National Republican., 1883-07-26
nun11NaAN1r ANp pRooKs.
Gen. l.. ID. Campbell Relates the Exciting
Incidents OF Their Quarrel.
Richmond (Tnd) TeleOrdm.

Incidents OF Their Quarrel
Richmond (Ind) TELEGRAM.
Tho following lottor from the Hon. Lewis
d. Campbell with regard TO the most exciting
cvont in the congress that Immediately pre-
ceded the war of tho rebellion was received
by Robert o. Dormer, of this city, in response
to a request for the particulars of the affair.
Tho letter was not intended for publication,
but in Wow of its historical value Mr.. Dor
ner has permitted us to put it in print:
HAMILTON, OHIO, March g. 1S79-R. o.
DoRMER--Dedr Sir: l am in receipt of your
letter of the first instant. am the only man
living who knows all about the Brooks-Bur-.
lingame affair, about which you make in.
quiry. You are clearly in error in
regard to the matter 1t occurred in those
stormy days, quarter of q century go,when
knockdowns, the drawing of bowie knives
and pistols were not infrcquont in the halls
of congress, and duols and rumors of duels in
Washington.
Senator Butler, of South Carolina, was
Brooks's uncle. He was very aged man,
tottoring over the grave. lilo had been
stricken with paralysis, and trembled like an
aspen leaf Sumner, in making very ag-
gressive antislavery speech in the senate, as
sailed Butler, and referred to his physical
weakness. Sumner was then 40 years old,
full six feet high, well proportioned, and u
fine specimen of physical development.
Brooks, the nephew, looked for Sumner on
the avenue to chastse him. Failing to find
him. he went to the senate chamber after the
body had adjourned, and there beat Sumner
over the head with a gutapeTcha cane, fear
fully. l arrived in the chamber soon after
ward washed the blood off of sumner, and
brought him TO consciousness. | also re-
auested the surgeon to sew up tho scalp
wounds and take him TO his boarding house.
ha wi IhainU Oh "a IN If hn xyaxy
and means committeo) offered resolution
for an investigation, and was appointed
chairman of the committee. subsequently,
as chairman, l reported . resolution to expel
Brooks, and Il was carried. Brooks was re-
elected, and cauie back TO the house of rep
resentatives. $500 months aftorward Bur
lingame made n carefully prepared speech, in
which he referred TO Brooks, saying "ITe
stole into the senate chamber in n cowardly
way, and there snote tho senator from Massa-
chusetts us Cain smOto his brother"
There was then a challenge expected, of
course. However, friends interfered and some
explanations were made on Burlingame's
part, which were accepted by Brooks's friends
and published. Thoreupon the New England
papers commented severely upon Burln-
games concessions, 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
IL nc ulu llOJ lueun WllhJ nc ndu salu Ill
his speech he ought to take it back unequivo-
cally. If he did mean it he could afford to
say so and accept the consequences. He then
came out in a card in the National Inteuigencer
saying, in substance, that he maintained what
he had said in his speech. This speedily
brought him what was, in substance, q chal-
lenge.
1t was not delivered by Keitt, as you sup
pose, but by Gen. Joseph Lane, of Mexican
war fame, then the delegate from Oregon. 1t
simply invited Burllngame out of the District
of Columbia to settle the affair. This, of
course, meant a challenge, and was so worded
to evade the law of congress. Burlingame
again pressed me into his service. l wrote
the reply and delivered it to Gen. Lane. He
called on me TO name the place outside the
district l named the "Clifton house ON the
Canada side of the Niagara Falls, and the
| following Thursday morning at o'clock"
| for the meeting. | sent Burlingame to New
York the same night to prevent his arrest.
Two days after this Lane came out in the
papers objecting to the "Clifton house." be-
cause it was in the north, and he did not in
tend to take Brooks through the enemy's
country" l replied that, being called upon
to name place outside of the district, was
not fool enough to name Richmond or
Charleston" and take my friend through his
"enemy's country" Brooks was arrested and
put under bonds l telegraphed Burlingame
|
and put under bonds-myself his surety.
Burlingame Immediately left for tho west.
Soon afterward Brooks and Lane and their
friends discovered that it was regarded among
duelists rs let down on their part, and that
Burlingames record was all right. Lane
wrote me threatening letter, asking to open
up tho correspondence, and saying that unless
] informed them where letter would reach
Mr. Burlingame by the next Tuesday they
wo uld make expose, &c. To this | promptly
replied in substance that Burlingame had
gone west, and iRthey wanted him to go and
hunt him; that if they hanBered for my
| blood they need not wait till Tuesday, and
they might "hurry up tho cakes" That l
was on hand, &c. This ended the corre-
| spondence.
will simply add that it was we'll known
to members of congress from the south and
from the north that was the best, both with
the rife and pistol, there was III the body.
There seemed to be prevailing opinion. too,
l would fight If called upon. This was per-
haps because / had more cheek than most
members. You know that cheek is often
mistaken for courage. Whether it is so in
my case l am not II proper judge. never
received but one challenge for a duel, and
| that party soon found reason to withdraw
| it when he learned from southern friend
that / meant business. Although differing
widely in politics at that time Brooks was
my warm personal friend, and died so. So
| was Gen. Lane. The popular opinion that
| Brooks was coward is far from correct.
He was sensitive and impetuous, but had
many excellent traits of character. In haste.
Very truly yours,