The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-29

Bag Our paper this week is filed with the
details of events of surprising magnitude. We
need make no excuse for the exclusion of other
matter. Unfortunately, chapter sixth of the
attractive sketch by Bell Smith, is again
crowded out. The story will be resumed in
our next, and proceeded with without Interrupt.
ton.
DEADLY ASSAULT ON CHARLES SUMNER.
| Ere this, the People of the United States
| have heard with establishment of the deadly as
sault committed on Senator Sumner of Massa
chusetts, by Mr.. Brooks, member of the
House of Representatives from South Carolina
| The following brief statement, prepared with
much care, was submitted to the Senate, by
Mr.. Wilson, last Friday, at the opening of the
session:
| "The seat of my colleague is vacant to-day.
service, that seat is vacant. Yesterday, after
the touching tribute of respect to the memory
of a deceased member of the House of Repre-
sentatives, the Senate adjourned. My colleague
remained in his seat, engaged in his public
duties, and while thus engaged, with a pen in
his hand, sitting in position which rendered
him utterly incapable of protecting or defend
ing himself, Mr.. Preston S. Brooks, member of
the House of Representatives, approached him
unobserved, and abruptly addressed him. Look
| ing up, and before he had time to utter single
word in reply, he received stunning blow
upon the head, from a cane in the hand of Mr..
Brooks, which made him almost senseless and
| unconscious. Endeavoring, however, to protect
in ric1p L. j..
| overthrown and while in that powerless posi-
| ton he was beaten upon the head and shoulders
by repeated blows, until he sank upon the floor
| of the Senate, exhausted, unconscious and COW
cred with his own blood. He was raised from
| the floor by few friends, and taken into the
ante-room, and had his wounds dressed, and
| then carried to his home and placed upon his
bed. He is now unable to be with us TO-DAY. to
perform the duties which belong to him as a
| member of this body. To assai q member of
| the Senate for words spoken in debate, and out
of this chamber, is grave offence, not only
against the rights of a member but the constitu
tional privilege of this body; but, sir, to come
into this chamber and assault member in his
seat until he fall exhausted upon the floor, is an
offence requiring the prompt action of this body.
Sir, submit no motion; l leave it to older
Senators, whose character and position in this
Senate, and before the country, eminently Git
them to take the lead in measures to redress
the wrongs of a pem5er Of this body, and yindi.
cate th'r -.onor and dignity of the Senate"
The National Inteuigencer, which might ca
silly have obtained correct account of the
event. contained next morning the following
editorial statement:
Painful Occurrences is our unpleasant
duty to notice an occurrence of very painful
character which took place yesterday in the Cap
itol, being, we are sorry to say, personal con-
hict between two members of Congress, growing
out of what was regarded as q personal provo
cation. Amid the various versions which com.
mon report has given of it, we can present only
very general notice of the transaction, the true
facts of which will doubtless be correctly elicit
ed by Investigations which will probably take
place to-day. The main facts, as they have been
related to US, are, that Mr.. Senator Sumner hay.
ing, in his speech of Tuesday last, made some
offensive personal reflections on Senator Butler,
of South Carolina, (who is now absent at home.
his nephew, the Hon. Mr.. Brooks of the House
of Representatives, sought Mr.. Sumner yester-
day In the Senate chamber, after that BODY had
adjourned, and made an attack on him with q
cane. Several Senators and others who han.
pened to be near Immediately interposed, when
Mr.. Brooks withdrew, and Mr.. Sumner, who
was good deal hurt and bleeding, was convey
ed to his lodgings. In noticing this painful oc-
currence, we have confined ourselves to the
briefest account of it, leaving to the disclosures
which will no doubt be elected to-day correct
statement of it."
From which the reader would infer that there
had been fight between the two gentlemen,
in which Mr.. Sumner received Gaming, which
hurt him, and made him bleed III
The following account from the Washington
Star, is somewhat nearer the truth, but is still
incorrect in many particulars
yesterday, after he had sought Mr.. Sumner
elsewhere without finding him, Mr.. Brooks went
to the Senate chamber, (the Senate having ad-
journed,) and Mr.. s. being there, Mr.. Brooks
sat near near Mr.. Sumner, until a few ladies'.
who were on the floor, had retired. He then
went up to Mr.. s., who was at his desk writing,
and said
i have read your speech carefully, and with
as much disposition to do you Justice as | could
command and have deliberately come to the
conclusion that you we're guilty of a gross libel
upon my State, and of wantOn insult to nv
absent and gray-haired relative, Judge Butler,
and l feel myself undersobligations to infict on
you punishment for this libel and insult.
Mr.. Sumner thereupon essayed to rise from
his seat, as though to resist what Mr.. Brooks
had said, when he Mr.. Brooks) struck Mr.. s.
with rapid and repeated blows about the head
with gutta percha cane, and continued his
blows, in spite Of Mr.. Summers efforts to ward
them Oft and seize the cane, until Mr.. fell
AS Mr.. Brooks was suspending his blows,
(which he did the instant Mr.. Sumner fell,) Mr..
Crittenden came up and interposed, saying,
Don't kill, &C. Mr.. Brooks thereupon left
the anot and remainod with h;o f.;ard, - H.
Senate chamber, until Mr.. Summers friends,
New York, and Mr.. Foster of Connecticut,
among them,) lifting him up, bore him into one
of the ante-rooms of the Senate"
We must add, that the Aatelligencer snbse.
quently corrected its utterly unjust statement,
80 far as to say that it was mistaken in repr e.
senting that conflict" had taken place.
The following account from the correspond
ence of the New York Evcning Post is, we
have reason to believe, the most correct one
that has appeared:
"The particulars of the case are these, as /
learn them from an eyewitness; Shortly before
two o'clock in the afternoon, the Senate having
adjourned, Mr.. Sumner was sitting in his place,
writing very busily. Brooks approached him,
saying, Mr.. Sumner, have read your speech
twice. 1t is q libel on South Carolina, and on
MIR. Butler, who is a relative of NINE" Mr..
Sumner, who was still intently writing; knew
nothing more. Brooks struck him with heavy
cane, upon which Sumner sprang from his seat
to defend himself, with such violence that the
heavy desk before him was wrenched from the
floor, to which it was screwed. He was, however,
so much staggered as to be rendered powerless,
and the blows were repeated till he was sense