Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-31

General l.. ID. campbell Relates the
Exciting Incidents of their Quar-
from the Richmond Ind, Telesram.l

rel.
From the Richmond ,Inl.l Telegraml
The following letter from the Hon. Lewis
d. Campbell with regard to the most ex-
citing event in The Congress that Immediately
preceded the war of the rebellion was re-
ceiyed by Mr. Robert O. Dormcr, of this
city 10 response to a request for the pariic.
ulars of the affair. The letter was not in
tended for publication, but in view of It's
historical value Mr.. Dormer has permitted Ls
to put it in print:
HAMILTON, Ohio, March 8, 1879.
r. o. DoRMER, ESQ;
Dear Sir am in receipt Of your letter OF
| the LIST inst. am the only mau living whu
knows all about the Brooks Burliugamr
affair, about which you make inquiry.
You are CLEARLY in error in ieyard TO
the matter. 1t occurred in those stormy
| Gays quarter of century ago, when knock.
downs, the drawing OF bowie knives and
pistols were not inlrcquent in the halls OF
Congress- and duels and rumOrs OF duels Id
Washington.
Senator Butler, of South Carolina, was
Brooks's uncle. He was a very aged man,
to,tering over the grave. lie had been
stricken with paralysis and trembled like an
aspen leaf Sumner, in making a very
aggressive anti. slavery speech in the Senate,
assailed Butler and referred to his physical
weakness. Sumner was then forty.flvc years
old, full six feet high, well proportioned and
n fine specimen of phySical development.
Brooks, the nephew, looked for Sumner on
the avenue to cbastise him. Failing to find
him, he went to the Senate Chamber, after
the body had adjourned, and there beat
Sumner over the head with gutta.percha
cane, fearfully. arrived in the Chamber
soon afterward, washed the blood of OF
Sumner, aud brought khim to consciousness
l also requested the surgeon TO sew up the
scalp-woqnd, and take him 10 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 committee. Subsequently,
| as chairman, reported a resolution to eXpel
Brooks, and it was carried Brooks was re-
elected and came back to the House of
Representatives. Some months afterward
Burlingamc made carefully prepared
speech, in which he referred TO Brooks. say
ing; ale stole into the Senate Chamber in
cowardly way, and there smote the Scna-
tor from Massachusetts as Cain smote his
brother"
There was then II challenge expected, of
course. However, friends inttrfered and
some explanation were made on Burlipgames
part, which were accepted by Brooks's
friends aud published Thcrcupon the New
England papers commcnted severely upon
Burlingame's concessona and charged him
with showing the white feather. These
things stung him 10 the quick. Then for the
first time he GANG TO me for counsel. l told
uim ii really did not mean what he had said
IN his speech he ought to take it back
unequvocally. If he did mean it he could
afford to say SO and accept the consequences
de then came out in q card in the National
Intelhgencer, saying, in substance, that he
maintained what he bad said in his speech.
This speedily brought him what was, in sub
stance, challenge.
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 Burlipgamc out of the
District of Columbia to settle the affair.
THIS, Of course, meant challenge, and was
so wordGd &c t.. evGde the laws OF Congress.
Burllngamc again pressed me- into the SER
vice. l wrote the reply aud delivered il to
Gen. Lane. He called on ne 20 name the
place outside the District. named the
-
CARA, and the following Thursday morning
at O'clock" for the meeting. ! sent Bur-
lingame the same night 10 prevent his
crest
Two dGyc Sfter this Lane came out in the
paper o5jecting to the Clifton House, he
cause it was III ile North, and he did not
intend to take Brooks Through the cncmys
country" ! replied that, beng called on to
name place outside OF the District, ! was
not fool enough to name "RGhmUnd or
Charleston" and take my friend through his |
''enemy's country" Brooks was arrested
and put under bonds. Ilelegraphed Bur
llugaIne to return. He did so. He, too, was |
arrrbtad End put under bonds-mysc.f.h his |
surety. BGrlibsame Immediately left for the
west.
friends discovered that it was regarded
and that Burngame's record was all right.
Lane wrote me II threatening letter, asking
10 oEcn Up the correspondence, aud saying
that unless ! informed them where letter
would reach Dir. Rurllrgame by the next
Tuesday they would make G&poGr, ETC. To
thus l promptly replied IN substance that
Burugame had gone West, and ii they
wanted him to go aud hunt him; that If they
for my blood they need not wait
I'll! Tuesday, and they might hurry up the
cakes" Tia. ! was on hand. etc. This
ended the correspondence.
| will simply add that II was well known
10 members Of Congress from the South aud
FROM the North that was the best, both
with the rife and pistol there was in the
body. There SEEMED 10 be prevailing
opinion, too, that | would ight If called on,
This was perhaps because Ind more check
than most members. You know that cheek
is often mistaken for courage Whether it
is SO in my case am not a proper Judge.
never received but one challenge for u duel,
,nd that party soon found reason to with
Draw 1t %hen he learned from Southern
friend that J meant business. Although
liifering widely IN politics o. that time,
Brooks was my warm personal friend, end
lied SO. So was Gen. Lane. The popular
opinion that Brooks was coward is far from
'oTect. lie was sensitive and impetuous,
,ut had many excellent traits OF character.
In haste. Very truly yours,
II