The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-09-04
THE NATIONAL ERA: WASHINGTON D. C., SEPTEMBER A. 1856

on the small of his own back, to lie down upon
the sofa; and when he feels rested, back to his
desk again. But he says these are letters
which require no intellectual effort. He must
write to his friends in Washington to stand
fast by their position on the Army bill. Obi
II he only had seat in the House now Every
thing depends upon the House. He must
read the TRIBUNE and quite q number of
other papers, then the dispatches from Kansas.
The Free State settlers, he fears will be exter-
minated, and he watches every conflicting &C.
count with about that degree of interest which
man out on plank at sea would feel for a
sail in sight. He appears to forget that the
civilization of the world, that God and hu-
mainly, have sent him up to the Allegheny
mountains, to take care of Charles Summers
head; that the ardor with which he throws
himself into political conversation with any
vlsiter Is in great part born of diseased action
OF the brain, and that by it the words for which
the world is waiting have been expended on
three drunken men. One of the scars upon
his head has still a red, angry appearance, and
IT his face was turned up at the time of the
assault, his intended murderer must have been
very much above him, for the scars are on the
back part of the top of his head; and this red
wound must have been inflicted while his head
lay with the face downward. 1t must have re-
quired very forcible blow to open the scalp
through the masses of coarse, strong hair with
which his head is crowned. "That head, so
comely, and so wise," in every lineament of
which the white soul" speaks so eloquently.
One does not easily consent to see it so, that
1t should be beaten with bludgeon; but it was
One who had "done no violence" and in whose
mouth there was no deceit, who was Stricken,
smitten, for the iniquities of all !" and if the
Son OF God was not too precious to be de-
hvered up to the utmost indignities and vi
olence from brutal men, that degenerate
nations might be brought to see the beauty of
holiness and hideousness of sin, Charles Sum-
ner IS not too costly sacrifice to bring this
nation to sense of the value of her liberties,
and the hideousness of the monster iniquity
she has so long nurtured in her life blood.
Those mistaken friends of his who would fain
see Brooks killed or MANNED, would greatly
distress him, if any such killing or manning
were done by their agency. He shudders at
the thought that Burhngame might have shot
him; and appears to feel about as much re-
sentiment against him as ! should feel toward
tile which had fallen upon my head. could
not discern the slightest symptom of chagrin
or mortihcation-no sense of the dishonor
which so many attach to the blow unrevenged.
] asked him if he would have defended himself
if it had been possible.
Most certainly" was the prompt reply "to
the best of my ability, and the last extremity"
To DR.. Jackson's suggestion, that the same
principle which permitted him to defend him
self when attacked, should induce him to pun
ish the offence, he promptly explained the diff
ference between selfdefence and revenge. He
appears to have no idea, however remote, of
personal enmity in the matter; but, if he was
only able to deliver one more speech His
brain is throbbing with pent thunderbolts; and
II ne could only get into the citadel of his
foes, and hurl them Kissing into their faces
Kansas, Kansas, and her wrongs--if he could
but fight her battles He does not appear as
IT he knew how to be afraid, or could learn, if
he tried for lifetime There is lion look
about him, and courage, which could not
stoop to assault so frail thing as human
body. That little piece of delicate mechanism
which was a handful of dust yesterday, and
may be a handful of dust tomorrow, through
the agency OF a clod, a worm, or an insect, is
not an object for the enmity of any creature
whose pulses throb with consciousness Of I'M
mortality. Charles Sumner never can seek TO
strike Preston Brooks, or any of his compeers;
but that elongation of the snaky sorceress who
sits at the adamantine gates, those scaly folds
which have wrapped themselves around the lib
critics of our country and the hope of mankind,
and is surely and steadily crushing them out
that longlived monster who has fed upon the
children of men since the days of Abel-she
against whom the armies of Heaven grid on
their arnor-may look for telling blows from his
good right arm, should he get strength to WELD
his weapons.
That he may soon be able to realize his i'm
patient wish, and throw himself into the front
of freedoms battle, nobody can wish more
earnestly than L; but my hope is very much
saddened by seeing him take these cautious
steps, which appear to fall upon the top of the
pedestrians brain, and to know that only such
have been allowed to him for the last three
months. JANE G. SwIssHELM.