8 of Mr. Sumner I presume, says in his testimony i derer.’ ” A single murder is horrible. It may that on hearing the speech lie anticipated stfme- ' take a single individual from society. But when thing. It was the general impression of the 1 I look at the mischievous influence of slander, I whole community that he deserved to receive a find that it pervades a whole community; makes chastisement; or, at least, that he was bound to । war in society; sets family against family; indi- make atonement in some way for the insults and j vidual against individual; section against section, the wantonness of his insults to a gentleman (as j It is the most cowardly mode tn which a war I hope I am) then absent. This was the common ' ' ' ’ sentiment-pervading the public mind at Washington. What was my friend to do? Sue him ? Indict him ? If that was the mode in which he intended to take redress, he had better never go to South Carolina again. Was he to challenge him ? That would have been an exhibition of Chivalry having no meaning. Although he has been upon the field, both in open war and in a private affair, I should be very sorry to see any crisis requiring it again. A challenge would have been an .advertisement to the world of his courage, when there was not a probability of its being tried; He would have made himself contemptible, and perhaps might have been committed to the peni- ; had adjourned, tentiary for sending a challenge. | A™. .1__ ... Then, what course was left to him to pursue? j Legislature. He was half a minute in bis proem Mr. Sumner had opportunities enough to make | or explanation. He saidMr. Sumner, I have an apology. God knows I could not have resisted i read your speech. 1 have read it carefully, with the admonitory criticism of the distinguished : - -----' ----- :1 - - 1 ' ------- 1 " ' Senator from Michigan, perhaps the most imposing authority in the Senate. He paid no regard to him, and for a very good reason: his speech was written, and had gone out, and he could not contradict what he had sent forth tothe public with malice aforethought. Well, sir, what did Mr. Brooks do? It is said he sought Mr. Sumner in the Senate Chamber. It is the last place in which he wished to seek him. He would have met him in an open combat, on a fair field, and under a free sky, at any time. And when the Legislature of Massachusetts chooses to say that his conduct is cowardly, let her try him in. any way she chooses. [Applause.] Sir, a man who occupies a place in the Senate, representing a great Commonwealth like Massachusetts, or representing any State, as one of her Senators, occupies a very high position, from which he can send forth to the public what may affect the character of almost any man, except General Washington, or some one upon whose character the verdict of history has been rendered. There is scarcely any man who can withstand the slander which may be pronounced from the Senate Chamber of the United Slates. For this reason I would never look, and f never have looked, beyond the public position of a member here, to go into his private and personal character. I would not do it, because by so doing 1 should do a wrong which I could not redress. Even a word escaping my tongue in this CJiam- ber, as a Senator, might go far to injure a man where he could not correct it. Wearein aposition which requires high considerations for the regulation of our conduct. I agree thoroughly with General Jackson, that the slanderer who involves third persons in difficulty and danger, is an incendiary, against whom we should guard more than any one else, in a parliamentary point of view. I will quote General Jackson’s language. He said: “ Over the doors of each House of Congress, in letters of gold, should be inscribed the > words, ‘ The Slanderer is worse than the Mur- ] can be conducted. With the state of opinion to which 1 have alluded prevailing, what did Mr. Brooks do? Of course he did nqt undertake to challenge Mr. Sumner to a fist fight, ora stick fight, or any other kind of fight. He thought Mr. Sumner deserved a castigation, and he undertook to give it to him according to the old-fashioned notion, by caning him. J have not heard Mr. Brooks detail the I circumstances. I have not conversed with him j in regard to the matter; I take my information ; from the published testimony. Mr. Brooks, not ; finding him anywhere else, came to hijn while | he was sitting in his seat here, after the Senate L . He carncsto him in front—differ- ! ent fromthe statement made to the Massachusetts ; as much consideration, and forbearance, and fair- | ness as I could; but, sir, I have come to punish i you now for the contents of that speech, which i is a libel on my State, and on a gray-haired rel- ! ative.” Instinct would have prompted most men to rise immediately. Mr. Sumner did rise. In । the act of rising, Mr. Brooks struck him across I the face—not, as has been represented, over his head, for that is not the truth, nor is it borne out by the testimony. On the second stroke the cane -broke. It is the misfortune of Mr. Brooks to have incurred all the epithets which have been used in regard to an assassin-like and bludgeon attack, by the mere accident of having a foolish stick, which broke. It broke again; and it was : not, as I understand, until it came very near the j handle, that he inflicted blows which he would ■ not have inflicted if he bad an- ordinary weapon of a kind which would have been a security ’ 1 against breaking. His design was to whip him; । but the stick broke, and that has brought upon , ,him»these imputations. ; It has gone through the country that Mr. Brooks struck him after he was prostrate on the ; floor. None who know this young man could, entertain such an idea, 1 have known him from childhood. I used to have some control overhim; t but the scholar has become the master, and I sup- ; pose he would not care much about, my advice : now. By an hereditary tie our families are more 1 closely united than any two with whom I hava j been acquainted. Bui that is far apart from the . question. Independent of his filial feelings for ; me, and his regard for me as his constituent and ; Senator, 1 have no doubt that a persona) feeling i of regard for myself individually influenced him. | He approached that man with no other purpose than to disgrace him as far as he could; but the stick broke. After it broke he was reduced to a kind of necessity—a contingency not appre- , bended at all in the original inception of the pur- I pose of making the assault. Notwithstanding all that has been said of his brutality, he is one ; of the best tempered fellows 1 ever knew—impctu-
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