Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-02-09
G5e 4lalg Spgg,
TUESDAY. FeB U4RY Q. 1858.
The Late AGcay iu Congress.

The Late AGray iu Congress.
! The Washington correspondent of the New
York Times gives the following account of the
fraeas in the House on Saturday morning, which
resulted in the complete and sudden prostration
upon the floor, at the hand of Mr.. Grow, of the
| embodiment of South Carolina chivalry," in the
person of Lawrence NJ. Keitt, the coadjutor oil
the late Preston S. Brooks, in the latters muir.
| derous and cowardly assault upon Senator Sum.
ner.
| The Times, in commenting edtorially upon the
matter, says "there can, therefore, be no reason
for forbearing to express the serious satisfaction
which every respectable man must feel, in the
fact, that Mr.. Keitt for his pains, was elaborate.
ly, scientifically and thoroughly, knocked
down" Mr.. Keitt has now for two sessions made
himself conspicuous the particular champion,
after the manner of his late contrere Brooks, of
the Southern insolent, brow-beating, fre.eating
brawlers who disgrace the halls of Congress- and
on Friday night, or rather Saturday morning,
adds the Times, he ''went so far in his language
to a Pennsylvania representative, Mr. G. A.
Grow, that that gentleman might have been held
excused for bringing him to his senses at once by
decisive demonstration long before his actual
assault and battery made it imperative upon the
temperate Northerner to knock him down out of
hand" The correspondent of the Times, refer
red to, says;
MIR. Grow, who is the recognized Republican
leader in the House, went over to the Democratic
side of the hall to talk with MIR. Hickman Of
Pennsylvania. AS he tnrned to leave, Mr. Quit
man rose and asked to make an explanation Mr.
Grow phiepfed In vvhi Nh s
order, and then started down the aisle with view
OF returning to his own seat. when Mr.. Keftt of
South Carolina. called out to him, asking, why
don't you go over on your own side, God d-n
you, if you want to object? What business have
you over on this side, anyhow or something to
that effect
Mr.. Grow replied, quietly and coolly, saving,
This is free hall, and have the right to object
from any part Of it, when l choose Then in
response to an appeal from MIR. Harris of Illi-
nois, Mr.. Grow withdrew his objection, in order
to permit Gen. Quitman to 20 on. By this time
Keitt, who seems to have supposed that he had
only to look ferociousy at a Northern man to
wilt hlm-and who presumed, perhaps, upon the
fact that ne is more athletic man than the gentle
man from Pennsy lvania-had crossed over to meet
Mr.. Grow. As the latter was about to pass Keitt
inquired in ruffianly tone, What did you mean
by that answer which you gave me Just now 7"
Il meant precisely what | Said-that this is a
free hail. and | will object from whatever part of
it l see ft,' W rs Mr. Grows reply as he looked
his assailant cllmly in the face The chiyarous
and gentlemany South Carolinian returned to
the charge, saying I'll show you, YOU ID
black republican puppy! Mr.. Grow, still unex-
cited, answered. You may think me what you
please, Mr.. keitt; but let me tell you that no
Niger driver shall come up from his plantation
to crack his lash about ma earsP We'll see
about that said keitt, as he caught Mr. Grow
by the throat. Mr. Grow threw his assaiiant's hand
off, and Mr.. Reuben Davis, also of Mississippi
who had followed Mr. Keitt, evidently with the
intention of restraining him, interposed at once
for peace.
This ended the difficulty for an instant. but al
most Immediately Kett broke from Mr. Davis,
and rushed upon Grow, Selling him again by the
throat, when the latter planted a blow under the
left ear of :" the gentleman from South Caro-
lima which sprawled him fairly upon his face on
the floor Mr. IL. picked himself up, and after
some Intellectual and random passes, left the hall
and was seen no more until after the melee end.
ed. except by some friends who sponged his brui
SEES. | understand he is under the impression
that he stubbed his toe, and so fell The mis-.
take, certainly, is excusable, for the blow which
he finally provoked from Mr.. Crows long-suffer-
ing patience, was severe that he would hardly
be expected to have any very clear recollection
of the circums tances.
These transactions, which take so much time
to relate, were the work of very few minutes
and all occurred on the Democratic side of the
Southern men rushed towards the parties some
doubtless to keep the peace, and others to have a
hand in the fight Barksdale of Mississippi
Mcqueen of South Carolina, Craige of North
Carolina, and Reuben Davis were prominent
in the scrimmage Barksdale specifically
states, and l doubt not truly, that mis- only OBJ
jcct was to separate the contestants He and
other opponents seized upon Grow, as Kett was
already horS du combat To gentlemen on the
other side of the hall, it looked very much as
though the gentleman from Pennsylvania was
about to be cut into mince meat, and the anti
| LecomptOn men rushed over in body to the
rescue. Foremost came Mr.. Potter of Wscon-
sin, very athletic, compact man, who bounded
into the centre of the excited group, striking
right and left with tremendous vigor. Wash
Durne Of Illinois, and his brother Of Wisconsin,
also were prominent, and for minute or two it
seemed as though we were to have Kilkenny
fight on magnificent scale. Barksdale had hold
of Grow, when Potter struck him severe blow,
supposng that he hurting that gentleman.
| Barksdale turning around and surprising 1t was
| Ellhu WashbuTne who struck him, dropped Grow
and struck out at the gentleman from Illinois
| Cadwalader Washburne perceiving the attack on
| his brother, also made dash at Mr.. Bark sdale,
and seized him by the hair, apparently for the
| purpose Of drawing him into chancery' and
| pummeling him to greater satisfaction Horrible
to relate, Mr. Barksdale's wig came off in Cad
wallader's left hand, and his right fist expended
itself with tremendous force against the unre-
sisting air. This ludicrous incident unquestion.
ably did much towards restoring good nature sub.
sequently, and its effect was heightened not a
little by the fact that in the excitement of the
occasion Barksdale restored his wig wrong side
! foremost
Disgraceful though all such scenes are, it must
be admitted that Mr. Grow was in no degree re
| sponsiole for this. He was brutally assailed and
defended himself at last only after forbearance
had ceased to be a virtue. If the lesson which
he impressed upon his assailant shall have the
effect OF restraining heneeforth Mr. Keitt's ex hi
billions Of insolenee, and his offensive affecta.
TONS of superiority over his equals don't know
that the result will have been too dearly pur.
chased. lie seems TO have labored for years un.
der the impression that man who don't own
negroes can be trodden upon with mpunity, and
it is to be hoped that his present discontinue
will inspire him with the respect Tor his col
leagues which is their due"
The New York RVening Post says il was rathe
a pity for Mr.. Grow to knock Mr.. Keitt down
for il his reported behavior was any indication 0
his bodily condition, he would soon have reached
the floor Of his oion motion.
--------
Mr.. Wilson's SPEEcH-We call the atten
ton Of oar readers to the able, eloquent, com
prehensve. and truthful speech Of Hon, Henri,
| Wilson. in todhye manor in which no refntea I'M