The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-05-29
INTERESTING DEBATE IN THE
SENATE.
Personal Explanations Of Mssns. Siidsll, Butler,
and ofhers

giving Mr.. Summers statement before the House
Committee, published in the morning Baltimore
papers. A long debate ensued, and gave rise to
some excitement
Mr.. Slidell said MI. Summers statement declar.
ed, "Other persons were about me- offering friend
ly assistance, but did not recognize any OF then
Others there were at q distance, Of whom recog-
nized only Mr.. Douglas of Illinois, Mr.. Toombs OF
Georgia, and, thought, also my assaiant stand
ing between them was helped from the floor,
and conducted into the lobby Of the Senate, where
was placed upon sofa. OF those who helped
lobby, recognized Mr.. Slidell of Louisiana, who
retreated; but recognized one else until felt
y friendly grasp of the hand, which seemed to
come from Mr.. Campbell. of Ohio"
Mr.. Slidell stated that 1t seemed to him proper
to explain his own position in relation to this mat
ter, as the statement published might cause false
impression on the public mind When the Senate
adjourned on that day, he entered the ante.roon,
where he engaged in conversation with Messrs.
Douglas, Fitzpatrick, and j. Clancy Jones, and
while there seated. he was informed that Mr.. Sum-
ner had been badly beaten by Mr.. Brooks. He
came into the chamber, but there were so many
persons crowded around Mr.. Sumner that he did
not see him at ALL and he soon returned to the an
te- room to finish his conversation
Having remained there some time he was pass
ing through the reception room to 60 home, when
he met Mr. Sumner in the door, leaning on two per-
sons whom he did not know. His face was cover
cd with blood; and a. Mr. Slidell was not on such
terms OF intercourse as to make 1t necessary to ex
press any sympathy, not having spoken to Mr..
Sumner for two years, he turned aside and went
out by another door. He had not the slightest
ldea before the occurrence took place, that Mr..
Brooks or anybody else had any intention of at
tacklng Mr.. Sumner, and was entirely free from
any participation or counsel in the matter
Mr.. Douglas corroborated the statement of Mr..
Sldell. When he heard that Mr. Sumner had
been attacked, his first idea was to come in and
IN
his motives in interfering might be misconstrued,
ne DID not enter the Senate chamber until the af
fray was over. The crowd around Mr. Sumner
was then so large that for some time he could not
see him. He saw Messrs. Toombs. Pierce, Crit
tenden and Evans all seated near their usual seats
but he was not near Mr.. Brooks, as stated in the
report This was a total misapprehension on Mr.
Summers part
Mr.. Douglas added that he had no knowledge or
suspicion that any assault was contemplated or
would be made either here or elsewhere He did
not approach Mr.. Brooks or speak to him. and w as
not within fifty feet of the Senator from Georgia
How such an idea could have got into Mr.. Sum-
ners head, it was impossible for him to conceive
The published statement might carry the impres.
sion over the country that he was aiding and abet.
ting the assault and in fact participant in it;
but that was an entirely erroneous idea as he did
not even know that Mr. Sumner was in the capitol
at the time the assault was committed.
Mr.. Toombs remarked that he was in his seat ut
the time, and how Mr. Sumner could have sup.
posed that he saw him near Mr.. Brooks he could
not tell 1t might be that in the confusion MIR.
Sumner mistook Gov. Gorman for him. In ex.
pressing his opinions about the affair at the tme
some gentlemen condemned it, but he told Mr.
Brooks that he approved of IT. Il"
Mr.. Butler had Just arrived in the city and said
that he should have assumed all the responsibility
which had been taken by his gallant relative. He
denied in the most emphatic manner the statement
of Mr.. Sumner that what he had said in his speech
was strictly in response to what Mr. Butler had
said on former occasions. He understood that the
State of Massachusetts, had passed resolutions in
reference to the ARRAY and when those resolutions
should be presented to the Senate he would speak
on the subject as it deserved. Not single one OF
the remarks which had been quoted in application
to him, was response to any thing he had said
upon the Kansas question. His friends in South
Carolina, and some of his friends here thought
that he had been remarkably moderate in the
character of his remarks He had scrupulously
avoided saying anything to violate the courtesies
of the Senatorial debate and spoke neither of the
Senator from Massachusetts,, to him, or about him.
Mr.. Wade said that it was impossible for him to
sit still and hear such principles avowed as had
been this occasion. AS to the facts in reference
to the assault, he knew nothing about them and
had nothing to say on that point He was here in
pretty lean minority, not more than one.fifth of
the Senate entertaining opinions similar his but
when he heard it stated upon this floor that as.
sassin.like, cowardly attack had been made upon
q man unarmed and having no power to defend
himself, and that he had been stricken down and
almost murdered, and then heard a Senator avow
that he approved such conduct, it became matter
of some interest and some importance to all the
members of that body, and the minority especially
brave man could not defend himself against
such attacks this; and he might be overpowered
by numbers; but Overpowered or not, live or die,
(said he) will vndicate the rights of the liberty
Of debate and the freedom of discussion long as
live. If the principle avowed here is to prevail
let us come armed for the combat. Although you
are four to one, am here to meet you. A man
can die in no better cause than in vindcating the
rights of debate upon this floor. If tkese princi-
Piles are to be approved by the majority, and be.
come part and parcel of the law of Congress, let
it be understood
Mr.. Wilson thought the explanation of the Sem
atOr from Louisiana was not inconsistent with
anything stated by his colleague He had no idea
false position. The Senator from Illinois has also
made his explanation; and see nothing in that in
consistent with the statement of MIR. Sumner. He
was stricken down upon this floor by brutal,
murderous and COW arily assault.
Mr.. Butler, lin his seat you are liar
MIR. Stuart called the Senator to ORDER He also
urged that there was no question before the SEN
ate and it was evident that the debate was becom.
ing acrimonious, and he hoped that it might be
postponed until the matter could be considered
with more ealmness.
Mr.. Butler apologized for a word which fell
from him in a moment of excitement.
MIR. Wilson proceeded to say that his colleague
had stated the facts to the best of his recollection
and it was not to be expected that after such Sc.
we're blows, which had rendered him unconscious
he could be perfectly accurate in every minute
particular He did not believe that he had intend.
ed to do injustice to any body. When he should
have recovered and be able to take his place in the
Senate he would be ready to meet the Senator
from South Carolina, or any other Senator in de-
bate, upon these matters; and any assumption of
superiority by the Senator from South Carolina
over him any other Senator representing his
views might pass for what it was worth.
Mr. Butler said that i'll discu ussng the resolutions
of the Massachusetts Legislature If he transgress
ed the bounds of propriety, it would be because
was provoked to ii. He never had been the az.
gressor and he called upon the Senate to bear wit
ness of that fact
Mr. Foster alluded to the avowal of Mr. Toombs
that he approved Of Mr.. Brooks conduc and
thought il incumbent on him, ~ he was q new
member of the Senate and had not participated
In its debates to any considerable extent to say q
word as 70 the reasons of his II he should
remain silent now, it might be misinterpreted, and
so,ne might suppose his silence was through fear
of the iike q consequence to himself He wished to
dsabuse the minds of all the members Of the SEN
afe II anv such misrepresentation existed.
He had thus far participated but slightly In de-
bate. because, being new member, he thought it
would be more becoming for him to listen than
sneak But when an intimation Of this kind was
~ : de n might be supposed, Ii Senators did not
~..a 4bu foar