The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-05-31
VIZ. Summers Statement.

W.. Summers Statement,
WASHINGTON. Nav 2G-The House Com,
m''ee OF Investigation waited on Mr. Sum
FER to-day. and took hi testimony with re-
gard 10 The, Assault He was also cross cx-
anir,'i. He was in hcd durir," the exam
nation. and has >sf up hu, little since the As
>an't He is sal very weak. and the physi-
cIan> counsel him NOT To attempt to 90 out
Of the "u>e dlrin1 il.I> week
The ,lnwtng |, the >ta enen. OF Mr. sum
nrr. under ",'n. IN rrr,rd 20 III" ASSAULT ur-
on hIn by Mr. Brooks II attended th, Sen
ate as u>u, on Thursday. fhr 22l of Nav.
.N,rr some formal BUSINESS A message was
icrrlv'd from the llouSe Of Il .ur,.>,.ii'afIvrS
Announcing The death of mrn.hrr of that
body from Missouri This WIS followed hv a
3rict ri'u'r 10 the drrca>,d trniu Mr.. (,rv
rr. of Missouri, whrn according I, u>ac. aud
"nt Of respect 10 tie deceased. the >-na'" al
lou'n-d AZ once. Instead o! leaving ;hr Sen
ATE rhauhcr with 'l,, rest OF The Senators.
on the adjournment, | continued in NV seat
"'nrrd with my yen: and whii" thu> in
tent IN or.!rr 10 h,. IN season for the mail
which WAS soon 10 close. I? then promptly
an" briefly rxtU~inC u,v>tlt, for the reason
that was murh cn.ae"d When the last
Of these p,r>or> left me-" drew my arm h.lr
i">,' to rny ',> ar!, vat. nv ir., u.!tr
ti' IL IN, uhf,nue,. .,rI.tu..
My attention artll!> TINE was 50 entirely
drawn from al! other oI,icc'S. that. alrhonoh
there must have tccn many persons IN The.
-, | L.. ii
with my head bent over my wiring desk.
was addressed b. a person WHO approached
the trent Of my desk 80 rn,irr, uno1,>-rvrd
that was NOT aware OF his presence uutIl
heard my name pronounced. As | looked
up wI;h pen IN hand. ] saw tall man. whose
cou't'nan'r was not familiar. st,nding d.
rely over me, aud at the same moment
caught these words IL have read your
speech twice over carefully 1t is a libel ON
South Carolina aud Mr. Butler. who is a rel
alive Of mine :" While these words were still
passing from his lips. he commenced a sue
cr>>ion of blows wifh heavy cane. on nv
bare head hy The first o. which ! was stun
ned 50 as 10 lose IN, SIGHT. saw no longer
my a>>alIant nor any Other person or object
IN Tie room. What | did afterwards was
done almost nncon>cion>ly. actinc under the
Instincts o >rif-dr:cn>e: with head already
bent down. | rose from NV seat. wrenchiny
too, my desk, which was screwed to the floor
and then pressing forward, while INV assalan,
continued his blows
| had no other consciousness until | found
myself on the h),r of the Senate,
w,ih my bleeding head supported on the
knee OF a gentleman. whom soon recogniz-
80 hy voice ans! manner as Mr.. Morgan. of
New York. Other persons there were A.
boat MT o.!criny me friendly assistance, but
did not recognize any OF them Others
there were a. a distance. looking on and Of
.crinr no as,i,.a nee. of whom | rcco ,nizcd
Mr. Doupla>.o OF III. 'os, Mr.. Toomb>,o Gror-
gia. and thought ast my aSSalant, standing
between Them ] was helped from the floor
and conducted into the lobby OF the Senate,
where was placed upon STA. Ut those
who helped me here have no recollection.
As | entered the lobby. | recognize! Mr..
SlI.lell. OF Louisiana, who retreateti. but !
recognized no one else until | teIt a fire ndIy
grasp OF the hand. which seemed to COME
from Mr.. Campbell. Of Ohio. have vague
impression that MIR Bright. President of the
Senate. spoke TO me while was on the floor
in the Senate. or in the lobby. | make this
statement IN answer to the intcrroga'ory of
The Committee, and offer it as presenting
all my recolections OF the assault
and of the attending circumstances, whether
before o. Immediately after.
desire 70 add. that besides the words which
I b.,.
an indi>tinct recollection OF the words, "od
man = but these are so developed in the mist
which enSued from the first blow. that | AIN
not sure whether they were uttered or not.
On the cross examination Of Mr.. Sumner, /