Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-10-23

ly his ordinary walking cane. 1t never was
my intention to interfere in any contest in
which Messrs. Brooks and Summer should
alone be engaged. No third person should
have interposed to have shown foul play 10
either party. When Mr. Brooks asked me to
be present he also requested me TO take no
part but to see justice should be done him, as
mere witness of what might occur.
And again he said
thought, if there was danger, it was on
tile part OF Mr.. Brooks. l believed the ru-
NOR that Mr.. Sumner was armed, and would
thus repel an attack made upon him. Every
one who knows anything of personal conflict,
knows that stick puts man off his guard,
particularly if man is armed with a pistol Or
wie-knife, the weapons ordinarily used at
this day.
1t appears from Edmundson's testimony,
UNDER oath, and from mis- volunteer state
ment, that he heard of Brookss determlnn-
alton TO have revenge upon Mr.. Sumner, be-
fore the speech of the latter was finished that
he accosted Brooks twice and obtained infor-
nation Of the intended assault; that he remain.
ed by him on both occasions, and conversed
with him in relation to the method of max.
ing the ASSAULT; that he recommended Brooks
not to make the attempt upon Mr.. Sumner,
when the latter should be on his guard, but to
reserve himself for safer OCCASION that he
sew Brooks waiting in the Senate for the ad-
journment of that body, and pleasantly asked
him ''if he was a Senator )" that he had
further consultation with his friend, and
recommended him not to send for Mr.. Sumner
to come to the door, Chat course, doutless APP
pearing to him, an unsafe one , that he con-
suited with Senator, as to whether there
would be any improperly in making the as
sault in the Senate-his opinion being deci-
dedly that that was the fitteSt place for it
that he turned away for moment, and at
that time the assault was made; that he went
back as Quickly as possible, but it was all
over.
We1ffo not pause tc comment upon certain
Weaknesses in Edmundson's conduct, which
stamp him as the very dirtiest of all the dirty
scoundrels engaged in this affair,-for instance
his pretence, Tin his speech, , that he believed
Mr.. Sumner was armed with pistol or bowie
knife; and his remarks to the Senator with
| whom he conversed, that he thought " both
parties nsigAH prefer " that the collision should
take place in the Senate, rather than outside
the Capitol. Bowie knives and pistols =
There was not man in Washington who did
| not know that Mr.. Sumner never went armed
| in his life ! "Erefer" What preference
was allowed to Mr.. Summer He was assailed
by murderous assassin while sitting at his
desk, so confined thathe could not release him.
self except with great difficulty. The eviden
shows clearly that Edmundson, as well as
Keitt, was guilty and cowardly accomplish
of the chief assassin. Edmondson was in at
tendance upon Brooks for the same purpose
as Keitt; but was accidentally absent at the
time of the assault, supposing that Brooks
would wait until theSenate was cleared Of la
dies. Keitt, according to evidence, rushed
in, running around Mr.. Summer and Mr..
D~eel.s nth he ~~.s '-~:@~1, e~,,is,es, GtTnt
them alone! let them alone - threatening
those who had rushed in, to interfere"
Another witness says, he (Keitt) said he
thought Mr.. Foster and myself were going
up to prevent an assault, and, as l understood
him, that his purpose and that Of his friends,
was to prevent any Interference. Edmund
son was one of the " friends" who were on
hand to prevent any one from interfering to
arrest the proceedings. This is the long and
short, the sum and substance of the whole af-
fair. Edmundson and Keitt stood in the same
relation to Brooks that Joseph and Frank
Knapp stood to Richard Crownnshield.
In the speech in which M. Edmundson so
successfully pulled the wool over the eyes of
certain members of Congress, he endeayored
to put his conduct in passive light, For in.
stance, he said
But, sir, more is required of me by the ma
jority of this committee. Nothing less. than
that | should betray confiding and trusting
friend, who had made me the depository. as
in this case, OF his intention to resent a gross
insult to the revolutionary history of his State
which, in the manliness of his nature, he de-
termined to repel Ihonored the feeling, and
if had betrayed such confidence, there is no
degradation of character so low l should not
have justly merlted it. The very last thought
that would ever suggested itself to my mind,
would be to turn traitor to my friend. But
the committee say l should have sought Mr..
Sumner, to whom l would also have to be in
troduced, as l have not the honor (f it be an
honor of personal acquaintance, and to
have disclosed to him what Mr.. Brooks said
to me. Away, Gishonoring thought 1 dash
it from me as something polluting. The very
idea of such baseness makes my ears Jingle,
and cheek to burn with shame. But this is
my condemnation in the cool and deliberate
judgment of a majority of this special com
mittee. do not wonder, therefore, that
was tried and condemned in secret. l confess
havesnot the moral courage myself to have
| faced the humblest man to whom | had done
SO gross an act of injustice; and / here de-
| clare that utterly disregard the resolution of
censure based upon such grounds, to have
done that which would have secured the ap-
proyal of the majority of this committee, 10
| wit to play traitor to a warn. bosomed friend.
would have,been nothing less than to utterly
| degrade myself in my own estimation, as well
as IN the estimation Of every man whose good
opinion is worth having. l therefore say TO
the majority of said committee, utterly dis
regard your censure, but could not tolerate
| your approval.
Mr.. Edmundson thinks it very fine and
honorable affair TO assist one of his colleagues
to murder the senator from another State, but
he shrinks with horror from the guilt of being
tale bearer His sliding scale of crime is
like that of DeQuincey, who says, I" fonce a
man INDUCES himself in murder, very soon he
comes to think little Of robbing and from
| robbing he come next to drinking. and Sab