Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation

by Zaakir Tameez

At the same time, Adams and Sumner were being buoyed by their allies to receive a nomination for the prestigious ambassadorship to England. Sumner’s brother George was leading the effort to convince the Lincoln administration to offer the role to Charles. “If you don’t accept the appointment, [we still] want the offer to be made,” one of Charles Sumner’s political friends explained to him. Otherwise, “our enemies will say that nothing was offered to the great apostle of Republicanism.” At the time, receiving an offer for a presidential appointment significantly raised a politician’s profile. Ultimately, Lincoln—per Seward’s advice—offered the post to Adams. While Adams knew less about England than Sumner did, his conciliatory politics aligned better with Seward’s and his father and grandfather were former English ambassadors. Adams eagerly accepted the nomination. While Sumner would likely have declined any potential offer, he was surely disappointed at not getting one.