Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-06-06


think they came in after oil the assl-ance had oesi
rendered MIR. Sumner that was necessary r"uIa nn'
b. particular in stating the precise instant III "h'
they came into the Senate Chamber; Mr. ou'nna ,
asked for his har, and several bysTandrrs io"ken
ur,nd among the decks and chairs for II; by th'S
time should suppose thirty or t"ry people were W
the Senate Chamber; have no Knowledge whatever
of any reconciliation of this act; never heard II up"
ken Of IN any way previous tn the TRANSACTION; mo"
know nothing about any premedltatl"n; have hn'
.e.n Mr. Brooks since; Mr.. Dnu-las was not s'"hu
iny in the aisle at the time the difficulty occurreu'
did not see him until aterward; have no idea that ne
was there; do not remember that any ot''er u"'n
was uverthruwn than the one at which Mr.. summer
was sitting; my impression is that there was ho''
though nm not sur. about it,
The Hon. u A EpMUSDsuS, sworn Was not pre-
sent at the assault; the first intnati0n had ti"
Brooks had tnkpn any offence at whit Sumner hau
said WAS in the Senate Chamber, on the second a"!
ut the speech, when | heurd n gentleman say tnu'
Brooks had taken exceptions to remarks ihauo
Sumner, the day before, in relation I" JuuSe Dune'
and South Carolina; the morning alter Sumner c1lscu
his speech. whils my way to me tioust, WIN
som. other gentleman, | met Br""ks at .,'e
foot of the first flight of steps approaching llie
Capitol | acrosted him, saying. you are gu
ing the wrong way for the discharGe o, your
du,;es'' h. ,skrJ M. 10 walk with him; dd so; ne
then told mt Mr. Sumner had been very insulting u
his State aud that he had determined 10 Pu'S n'''
unless he made ample apology; we 'oh sen. W
the capitol grounds. near the Walk leading from TIE
A Vi4l.. Al fn
m.r.v 70 b.. ureseut aud it difficulty should occur,
to Ink. no mart in it; Sumner may have ireuds WIN
him. and want friend vi mine to ne WIN Inc 10 90
IN. iustice;" | asked him what was MS purpose; he
said il was call upon Sumner Tor lne nsuilhg "'
,unge Used toward his State, and II he did not apOi
nylz, To punish him. when met MIR Brooks, It WAS
about ten minutes before the time Tor the meeting oi
tn. House on Wednesday morning; remember 10
nave heard Mr.. Brooks say II was Time 1or >"uinerh
men 10 stop this course abuse used by the Abolition
Snu tlarn IItDlI
that lac should not feel that he was representing ms
State properly l. he permitted such Things 10 Oe saia'
that he learned MIR. Sumner intended to do this thng
DAYS before he made his speech; that he did It dello
erately aud IL think ought to punish hun Tor III
the next morning when coming 10 the capitol, al
about the time tor the House 10 meet saw AR.
Brooks sitting in the gntehouse OF the capitol grounds
at the entrance from Pennsylvania uv alone sup
posed " hat his object and si@ppod M shlu you
ar. lkinp nut he said he DESTROYS ot seeing Mr..
Sumner that h. could not overlook the INSULT that he
had scarcely slept any of the night before, thinking
of H. aud that it ought To be promptly resented We
sat there only few minutes, during which tune l
LEARNED that his purpose WAS 10 meet MIR. Sumner be.
ture he got into the Senate Chamber that liz could
see from that position whether hs should Walk or
ride; it lbs should be IN a carriage, lie l5roukSl IN.
tended To pass through the grounds and Capitol ana
meet hun before he reached the Senate Chamber: |
stated 10 him that would be an imprud-nt COURSE,
TINT had no duubt Mr.. Sumner was physically
stronger man than himself, aud the cxcrtlon and Ia
tisuu of passing up 80 many flights "i steps would
render HIM unable To contend with Mr. Sumner.
should personal conflict take place; walked then
10 the Capitol; conversation rs We passed on WAS
in relation to other InaltCrs; when We arrived
at the door entering into this rotunda II" re-
marked he was going into the Senate Chamber
and went in that direction; went into the House,
where | found Mr.. Lindey, of Missouri was
announcing the death of his colleague. Mr.. Miller,
he was followed by Mr. II MARSHALL the House then
adjourned, aud walked over to the Senate, and saw
Mr. Bro"ks standing in the lobby on the opposite
side of the main aisle from where Sumner sat; the
Senate soon nd uurned; when noticed Brooks again
he was occupying Il sent IN the Senate Chamber; ms
was passing near him, | asked him If he was Sc
naur he then said to NE lie would stand tins thlng
no longer: he would send TO Mr.. Sumner 10 retire
from the Chamber he then got up and went into the
vrslibule, outside of the Chamber, with that view;
followed him. and said that If he sent such message
Mr.. Sumner would probably send for him 10 come
into the Senate Chamber; he seemed busy at his
disk directing documents, and he would effect no
thing by this he having previously said he did not
desire t. have any interview with Mr.. Sumner while
ladies' We're present. and knew there stIfl remained
lady occupying seat in the lobby not far from where
Mr.. Summer WAS sitting; We then stepped beck INT"
the Senate Chamber | Immediately passed on
through another door, near which met friend, Sc
nator johnson, to whom prupnunded the question
If there would be any nIpropnety should al alterca-
ton occur between Mr.. Brooks and MIR. Sumner, OF
its taking place in the Senate Chamber, the Senat:
hav Ing adjourned at the time; my recollection is that
-uygcsted in sad conversation, there seemed 10 me no
improperly of calling IN Mr.. Sumner in the Sc
nate, i having adjourned some time before,
and there being few pers"iis presrt-te insult was
vei there aud that mlg c looked upon rs the pro-
per place ~ r-caml il, and further should collision
follow boil! parties mi ,ht prefer II should INK" place
where It would be NOR, private here III. c"nrersa-
Iiou ;rrmunic' ai As turned away from tlrIs gen
tlrinan, heard r"iS. i'll tine senate Chamhrr with
Of "Oh," "Oh;" went back "A, quickly
over; found Mr. Sumner i'll u reclining position, MT
Morgan holding him by the arm, say 'ng That he wis
very badly hurt and that Il physician must Dc pro-
cured there Wa some conversation pe'"eeh VA
Brooks aud Mr.. Critenden; Mr. SUMMER was carr'cu
INTO The aulr.roum in leaning position SAW three
pisces Dr. KIN off the small end OF the cane; my III
IGNITION was called 10 them by Mr. BronHs requesting
me To procure tho head OF his cane: do MOI ttlhR
any arrangement was made by Mr. Brooks with any
otI,er member of the Huuse because in the first con-
v.r,atnn have referred 10 he stated that he hau
mentioned It 10 10 one else; he stated 10 Inc Tue
words Sumner had used, III our first conversn-
I,un; think the language he repeated that Summer
had used toward South Carolina was: "Di-grarefully
upot.nt during the Revolution, aud rendered SIN
more since on account OF Slavery.
O. By Mr.. Cohb.-The language used IN his re-
ported -p.ccl is '.shnm.iully lmbrcie
A think the words repeated Ia me ny Mr.. BROOKS
were not exactly those in his speech; Mr. Brooks d'd
not call upon me with the view "i my taking any
part in the matter; his design WAS that Should Ki""
eSacry what was done Oh The occasion; my meeting
with Mr.. Brooks me morning DehIc e'''
was accidental: TINT. he stated expressly at the time
Was sin,uly his purpnsc he said ~ me- 81 want you
L. take part IN this thing; mentioned me ihc'
that II had been rumurcd that Sumner had armed MN
self i'm authorization 1T ntiaCk, and Asked Brooks
what preparation he had made, tor had nothing but
n LITTLE hrar stick lie replied 81 have nothing out
nay can." do 10, know "i his having any oiher
weapon; The morning Brooks fret in"rn"d me oil ms
uurl,uSc was the day before ia" ASSAULT that Was The
first direct iu,iu,a"u hud of his purpose; learned
IN the Senate Chamber the day Mr.. Sumner closed
his s,e.ch that Brooks had taken offence at what
mad been said the day before; did not know then OF
his intention PUNISH hun; the speech was closed on
ruusday and The affrny took place Dn Thursday the
first time heard from Mr.. Brooks the subject was
the morning previous 10 the assault; heard but little
of Mr. Summers speech, but 1t was sad That no ilhd
b,,.u particularly severe IN Judge Butler, and That
Brooks had complained of il: did not anticipate an
immediate assault because, when left the Chamber,
there was lady III IN. Chamber, hnd MI BrouKs ilau
said that ha would have nothing 10 do with the matter
M the prcsence Of ladies' he did not Al that Time mt
mate or express wish that should remain unti Inc
transaction WAS over; the only time when ho expressed
any wish Ia me was the day before, when we Were
sitting IN the Capitol grounds; IL was OIL w ednesdaY
even ng the day before the occurrence, that ASKED
him rs 10 his preparations; | suppose that morning
We waited for Mr.. Sumner about fifteen minutes;
the s-cund morning but very few minutes; the
meeting on Thursday morning WIS casual "ItoSchrr
We partr, ut the Ruunda, he going into the SENATE
Chamber and into the iuus'. he said nothing as to
whit his purpose was in going into the Senate do
not rerulrct that any reference made Ia the mat
ter in walking from the Gait House tn the Capltoli he
gave no niinutiOn n I" when he lnirni-d to carry
out his purpose our subsequent meeting IN the Sen
Ate Chamber wa casual went To the Senate To hear
the eulo:ies on Mr. Miller; had 10 conversation with
Mr. Kei!t upon the subject, anh know nothing IN re-
t.rcuce his having any knowledge OF Mr.. Brooks in
teuiions, except mn inference that might be drawn
from single remark: the day the occurrence took
place, proposed 10 Mr.. kritt that We should 90
down street and he sail, No, | can't leave until
Brooks does" my impression is that that c"nversa-
ton occurred in the small rotunda, between the man
rim N and IN. y.srbue of the Senate; | am not
certain how long this before the transaction oc
CURED bn, my impression is that it was between the
adjournment Of the Senate AMI the time tn. occur
renee took place; | had no conversation WIN Mr.
linn In which referred: do mol