Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-03-24

80
subjected by DR.. Brown. S,quard in Paris,
the injury was temporarily cured, this
eminent ply sician then warned him that
it would probably reappear in later yeat >,
unless ho should withdraw from the
excitements of political life. The warn.
ing has proved prophetic. Mr.. Sumner
could not Withdraw from public life, and
he hls died ut last from the effects Of the
assassin blows which Preston 5. Brooks
inflicted with cane on his head nearly
eighteen years ago. lie was martyr TO
that demon OF slavery which was then so
arrogant and SO violent in lhS couniry,
and which he, moro than any other man,
holped 10 exercise and destroy. Blows
thus inflicted on The head OF person
whi.o sitting as Mr.. Sumner then was,
arc said 10 be more injurious than when
inflicted while standing. 1t was the
sowardly and brutal manner in which the
attack was made that rendereS il 50 iuju.
rious 10 The Senator's kca.th and al length
fatal to his lille.
1t will be remembered that whilo
BROOKS came upon Mr. Sumner seated at
his desk and was beating him 10 uncon
seiousress, another Representative OF
Suu.h CarOliua, named Lawrence ~.
keiIl, stood by with a loaded pistol in
his hnnJ, in order 10 prevent all inter
terence on The part OF olheIs. Tho whole
outrage WAS - cJwIrdly and lo|lNcd,
rs abhOrenI 10 all fairness and honor, as
can possiOiy bc conccit cd. And yet it
was perpcIrAtcd 10y men who represented
what III those days presumed to slJ le iIsolt
the "Chivalry vi the South Il is sat
islactiOn to think that civilization has
since made some prJgrc,s, aad ihat even
the South no longer Siurics in anything
ike tm3 Both these men were Il, the
time more Or les cN,i,cL with diiuh,
having made themselves So on purpose {"
20 through with ,he work they hIl taken
Jpon lhcm,clvo. TO do. Brooks died the
following year. = ruiGel aud miserable
man, condemned By himself. and feeling
That he bad hope,e'.!y outraged the sCuu
ments uf ali honorable minds. kellt, a
man really OF farcoarscr mould. survived
long enough 10 become 4 Confederate
Gcueril. and did ia consequence Il
wounds received in battle near Richmond
in 1864.
These men embodied in lhemsclve; The
concentrated hate which Was tII n ielt
towards Mr.. Sumner by the gieat part Of
he S)alhern people. They were ap
plAudyd almost universally in the South
Tor wha, they had done, and even in the
House Of Representatives The requisite
voio of Two thirds OF the n embGrs could
not BE- sccIrel Tor the expulsion OF either
of them. They suffered no punishment
OF law. but still their punishment WAS l
great ole, aal its execution il not yc
completed Their brutal act hI, been
conlc nHed over aud over again DY the
common voice oi The civilized world,
and tho only distinction which they will
have in American history Mil be That
Infamous ore which they derive from this
coNatd.y assault Oh the drienoeless aud
unsuspcc,ing Senator from Massachu.
sc.is In The eally stage of the coullicI
between slavery and freedom. they will
held forever something like the place
h:ch belongs 10 j. Wilkes Boolh and
ayd his accomplicc. in the closing scenes
Of the dreadful drama. They will alike
oc mentioned in all future times only Us
Of the barbarism which
slavery had Infused in.o American man
ncrs and American llo. Their names
Will all stand together in the list oil po
Itical assas ,ins wko have attempted t.
further bad cAuse by numbering those
who stood most in its way.