The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-03-15


ing that the strength of the senator
from Massachusetts, was superior to
mine l thought he might wrest it
from me- If he had l might have done
what | should have regretted for the
remainder of my life. A voice: He
would have killed him,O Ten days
ago, foreseeing what the action of the
house would be, my resignation was
put into the hands of the governor of
South Carolina. And now, Mr.. Speak
er. l announce TO you and to the house,
I am no longer a member of the thirty
fourth congress-.
Returning home TO South Carolina,
Brooks was feted and Toasted and made
the recipient of every possible mark
of honor and admiring gratitude. An
election was soon held to I'LL the va
cancy caused by his resignation and
he was elected by a unanimous vote.
Once more, namely, on the Sth of jan
uary, 1857, he made a characteristic
speech on the floor of congress against
the prohibition of Slavery in Nebraska.
But his career was suddenly terminal
ed. on the 9th of the same month. His
sickness was briefinflammation of the
throat-and he died in terrible pain. In
the intensity of his sufferings from
strangulation he endeavored to tear
open his throat that he might get
breath. He was but SO years old and
left widow and four children. His
frame was pronounced by the under
taker the largest for which he had ever
been called on to furnish a coffin.
Another exciting scene in the senate
was in 1850. At the conclusion of a
violent debate, Senator Benton of Mis-
souri, barred his breast to Senator Foote
o. Mississippi and dared him to shoot
The exciting incident arose out of the
bitter ante-bellum debates. Foote had
been remorselessly attacking the mo-
tives and deeds of the northern sena-
tors in their policy toward the south.
This debate became very heated in
April. On September II Senator Ben
ton claimed that a certain newspaper
article had been supervised and APP
proved by Senator Foote. This article
represented to be report of the re-
marks INDUCED in by the Mississippi
senator personal to the senator from
Missouri.
In the midst of this debate Senator
Foote interrupted the senator from
Missouri. and for the time had the
floor. While he was making some ref
erence to Benton, the latter walked
excitedly toward him. The report of
the affair is explicit in stating that
Senator Benton was unarmed. He
made no sign of being about to make
an assault, but his angry face alarmed
the senator from Mississippi.
Senator Foote started to run away,
and Senator Benton increased his
speed. AS Benton came after him,
Foote hurried along and drew a five
chambered revolver as he ran. Ben
ton was in full chase. He did not see
the weapon, but was apparently very
anxious to overtake Foote. Senator
Dodge of Wisconsin reached Benton
and begged him for Gods sake to do
nothing which would compromise him
with the senate: Benton was finally
persuaded to turn and retrace his steps.
He looked over his shoulder and caught
sight of the senator from Mississippi
with the revolver in his hand. This
aroused him to a frenzy Of desperation.
He broke away from Dodge and rushed
back at Foote. He stopped within
few feet of him. Tearing open his
Waistcoat and his shirt, he barred his
breast to the Mississippi senator, who
was brandishing the revolver in his
hand. He had cooked the weapon as
he turned, when he saw he could run
no farther. b:
Benton stood within a few feet of
him. and, with his naked bosom as a
target, dramatically cried to Foote:
i am not armed.
81 have no pistol.
Il disdain to carry firearms.
Let him fire.
STAND out of the way and let the as
SaSSin fire.
@ % @
AS may be imagined, there was
scene of the most intense excitement
in the old senate, now the chamber Of
the United States supreme court. Cow
ering at the front of the presidents
desk, was the thoroughly frightened
Foote. Towering over him was the gil
gantic Benton. He was in rage that
would have made the gods proud. Slow
ly Foote wilted. He sank into a chair,
and finally Dickinson of New York
came and took the revolver away from
him.
A senate committee investigated the
matter and did not require the bellig-
erents to apologize. The gist of the re-
port was that the senator's probably
felt badly enough and an apology was
1t was urgently recon-
mended that the practice of carrying
concealed weapons in the senate be dis
pensed with.
In 1850 Roger A. Pryor of Virginia
and John T. Potter of Wisconsin had
an affair following a speech in the
house of representatives made by Owen
Lovejoy of Illinois, concerning the as
sassination of his brother, Elijah P.
Lovejoy, at Alton, Ills, for denouncing
slavery in his newspaper.
LoVejoy'S speech was one of the
strongest deliveries against slavery
ever heard in the house, and led to a
scene of excitement and tumult, in
which Potter became involved He
struck Representative Barksdale of
Mississippi, who wore a wig, some
thing not suspected by any member of
the house, and the hirsute adornnent
went flying in one direction, while its
owner went in another. AS a result of
blows exchanger Pryor challenged Pot
ter to a duel Duels were more COM
mon in those days than now. Pryor
was rated an expert pistol shot, which
Potter learned, and when the seconds
Of the Virginian called on Potter to
ascertain what weapons he desired, he
said bowie knives. Before
the critical moment arrived when the
two men would face each other on the
field of honor. Pryor's seconds called
The duel off, declaring they could not
consent to let their principal fight with
such a barbarous weapon.
1E>S--
nTcuNp CpATnTNE DEAn