Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-06-04
The RAF FTgMAN's JOURNAL.
rHE ASSAULT ON MIR. SUMNER.

sault on Mr.. Sumner. 1t is really gratifying
to see paper that can speak out without
being biassed by party predictions. 1t
says =
.sEIsewhcrc we give the particulars of a
disoraceful assault on Senator Sumner by Mr.
Brooks. of South Carolina. What are we
coming to! These scenes ofrufiiauism at the
National Capital arc fulfilling the worst pre-
dictions of the despotie foes Of our free in
stitutions. The enemies of republican liber-
ty in Europe viii smile with satisfaction when
they read the particulars of this new outrage.
We hope the House of Representatives will
rindicate the violated honor of the country
by sending Mr.. Brooks home to his constitu-
ents, and asking them to supply his place
with gentleman, entertaining better ideas of
pronriety. The recent speech of Mr. Sum
ncr has bcen-a very infammatory one, but not
a whit more so than those to which he was re-
plying. There is, therefore, no Justification
at this point, for the assault"
We annex a few more paragraphs to show
how the assault is regarded in different Sec
tions of the country.
From tie Thit'a. Daily San.
|
| two or three Democrats say that Senator Sum
ner's speech was full of outrageous personal
/ tiles but such men would say anything to adj
vance their party interests. Now, what are
! the facts Mr.. Sumner was caustic, but not
personal; he spoke of Senators and South
Carolina politically, but Douglas said of Mr..
| S.. s.it is his object to provoke some OF us to
|. kick him as we would dog in the street, that
he may get sympathy npon the just chastise-
ment.'' And he then for the second time
charged Sum ner with intentional perjury. and
called him and his associates in the Senate
..negro worshippers.'' Mr.. Mason, gem
teeler ruffian than Douglas, but a conceted
and inflated Virginian, superciliousy spoke
| of the necessity Of associating with Mr.. Sum-
| ner in the Senate Chamber, whose touch he
would elsewhere regard as pollution. Now
| our opinion is that Charles Sumner suffers the
most by his compulsory associations with such
men as Douglas and Mason, and we think nine
tenths ofthe American people will agree with
u.s. Mr.. Simmer has added to our national
reputation at home and abroad as scholar,
orator and statesman Douglas has been one
constant source of modification to all decent
men in Washington, and Mason has no reputa-
tion beyond the Democratic party"
From The Loaisriile Journal.
s.The idea of using a bludgeon upon Sem
ator for making speech against State is
menstrous. a score of South Carolina mem
bers of Congress within The last few years
have used their whole power of abuse and vi
tuperation against Massachusetts,, and as manv
han
selves upon South Carolina. A pitched bat
tie has long been raging between the cham
pions of those. two States, and generally the
harshest and most offensive language has come
from the South Carolinians who don't like to
he out done in anything. What Sumner may
have said about Senator Butler we know not,
but we think that the old Senator, who is quite
as fiery hearted as he is white-headed, would
scorn the thought of letting any Younger man
take a quarrel with an abolitionst 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, who is really gentleman of many fine
and generous personal qualities, had become
exceedingly elated from frequent visits to the
Senat orial Restaurant. Sumner was making
a severe-speech that evidently had reference
to the forcible expulsion of Mr.. Hoar, n ven
| erablc citizen of Massachusetts, from the linn
!; its of South Carolina, but he did not mention
South Carolina's name. Mr. Butler Interrupt
, ted him by asking in a fierce tone, ssdoes he
I mean South Carolina 2'' Sumner proceeded
: without noticing the interruption. 81 de-
mand,'' exclaimed Butler, starting again t.
his feet, sswhether he means South Carolina
for, if he does, let him say so, and will give
him something to make him remember me ant
South Carolina long as he lives" Sum
: ner still proceeded quite imperturbably, be
f slowing no attention upon his excited oppo
i nent just in front of him. s:Does he mea,
/ South Carolina ?'' calculated Butler for tht
0 third time. ayes, / do mean South Carolina,
= thandered Sumner with more spirit than WI
e mad thought an abolitionist could possess
He finished his speech without any farther in
tcrruption, and Butler arose to reply, but tht
h fine old South Carolina gentleman was toe
far gonet to be half equal to the tremendou
occasion. We repeat the expression of th,
!, hope, that, however obnoxious Sumner ma,
n justly be to the patriotic portion of the peo
I pie of the United States, the House of Rep
4 resentatives will promptly expel Brooks ifth
account of his assault upon the Massachusetts
Senator shall prove correct. Indeed tn
House of Repres sentatives, it seems to us
Il would be guilty of the grossest and mos
J. shameful dereiiction of duty to the Senate
j. it were to refuse to punish one of its owl
members for knocking down a Senator upol
,, pf ha ta for in.