate--and lastly the full corn in the ear, he had
to master himself and the situation. Four times he essayed his strength on
subjects inferior to the one which he was carrying in his heart as mothers
carry their unborn babes. Each trial of his parlimentary wings raised him
in the estimation of friends and foes. His welcome to Kossuth, and his
tribute to Robert Rantoul proved him to be an accomplished orator. His
speech on the Public Land Question evinced him besides strong in history,
argument and law.

No vehemence of anti-slavery pressure, no shock of angry criticism coming
from home was able to jostle him out of his fixed purpose to speak only
when he was ready. Winter had gone, and spring, and still his silence
remained. Summer too was almost gone before he determined to begin. Then
like an August storm he burst on the Senate and the Country. "Freedom
national: slavery sectional" was his theme. Like all of Mr. Sumner's
speeches, this speech was carefully written out and largely memorized. He
was deficient in the qualities of the great debater, was not able usually
and easily to think quickly and effectively on his feet, to give and take
hard blows within the short range of extemporaneous and hand to hand
encounters. Henry Clay and John Quincy Adams were pre-eminent in this
species of parliamentary combat. Webster and Calhoun were powerful
opponents whom it was dangerous to meet. Sumner perhaps never experienced
that electric sympathy and marvellous interplay of emotion and
intelligence between himself and an audience which made Wendell Phillips
the unrivalled monarch of the anti-slavery platform. Sumner's was the
eloquence of industry rather than the eloquence of inspiration. What he
did gave an impression of size, of length, breadth, thoroughness. He
required space and he required time. These granted, he was tremendous, in
many respects the most tremendous orator of the Senate and of his times.

He was tremendous on this occasion. His subject furnished the keynote and
the keystone of his opp