Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-08-08
MTSCELANEOUS
Mr.. Burlingame's Statament.

A CARD. On the 2lst day of Jun
last, I..made speech in the House o
Representatives, which contained the fol
lowing language:
Refer to Mr.. Burlingame' speech be
ginning with the words, .on the 22d o
May, when the Senate and House Lad
etc. and ending with the words--.,t
express my deep adherence of the act :
On the first day of July, ten days lat
or, the Hon. L. s. Bocock of Virginia
called to see me, and that may not do
him injustice. give his own words,
taken from statement made for Mr..
Brooks, which statement he placed in my
hands, informing me at the same time
that Mr.. Brooks had copy
AT the request of the Hon. p. S.
Brooks, Of South Carolina, called yes
terday evening to see the Hon. Mr.. Bur-
lingame of Massachusetts,, at his lodg-
ings at Quig's National Hotel, in this
city. Having informed Mr.. Burlingame
that l had private communication to
make to him, and that | desired pri-
vatc interview for that purpose, we went
at his suggestion to his own room where
we were entirely alone. l stated, in the
first place, that wished him to know
that l had come merely 20 deliver ver-
bal message to him, and take back such
reply as he might think proper to send
by me, and that my connection with the
matter would, in all events, end there.
Having thus explained my own part in
the matter. | then Informed him that |
was requested by my friend, Col. Brooks
to say that he regarded certain language
employed by him Mr.. Burlingame1 in
his speech on the Brooks and Sumner
difficulty affair. as injurious and offensive
to him Mr.. Brooks; that. being al
ready under arraignmcnt for the assault
on Mr.. Sumner, he had wished to get no
further unnecessary notoriety for empty
challenges and idle demonstrations OF
fight.
He had, for this reason, forborne till
now, through several days, to send him
any message Of hostile character. but,
within the last few days, he had heard
through various sources, that he Mr..
Burlingamc) stood ready to answer in
any way and to any person aggrleved, for
what he had said. Col. Brooks felt JUS
tilted. therefore, in sending to him to in
auire distinctly whether he Mr.. Burlin-
game would accept call from him Col.
Brooks to answer for the offence which
hc,had given him
The above discloscs the purpose for
which Mr.. Bocoek called. What follow
ed is the extract from his own account,
published by Mr.. Brooks, of what oc-
cured between US.
Reference is here made to Mr..
Brooks card-extract Of Bocock 5 state
ment to him-which it is not necessary
to republish.
This statement was made for Mr..
Brooks. by his selected friend, long after
his conversation, of which it protcsscl
to give the substance. The presumption
is, that it contains all that could aid Mr..
Brooks. However much it might be to
my advantage to state the whole conser-
sation. as | understand it still, inasmnch
as it was private. at Mr.. Brooks 5 own re-
quest, | refrain from doing SO. ] have
kept what was sad to me in the frankness
of free conversation quite away from
the newspapers, and shall eontinue to do
SO. I'coniess that WAS plasso with
the bearing and conversation of Mr. Bo'
cock. He appeared really dcsirous oi
preventing a hostile meeting, and am
sure that nothing but strong desire to
serve his friend could ever have induced
him to place in lhis hands the above state
mcnt. When examined the statemen
discloses what is to me source OF salts
faction. 1t appears from it that | did
not seek difficulty with any one,-that
| felt that no man. not even Mr.. Brooks,
had cause of complaint against me-
that would not admit myself a violator
of personal or parliamentary propricty
as should have done had stated to
him that intended to insult MIR. Books
or anybody else on the floor OF the
House,-that | disavowed the character
of boaster,-that | retracted none o'
my language, and was ready to give him
Satlsi6ctlOn. may "Sii iSSt ny 'N' VI
this statement, leaving generous pub
JIG to view it in the light it was made.
1t will be remembered by MIR. Bocock
that expressly refused in our subse'
quent interviews, to permit the wore
"honor," with respect to MIR. Brooks
to be placed in the statement by m,
friends, and that because OF such refusal
he thought Mr.. Brooks would deem
unsatisfactory. Mr.. Brooks, | think oil
close examination OF his friends state
ment, will fail to find those apologies,
which he says are there indicated
Would it not have been wise in Mr.
Brooks, and more in accordance with tn
code We hear SO much about, had he sen
a note to me in the first place! instead
resorting to an irregular way. to obtai
my views. My answer, it seems, wa
satisfactory, and he was impressed wit
the belief that was an elevated gentle
man. On his own showing the affair wa
closed, and may say, without doing in
Justice to Mr.. Bocock, that reques
was made that should keep the trans
action secret. Nearly two weeks afte
this, Mr.. Bocock, as Mr.. Brooks state'