The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-03-18
COLUMBIA, S. G.
Wednesday Morning. March ls. 1874.
Brooks and Sumner.

The average New England mind
'whether on its own soil or planted in G
'nore congenial climate, is a poculia,
one. It pursues the dead with its
calumnies with as much warmth as if its
object was living and could defend itself
Srom attack. Suoh was not the mind oi
Gharles Sumner. When some one ol
shis class, not great while ago, lnel,
toned the difficulty which he had with
Preston Brooks. with view of pander.
ing to supposed surviving resentment
IN his breast, he rebuked it with
warmth. saying that whatever Brooks
faults, and all have faults, the grave
had exempted him from any further re-
membranoe OF them. He had nothing
bnt tenderness to express concerning
him. Not needing this example, not
capable OF aprreciating this forgiving
spirit. many newspapers, and not few
orators, have embraced the occasion of
his death to revive this unhappy con-
'sroversy. He died, forsooth, of the
wounds inflicted by Brooks, eighteen
yesrs agol He .was martyr to his bold
advocacy OF principlel He was struck
down by furious Shareholder, because
he denounced the institution, which,
'onoe planted in Massachusetts, and other
New England and Northern States, had
gradually gone ont there, and only re-
mained alive in the Southern States!
sEueh Misrepresentation do dishonor to
'i5oth Brooks and Sumner.
We knew Preston Brooks we'll. With
.'the heart of lion, he had spirit as
gentle as a woman's. Ho was impul-
sive, but.a stranger to every form of
meanness, cowardice or detraction. In
fthe assault on Mr.. Sumner, he had
great provocation. In speech deli
xered few days before, tho Massachu-
'setts Senator had used language towards
SIrage Batter. an elderly man and re-
Tative of Brooks, which was strongly
personal and offensive:
"With regret come again upon. the
Senator from South Carolina, (Mr.
kButler,) who, misrepresenting the Kan
g sas debate, overfowed with rage at
some suggestion that Kansas had ap-
piled for admission as State, and with
!. inooherent phrases discharged the loose
expectoration of his speech now upon
her representatives.. then upon her peo-
< pie. There was nothing extrinsic of
rste innocent parliamentary debate
which he did not repeat, nor was there
any possible deviation from truth which
he did not make. But the Senator
touches nothing which he does not dis.
figure with error, sometimes of princi-
pie, sometimes of fact. He shows on
incapacity for accuracy. whether in
stating the Constitution or in stating
the law, whether the details of atntis-
tics, or in the diversions OF scholarship.
he cannot ope his mouth but out there
flies o blunder. But it is against the
people of Kansas that tho scnsibilities
OF the Senator are particularly aroused.
coming, us he announces, from State
--ay. sir, from South Cnrolina-he
turns his load Of disgust from this new
iy-tormed community, which ho will
not recognize even as body polite.
Pray. sir, by what title does he indulge
IN this egotlsm? Has he read the his
tory of the State which he represents?
He cannot surely have forgotten its
shameful imbecility from slavery, CONT
nued throughout the revolution, fol-
lowed by its more shameful assumption
FOR slavery since"
Senator Butler. ut this time, was
'gosent on q visit To his family IL South
Carolina"
Now. what was this but personal
quarrel, naturally following from
furious, headlong attack? AS soon us
the assault was over. Brooks frankly
avowed to Senator Crittenden thut it
was not his intention to do any serious
hurt to his antagonist. We have heard
him use the same expressions, and he
was not man to misreprcscnt any
thing. He nemut to reeen: al u,igniiy
offered to an eldealy colleague, who was
absent, aud 10 punish libel upon his
State. II was far from his desire or de-
sign to Go any permanent injury to
Mr.. Sumner. And the vigor Of the So
nator has ever since refuted the charge
that such elect ensued from the attack.
iIhe still small voice of science Just