Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-06-05
THE ASSAULT ON SUMNER

Preston TO a
the bIudgeon the head of that Senator We
The attention Of readers that they may understan
the line within which northern men, under the penalty
bowie knives and bludgeons, expected to walk:
with regret, esfse again upon the Senator
from South Carolina Mr.. Butler), who, omni
present in this debate, overfowed wi tn rage 81
the simple suggestion that Kansas had applied
for admission as a State; with incoherent phrases
discharged the loose expectoration of speech
now upon her Representative and then upon
/ her people, There was no extravaganza of the
ancient Parliamentary debate which he did not
repeat; nor was there any possible deviation
from truth which he did not make, with somuch
of passion, am glad to add, as to save him the
suspicion of intellectual alteration. But the
Senator touches nothing which he does not dis
tgure-witl error, sometimes ofprinciple, some
times of fact. He shows an incapacty of ac-
curacy, whether in stating the Constitution or
In stating the law, shether in the details ofsta-
tlstics or the diversions of scholarship He can
not open his mouth hit out there flies bunder
Surely he ought to be familiar with the life of
Franklin; and yet he referred to this household
character, while acting as agent for our fathers
| IN England, as above suspicion; and this was
done shat he might give point to false contrast
with the agent of kansas-not knowing that,
however, they may differ in genius and fame, in
! this experiment thew are alike; that Franklin.
when intrusted with The petition of Massachutts
Bay, was assaulted by fou-mouthed speaker,
where he could not b. heard in defence, and de-
nounceed as sthiet," even as the agent of
Kansas has been assaulted on this floor, and de-
nounced as a 'forger."
And let not the vanity of the Senator be inspired
by the parallel of the British statesmen of that
day. Tor it is only in hostility to Freedom that any
PARALLEL can be recognized. But it is against
the people OF Kansas that the sensibilites of the
Senator are particularly aroused. Coming, as
n ~ r11s ga q
South Carolina-he turns with lerdly disgust
from this newly formed community, which he
VIII not recognize even as "a body polite"
Pray Sir, by what title does he indulge in this
egotism? Has he read the history of the State
winch he represents He cannot surely have
forgotten its shameful ipbecility from Slavery
confessed throughout the Revolution, followed
by Its more shameful assumptions for Slavery
since. He cannot have forgotten it's wretched
persistence in the Slave trade as the very apple of
It's eye, and the condition of its participation in
the Union. He cannot have forgotten its Con-
stitution, which is only republican in NAME con
nrmng power in the hands of the few and
founding the qualification as voters OH "a settled
freehold estate and ten negroes" And vet the
Senator, to whom that State has in part com
mitted the guardianship Of moving, with back
ward treadlng steps, to cover its nakedness.
fuShes forward III the very ecstacy of madness,
to expose it by provoking a comparison with
Kansas. South Carolina is old; Kansas is
young. South Carolina counts by centuries
where Kansas counts by years. But beneii-
cent example may be born in q day; and | ven
ture to say that against the two centuries of the
older State, may be already set the two years
OF trial, evolving corresponding virtue in the
younger community. IN the one is the long
wall OF Slavery; in ths other the hymns of Free
DOM And. il W., glansl at special acfre Tements,
it win he difcnt to mad any thing in the history
OF South Carolina which presents so much of
hereic spirit III heroic cause as appears in that
repuise OF Missouri invaders by the beleagured
town OF Lawrence, where even the women gave
their effective efforts to Freedom The matrons
OF home, who poured their feyvels into the pub
he defense-the wives OF Prussia who with
delicate fingers clothed their defenders against
French questionable mothers of our own Rev
olutlon, VINO sent forth their sons covered over
with prayers and blessings to combat for HUI
man Rlghts,did nothing ofsehsacrifice truer than
did these women on this OCCASION
Were the whole history of South Carolina blot
ted out OF existence, from its very b.rinnino
down to the day of the last election of the Sena.
tor to has present seat on this floor civilization
might leose-l do not say how little but surely
less than 1t has already gained by the example
OF Kansas, in its valiant struggle against oppres
sion, and IN development ola new science of
emigration. Already in Lawrence alone there
are newspapers and schools including Hipb
Schools, and throughout the territory there is
more academic education than in ali Missouri
outside st. Louis and more far in pronortion IN
It's inhabitants, than in South Carolina. Oh.
or, tell the Senator that Kansas welcomed as
a rec state VIII he "Ministerng angel" TO
the republic, when South Carolina. in the cloak
OF darkness which she hugs Lies bowling"
The Senator from Illinois, (AIr. Douglas )nat
turaily Joins the Senator from South Carolina in
ms warfare, and gives TO it the superior intensity
OF his nature. He thinks that the National Gov
eminent has not completely proved its power,
rs it has ncvor hanged a traitor; but if the
occasion requires, he hopes there will
be no hesitation; and his threats is d.
rected at Kansas, and even at the friends of
Kansas throughout the country. Again occurs
the parallel with the struggles of our fathers and
L borrow the language Of Patrick Henry when
to the cry from the Senator of treason treason
reply, II this is treason make the most of it,
Sir, 1t is easy to call names but beg to tell the
Senator that if the word traitor is any way ap-
pheabie to those who refuse submission to q
tyrannlcal Usurpation, wheather in Kansas or
eiseWere, then must some new word OF deeper
color, be invented, to designate those mad spir-
Its VINO Weuld endanger and degrade the Repub-
he, while they betray all the cherished senti-
ments OF the spirit of the Constitution. in order
to give new spread to Slavery Let the Senator
proceed. 1t will not be the first time in history
that scattold erected for punishment has be-
come pedestal of honor Out of death comes
hte, and the traitor when he blindly executes
VIII live immortal in the cause.
f'F humanity sweeps onward where to-day the martyr
On the morrow crouches Judas with the silver in his
hands " ~
While the hoong mob of yesterday in silent awe re.urn
10 give up the scattered ashes into Historys golden urn
The statement Of Mr. Summer,
Mr. Sumner made the following statement under oath 70
the House Committee Of Investigation:
attended the Senate usual on Thursday the 2sd ~
May After some formal business message was received
from te House of Representatives, announcing the ea tn
member OF that body from Missouri This was followed nv
when according usage and out ef respect the
the senate adjourned Instead leaving the SEN
ate chamber with the Of the Senator'S the adjourn
nent continued III my seat, occupied with my pen and
~he ths intent in order to he IN for the mall which
was sson TO close approached by several persons who
desired "a converse with but answered them prornt
and briefly exeusing myself for the that was much
engaged When the last Of these persons me drew nv
arm car close 10 desk, and with my legs under the desk
continued writing. My attention this time entire
II drawn from al other subjects that though there must ba We
oeen many persons in the Senate, saw nobody While thus
intent with my head bent my writing was addressed
b9 person who approached the front Of my desk was 90
tey absorbed that not Of bis presence until
heaFd my name pronounced As looked up with men in
haha saw tail whose cogntenance was not faulisr
standing directly ne and the same moment caght
these words: have read your speech twice over careful
TeatiFe OF mine While these words st passing from
AIS his, ne commenced succession Of blows with heavy
cane upon my bare head the FIRST Of which was SO stun
hsa as 70 lose my sight longer my assaIau nor
ward was done almost unconseously acting under The in
stIhctS OF SGif-Ge4ence head