Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-10-24
Resolutions on the Sumner
nutrapp.

scat in the Senate Chamber was
violently assaulted with a weapon
of attack, by Preston 5. Brooks,
a member of the House OF
Representatives, from South Car
DINA. and beaten to insensibility
upon the floor of the Senate,
which was stained with his
blood that the assailant sought
the Senate Chamber to pcrpe-
trate the outrage, provided with
his weapon and attended by a
follower in its aid, and taking
his unarmed victim unawares,
and in a posture which rendered
defense impossible, by a heavy
blow utterly disabled him,
and, with cruel repetition in
ficted frequent and bloody
wounds upon his PROSTATE help
less form, from which injury,
now, after the lapse of five
months, the Honorable Senator
has not fully recovered, but still
languishes under it; that the
sole reason alleged for this
violent outrage, was a speech
made by Senator Sumner in
debate upon public question
then pending in the Senate,
not a word of which, during
its delivery, was made the sub
ject of objection by the Pres
ident of the Senate or any
Senator, and which was con
cluded on the twentieth day OF
May last therefore
ReSolred by the Senate and
House Of Representatives, That
we sincerely and respectfully
tender our sympathy to Senator
Sumner in the personal outrage
inflicted upon him, and the
anguish and peril which he
has suffered and still suffers
from that outrage, and that we
feel and proclaim that his
grievance and his wounds are
not of private concern, but
were received while in the
public service, and every blow
which fell upon his head should
be recognized and resented as
an insult and an injury to the
honor and dignity, not only Of
Massachusetts,, but of Vermont,
and a vital attack upon the
Constitution of the Union.
ReSolUed, That the right of
the citizen, to utter his opinions
on all subjects affecting the
public veal, is one of the es-
sential distinctions between a.
free and a despotic govern
ment, and that without it a.
republic cannot exist that
the free and full enjoyment of
this right was not denied to
the American people even when
colonies that it was established
before the Constitution, and its
security guaranteed by provisions
incorporated in that instrument;
and that it is a right which
the people of this country can
not surrender, without an
abandonment of all their priv
leges as freemen, and the over
throw of those institutions and
liberties which they inherit as
the price of many patriotic
struggles and sacrifices.
ReSolUed, That in this Zero
cious, brutal and cowardly out
rage on the unarmed person o
a distinguished Senator, who's,
generous and rare qualities a
a man, whose purity, enthusiasm
and fidelity as a philanthropist
whose accomplishments as
scholar, whose abilities, earn
estness and eloquence as
statesman, have endeared hin
to the hearts of so many c
his countrymcn who love free
dom and hate oppression, W
recognize, without eXpressin
approval or disapproval Of tn
sentiments enmciated III tn
speech which preceded and flu
nished occasion for this shame
full occurrence, not only a ma
lignant blow at the right c
Free Speech, which is tn
necessary condition of our cor
tinued existence as a free, un
ted and enlightened people, bu
a direct, palpable and fagran
violation of the express term
Of the Constitution, securin
to members of Congress freedom
in debate, and of those safe
guards which, in every countr
not absolutely despotic, inves
with sacred inviolability tn
Office of legislation.
Resolved, That in the az
probation expressed by leadin
Journals as well as individuf
citizens and popular assemble,
In certain quarters. toward th