Charles Sumner was a politician and senator from the state of Massachusetts. Born in 1811 and passed on in 1874, this senator was best known for his great abilities as an orator, a lawyer, and most importantly, for his firm stand against slavery. In fact, he was a very active member of the anti-slavery movement of Massachusetts and a member of the Radical Republicans. Among his biggest goals were: to abolish slavery, destroy the Confederacy and establish good relations with European nations. He had a dispute with President Ulysses Grant on the topic of Santo Domingo and he was stripped of power in the Senate in 1871. He changed parties several times and ended in the Republican Party. In 1856, Senator Sumner was almost beaten to death by fellows congressman, Democrat Preston Brooks, of South Carolina, because of an anti-slavery speech that he gave two days prior in the Senate floor, and that was entitled: "The Crime Against Kansas".