ebooks Charles Sumner and the Coming of the Civil War by David Donald in History

Review

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful. Superb AmericanaBy Wayne CollierThe author focuses his attention on Sumner's pre-Civil War years when his influence on behalf of the Union and the antislavery cause reached its zenith.David Donald is renowned for his meticulous research and well written books. He used diaries; manuscripts; scrapbooks; family histories; letters; newspaper files; and valued secondary sources to flesh out his subject. Donald spent ten years on this book and during that time had to absorb the arcane knowledge of the 19th century in such subjects as medicine; law; politics; etc. His scholarship is impeccable. Though forty years have elapsed since the original publication of this book it still satisfies both the casual and serious reader.If a theme can be assigned to this very good book; it would be; "Sumner was a man who wouldn't compromise his principles no matter the cost." Sumner believed; "...to sanction the enslaving of a single human being was an act which cannot be called small; unless the whole moral law which it overturns or ignores is small." He was convinced that the appeasement of slave holders was impossible; that the various compromises enacted by the Senate were abdications of Northern principle in order to placate the South and to forestall an inevitable constitutional crisis. Sumner pointed out that supporters of the Compromise of 1850 were in fact extreme sectionalists; while antislavery agitators were the true nationalists.The author points out that slavery was the one great issue beginning in the late 1840s and continuing through the Civil War. Sumner battled the "peculiar institution" for years and made the abolition of slavery paramount. He became the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; a post which he made more important than that of any Ambassador and more influential than that of the Secretary of State of the United States. By 1851; Sumner was one of the most powerful men on the North American continent and was known throughout Europe.When first viewing slaves Sumner said; "They appear to be nothing more than moving masses of flesh; unendowed with anything of intelligence above the brutes." This book clearly illustrates why his opinion changed and why this complex man fought the lonely fight to remove all legal barriers that sustained racial discrimination. Sumner believed such discrimination fostered racial inferiority and was psychologically harmful to Blacks. He believed the pledge in the Declaration of Independence for universal equality was as much a part of the public law of the land as the Constitution.In this regard; Sumner continually excoriated the public to reform slavery and eventually influenced hundreds of thousands of Northern voters. When read today; his fiery speeches seem ponderous and stilted. Further; Sumner often used illogical reasoning and had a tendency to extend a principle to its utmost limits - he could be irritating and obtuse at time. Regardless; he was a powerful spokesman for the antislavery movement and his speeches solidified Northern opinion in the "great crusade."In reading this book; its clear Sumner was insensitive to the power of his words. He really didn't care as he had a remarkable power of rationalization and convinced himself that expediency and justice coincided where the abolition of slavery was concerned. The author hasn't overlooked the part that fortuitous circumstances played in the selection of Sumner as one of the most powerful and enduring forces in the pre-Civil War government. (He led the Radical Republicans during the Civil War) While the borderline between myth and history is often blurred; the author proves that the myth in Sumner's life more often than not matched the real Charles Sumner.Sumner's involvement in the slavery issue seems compulsive to 21st century readers but it was an outgrowth of his life and times. The humanity of a society can be measured by the quality of its compassion and its ability to feel the anguish of others. In contrast; the inability to feel the lash that strikes another's back is the most destructive trait a society can possess.Sumner's moral compassion wouldn't allow him to act otherwise when it came to slavery. Sumner believed the issue was simple: Slavery was evil; stamp it out!This is superb Americana.7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Donald's biography of Sumner is well worth reading for those interested in the Civil WarBy Gary HoggattNot long ago I read David Herbert Donald's 1996 biography Lincoln and was completely impressed by Donald's work; and his ability to bring Abraham Lincoln to life with his writing. One of the major recurring personalities in Lincoln is Charles Sumner; the abolitionist Senator from Massachusetts. Given all that; and that Donald won the Pulitzer Prize for biography for it; I decided I had to read Donald's 1960 biography; Charles Sumner and the Coming of the Civil War. This is the first volume of a two volume biography; and covers Sumner's life up until Confederate shots are fired at Fort Sumpter.One major difference between this volume and Donald's Lincoln is; frankly; that the subject is much less likeable. Sumner could be passionate and uncompromising in his beliefs; but he could also be vain; touchy; and self-righteous. To Donald's credit; he does not shy away from behavior or incidents that leave Sumner looking the worse; and he tries to explain just why Sumner developed these traits. I came away feeling that I had an accurate picture of the man; good and bad.Much like Donald's biography of Lincoln is an interesting insight into the then-frontier of Illinois and the birth of the Republican Party in the West; the Sumner biography is also a window into 19th century New England (and Europe; thanks to Sumner's extensive travels) and the birth of the Republican Party in New England. It was a time of great tension and change; even in the oldest parts of the country.Sumner was one of the most powerful politicians of his day; and at the forefront of the conflict between North and South. Anti-slavery Northerners looked to him as their most outspoken and powerful advocate; and Southerners despised him for his assault on what they viewed as their traditional way of life. After Sumner's "Crime Against Kansas" speech in 1856; South Carolina congressman Preston Brooks actually assaulted Sumner with a cane in the Senate chamber; resulting in Sumner being unable to perform his duties as a Senator for three years.I can't recommend Charles Sumner and the Coming of the Civil War as highly as I do Donald's Lincoln; but that's is not really Donald's fault. As interesting as Sumner is; he's just no comparison to Lincoln. However; after reading these two books and finding him as the opposition in each; I find myself wishing Donald would write a biography of Illinois Democratic Senator Stephen A. Douglas; who contested with Lincoln in Illinois for the Illinois Senate seat and and the 1860 presidential campaign; and who butted heads with Sumner over slavery in the Senate in the 1850's.Charles Sumner and the Coming of the Civil War is a good book that sheds a lot of light on the tensions that lead to the Civil War. I wouldn't recommend it to the general reader who isn't familiar with the era; and I'd recommend you read Donald's Lincoln first; but this volume is well done; and worth your time if you're a Civil War history aficionado.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. This book was the BEGINNING of my LOVE FOR HISTORYBy Gene McGuireI had an absolute HATRED for the High School I went to in a small town in Washington State. I couldn't WAIT to get OUT of that place and; to THIS DAY; I have NEVER REGRETTED IT (I later finished High School in Seattle when I was 30 with STRAIGHT "A's"). This book was the BEGINNING of my LOVE FOR HISTORY. I was SO EXCITED to see that it was STILL OUT there. I now have it again and will never let it go. Thanks to books like this one; I can honestly say that I learned way; WAY more on my OWN than I EVER did in that most MISERABLE EXCUSE for a SCHOOL that I was CURSED to ATTEND!!! Many thanks to David Donald; as well as Mathew Brady; for making history and learning EXCITING again.