Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-06-13

| GUNNER AND BROOKS.-We think that the
violent assault upon Mr.. Brooks, member of
the House of Representatives. from South
! carolina, upon Senator Sumner, is much to
| be regretted. 1t does not appear from the
| telegraph account Of it, to have been at all
chiyalrous, and we fear it will do injury at
the North by still further inllaming the al
ready iniamcd public sentiment in that Sec
ton. Indeed it will inevitably produce
that effect to a very extraordinary extent
Mr. Sumner, for his incendiary harangues,
may really deserve greater punishment
than he has received or is likely to receive in
this world, but we think that the House of
Representatives, for the sake of its own dig
nifty and the honor and harmony of the Re
public, should expel Mr.. Brooks for using a
bludgeon upon a Senator for words spoken in
debate. II such is to be the character of the
collisions in the Halls Of Congress, the people
oil the North and the people Of the South will
soon learn to conform their actions to the CON
dtion of things. They will send to the SEN
ate and House Of Representatives men capa-
pie OF breaking skulls and noses rather than
men of intellectual distinction. We presume
that Massachusetts, might find many Il bully
within her borders who could make as short
work with Mr.. Brooks as he made with Mr..
Sumner-ard that too without taking him ut
similar disadvantage.
1t seems that Brooks attacked Sumner be-
cause the latter had in debate abused South
Carolina and Mr.. Brooks rather aged relat-
i've, Senator Butler. The idea of using
Dludgeon against Senator for making
speech against State is monstrous A
score Of South Carolina members of Congress
within the last few years have used their
whole power of abuse and vituperation
against Massachusetts, and as many Massa-
chusetts members have exercised themselves
upon south Carolina. a pitched battle has
long been raging between the champions of
those two States and generally the harshest
and most offensive language has come from
the South CarOlinans, who don't like to be
outdone in anything. What Sumner may
nave SAID about Senator Butler we know not
but we think that the old Senator, who is
quite as fiery beartcd as he is white headed
would scorn the thought Of letting any
younger hand take quarrel with an abolition
ist 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,
VINO Is really a gentleman of many fine and
generous personal qualities, had become ex-
cecdlhSly elated from frequent visits to the
senatorial Restaurant. Sumner was making
Il severe speech that evidently had reference
to the iorcible expulsion Of Mr.. lloar, ven
cradle citizen Of Massachus It's, from the
limits OF South Carolina, but he did not
mention South Carolina s name. Mr.. Butler
interrupted him by asking hIm in Il fierce
tone, "dOes he mean South Carolina - Sum
/ ncr proceeded without noticing the Interrupt
tion. IL demand" exclaimed Butler, start
ing again to lis feet, 'whethcr he means
South Carolina for, If he does, let him say SO,
and will give him something to make him
remember me and South Carolina as long as
he lives Sumner still proceeded quite
impcrturbahly, ,bestOwing no attention upon his
excited opponent just in front OF him. ''Does
he mean South Carolina ~ circulated Butler
for the third time. ''Ycs do mean South
/ Carolina thundered Sumner with more
/ spirit than we had thought an aboltionist
could possess. lie finished his speech with
out any further interruption, and Butler
rose to reply, but the fine old South Carolina
gentleman was to far gone to be half equal to
/ the tremendous occasion.
we repeat the expression of the hope, that,
however obnoxious Sumner may justly be to
+ tne patriouc portion Of the people Of the
nited States, the House of Representatives
will promptly expel Brooks if the account of
his assault upon the the Massachusetts Sena-
/ tor should prove correct. Indeed the House
OF Representatives, it seems to us, would be
guilty Of the grossest and most shameful
derelictiOn Of duty to the Senate if it were to
refuse to punish one of its own members for
knocking down Senator upon the floor of
the Senate Tor words said in Il Senatorial de-
/ bate.