Edward L. Pierce, Memoir and letters of Charles Sumner: volume 4

[494] was given to the State of Massachusetts, and placed in the library of its capitol.¹ In the autumn he prepared a paper on ‘The Best Portraits in Engraving,’ which appeared, with photographs of several engravings of his own collection, in a magazine. It contained biographical sketches of eminent engravers, with comments on the qualities of their work.² This was the revival of old studies which he had pursued with zeal during the period of disability which followed the Brooks assault.

Notwithstanding Republican senators had disowned Sumner, his standing in his party at home was as firm as ever. His controversy with the President had not weakened him in the least. General Butler in the autumn made a canvass for the Republican nomination for governor, during which he assailed the Republican administration of the State for a considerable period. He sought also to procure a majority of delegates by bringing into the primary meeting's large masses of voters, chiefly of foreign nativity, who had uniformly voted as Democrats. Aside from the objections made to him personally, his extraordinary methods provoked the most determined opposition from the great body of Republicans who were interested in maintaining the integrity of the party. At one time his prospect of success was imminent, and Republican leaders, editors of newspapers and others, sought the intervention of the two senators to prevent what the deemed a calamity. Sumner, whose personal relations with Butler had been uniformly cordial, and who by habit had abstained from participating in any contests within the party for nominations, yielded with some hesitation to the pressure, which was put on the ground that his influence was absolutely necessary to save the Republican cause from discredit and defeat. He drew a paper, assented to also by his colleague, which was as follows:—

The question is often asked, “Where are the two Massachusetts senators, and what are their opinions on the present crisis in Massachusetts?” Nobody knowing them has doubted; but we are able to set this matter at rest by their authority. We have seen Senator Sumner and Senator Wilson personally, and are authorized by them to say that they deeply regret and deplore the extraordinary canvass which General Butler has precipitated upon the Commonwealth,