Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-06-04
THE ASSAULT on mR. SUMNER.

| saGlt on Mr.. Sumner. 1t is really gratIying
to see paper that can speak out without
being biassed by party predictions. 1t
! says
aElsewhere we give the particulars of
| disgraceful assault on Senator Sumner by Mr..
Brooks, of South Carolina. What are we
coming to These scenes ofruffianism at the
National Capital are fulfilling the worst pre-
dctions of the despotic foes of our free in
stitutions. The enemies Of republican liber-
/ ty in Europe will smile with satisfaction when
they read the particulars of this new outrage.
We hope the House of Representatives viii
viniicate the violated honor of the country
by sending Mr.. Brooks home to his constitu-
ents, and asking them to supply his place
with gentleman, entertaining better ideas of
propriety. The recent speech of Mr.. Sum
ner has been a very infammatory one, but not
Il whit more so than those TO which he was re-
plying. There is, therefore, no justification
at this point, for the ASSAULT
We annex few more paragraphs to show
how the assault is regarded in different sec
tions of the country.
From the PhiIG. Daily San.
ssWHo SPOKE OFFESsIvELY7-We have heard
two or three Democrats say that Senator Sum
ner's speech was full Of outrageous personal
tiles, but such men would say anything to ad-
vance their party interests. Now, what are
the facts? Mr.. Sumner was caustic, but not
personal; he spoke of Senators and South
Carolina politically, but Douglas said Of Mr..
s., ''it is his object to provoke some OF us to
kick him as We would a dog in the street, that
he may get sympathy npon the just chastisc-
nent /" And he then for the second time
charged Sum ner with intentional perjury, and
called him and his associates in the Senate
''negro worshippers.'' Mr.. Mason, a gen
teeler ruffian than Douglas, but a conceited
and inflated Virginian, supercilously spoke
Of the necessity of associating with Mr.. Sum
uer in the Senate Chamber, whose touch he
would elsewhere regard as pollution. Now
our opinion is that Charles Sumner suffers the
most by his compulsory associations with such
men as Douglas and Mason, and we think nine
tenths ofthe American people will agree with
us. Mr.. Sumner has added to our national
reputation at home and abroad as q scholar,
orator and statesman Douglas has been one
constant source of modification to all decent
men in Washington. and Mason has no-reputa-
tion beyond the Democratic party"
From the Louisville Journal.
''The idea of using bludgeon upon SEN
ator for making speech against State is
monstrous. A score of South Carolina mem
bers OF Congress within the last few years
have used their whole power of abuse and vi
tuperstion against Massachusetts,, and as MANY
Massachusetts, members have exercised them
selves upon South Carolina. a pitched bat
tie has long been raging between the cham
pions of those two States, and generally the
harshest and most offensive language has come
from the South Carolinians, who don't like to
he out done in anything. What Sumner may
have said about Senator Butler we know not !
but we think that the old Senator, who is quite
as fiery hearted as he is white-headed, would
scorn the thought of letting any younger man
take quarrel with an abolitionist off his !
hands. We happened TO be in the Senate |
Chamber near the close of the last session OF |
Congress during one of the night discussions
of all manner of slavery questions. Judge
Butler, who is really gentleman of many fine
and generous personal qualities, had become
exceedingly elated from frequent visits to the
Senat orial Restaurant. Sumner was making
& severe speech that evidently had reference
to the forcible expulsion of Mr.. Hoar, q ven
cradle citizen Of Massachusetts,, from the lin
its of South Carolina, but he did not mention
South Cardinals name. Mr. Butler interrup
ted him by asking in fierce tone, ssdoes he
mean South Carolina ?'' Sumner proceeded
without noticing the interruption. 81 de-
mand,'' exclaimed Butler, starting again to
his feet, 'swhether he means South Carolina !
for, if Ire does, let him say so. and will give
bim something to make him remember me and
South Carolina as long as he lives. Sum !
ner still proceeded quite imperturhably, be-
slowing no attention upon his excited opno- |
nent just in front of him. s:Does he mean
South Carolina ~ calculated Butler for the |
third time. eyes, domean South Carolina,
Numbered Sumner with more spirit than we !
had thought AN abolitionist could possess. |
He finished his speech without any further in |
terruption, and Butler arose to reply, but the |
fine old South Carolina gentleman was too |
far gone TO be half equal to the tremendous |
occasion. We repeat the expression of the |
hope, that, however obnoxious Sumner NAV |
justly be to the patriotic portion of the peo- t
pie of the United States, the House of Rep /
resentatjves will promptly expel Brooks if the t
account of his assault upon the Massachusetts
Senator shall prove correct Indeed the
House of Repres entatives, it seems 10 MS |
would be guilty of the grossest and most |
shameful dereliction of duty to the Senate if
II were to refuse to punish one of its own
members for knocking down a Senator upon
the moor OF the Senate for words said in a
Senatorial debate.