. Richard Cobden, the international man . took sharp political shape in the demand of theslave-holding States for an extension of the institutionto the new territories wrested from Mexico, Sumnerjoined the Free Soil Party, and was one of its mostpowerful leaders. Later on, when in 1851 the issueforced the main body of the Democrats (afterwards Republicans) to combine with the Free Soilers,in order to keep Massachusetts from capture by the Whigs, Sumner was elected a Senator, and fromthis time, right through the stormy period of the CivilWar and reconstruction up to 1873, he stood out asone of
. Richard Cobden, the international man . took sharp political shape in the demand of theslave-holding States for an extension of the institutionto the new territories wrested from Mexico, Sumnerjoined the Free Soil Party, and was one of its mostpowerful leaders. Later on, when in 1851 the issueforced the main body of the Democrats (afterwards Republicans) to combine with the Free Soilers,in order to keep Massachusetts from capture by the Whigs, Sumner was elected a Senator, and fromthis time, right through the stormy period of the CivilWar and reconstruction up to 1873, he stood out asone of the most powerful voices of American earliest known correspondence with Cobden is in1848 and 1849. Of two letters of Cobden dated inthese years, the first deals with the question of reductionof armaments in time of war, the second opens aremarkable speculation regarding the probable futureunion of the United States and Canada. When the Civil War broke out Sumner held theimportant position of Chairman of the Senate Com- 332. CHARLES SUMNER (1811-74) [To face page 332. The Civil War and the Sumner Letters mittee on Foreign Affairs. Cobden, recognizing thevalue of this position in its influence upon Americanpolicy, set himself from November 1851 onwards tomaintain a regular interchange of views with Sumnerupon the several critical issues in which this countryand France were involved by the events of the Americanstruggle. With especial earnestness did Cobden striveto inform Sumner of the real state of public opinionin this country and to correct the exceedingly erroneousnotion that our nation as a whole was sympathetic withthe slave-owners and secessionists. As for himself, hefrankly admits he would not have gone to war even foremancipation ; and at the opening of the struggle hisinstinctive abhorrence of bloodshed made him, as wehave seen, hesitate a little before casting his sympathywith the Northern appeal to force. But when clearas to the balance of the moral
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