The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-05-15
A Famous Duel.

has been received by Mr. Robert 0.
Dormer of Richmond, in response to q
request for the particulars OF the affair.
The letter was not intended for publ
cation. but in view Of its historic value
Mr. D. has permitted us to put it in
print
HAMILTON, O., March 3, iS79.-R. c.
DoRMER, Esq.-Dcar Sir: am in re-
ceipt of your letter Of the lst instant.
l am the only living man who knows
all about the Brooks Burlingame affair,
about which you make enquiry
You are clearly in error in regard to
the matter 1t occurred in those stormy
days, a quarter of a century ago. when
knock-downs, the drawing of bowie
knives and pistols were not unfrequent
in the halls of Congress, and duels and
rumors of duels in Washington.
Senator Butler, of South Carolina,
was Brooks uncle. He was Il very
aged man, tottering over tie grave. He
had been stricken with paralysis and
trembled like an aspen leaf. Sumner,
in making very aggressive and anti
slavery speech in the Senate, assailed
Butler and referred to his weakness.
Sumner was then As years old, full six
feet high, well proportioned, and fine
specimen Of physical development.
Brooks, the nephew, looked for Sumner
on the avenue to chastise him. Failing
to find him he went to the Senate cham
Der, after the body had adjourned, and
there beat Sumner over the head with a
gutta percha cane, fearfully. | arrived
in the chamber soon afterward, washed
the blood of Sumner and brought him to
consciousness | also requested the sur
geon to sew up his wounds and take him
to his boarding house.
The next day (being Chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee) | offered q
resolution for an investigation, and was
appointed chairman of the committe.
Subsequently. as chairman, | reported a
resolution to expel Brooks, which was
carried. Brooks was reelected and
came back to the House of Representa-
tives.
Some months afterward Burlingame
made carefully prepared speech, in
which he referred to Brooks, sayin. ::
'He stole into the Senate chamber in a
cowardly way, and there smote the Sen
tor from Massachusetts as Cain smote
his brother.
There was then challenge expected,
of course However, friends interfered
and some explanations were made on
Burlingame's part, which were accepted
by Brooks friends, and published.
Thereupon the New England press COM
mented severely on Burlingames conces-
sions, and charged him with showing the
white feather These things stung him
to the quick Then for the first time he
came to me for counsel told him that
if he really did not mean what he said
in his speech he ought to take it hack
unequivocally; if he did mean it, he
could then afford to say so, and accept
the consequences. He then came out in
card in the National Inteligencer say
ing, in substance, that he maintained
what he said in his speech. This speed
lily brought him what was in substance
challenge.
1t was not delivered by heitt, as you
suppose, but BIZ Gen. 10 Lane of Mexi-
can war fame, then the delegate from
Oregon. 1t simply invited Burlingame
out of the District of Columbia to settle
the affair This. of course meant a chal
lenee, and was so worded as to evade the
law of Congress. Burlingame again
pressed me into his service. | wrote the
reply and delivered it to Gen. Lane. He
called on me to name the place outside
of the District. | named the ''Cliftor
House on the Canada side of the Mag
ara Falls, and the following Thursday
morning at 6 o'clock" for the meeting
/ sent Burlingame to New York tn,
same night to prevent his arrest.
Two days after this, Lane came out il
the papers, Directing to the Clifton
House because it was in the north, an,
he did not intend to take Brook
s'through the enemy's country" | re
piled that, being called on to name
place outside of the District, / was no
fool enough to name Richmond o
Charleston" and take my friend throug
'shis enemy's country" Brooks was al
.>,+ ,,rJar bonds I tal.