The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-06-13

acteristic as noted in men like
Webster, Pierce and Seymour, of
Connecticut. Yet, most of New
EnglaDd's statesmen of that period
were highly learned, but intensely
fanatical in zealously tanning popu-
lar prejudice against what they
called "brutal Southern slave own
ers," such as Harriet Beecher Stowe
cast in the characters of "Uncle
Toms Cabin"
Brooks was strikingly handsome,
spare-b built man. Only few years
previous to the Sumner affair (the
Interpretation of conditions then ex
listing rather than the outburst of an
impetuous Southerner, he had not
long before been shot down in duel
with Louis T. Wigfall on sandbar
in the Savannah ftGsr, just below
Augusta. His health had been shat
tered by the climate of Mexico, where
he commanded company in the
Palmetto regiment, which did such
gallant service in the war with that
country. He was physically per
hsps less vigorous than Sumner, and
but few years his Junior, and had
the learned Massachusetts states
man been as ready to back his words
as he was tc deliver them, and as
Brooks was to resent them, Sumner
might have been the victor in the
affair. Sumner had, the day before,
delivered on the floor of the senate
bitter philippe against the State
of South Carolina, in which he as
sailed Senator A. P. Butler with
personal and offensive criticism,
while the latter was absent from
Washington. 1t was speech emf
nently characteristic of New Eng
land craftsmanship at that period,
more for home consumption in he
progressive works of infalniDg the
Northern heart. Brooks read the
speech and was exasperated; he was
in the lower house and could not re
ply to it. He instinctively yielded
to the Southern method of answer
ing insults. He waited until the
senate adjourned and dispersed; but
Sumner fingered at his desk doubt
less with some misgiving OF what
might follow. At any rate, Brooks
went to the senate chamber to look
for him. The senatorial body which
gave sanctity to the place had dis
persed. Brooks fingered at the door
until satisfied that Sumner did not
Intend leaving the chamber, aud as
he sat writing at his desk, Brooks
walked up in a manly way and said:
"Slr, you have traduced my State.
You have insulted my aged and ab
sent kinsman, and I propose to pun
ish you for it," and as deliberately
began to lssh him across the shoul-
ders; and instead Of showing resent
ment he was we'll able to give, Sum-
ner yelled like whipped boy. He
threw up two strong arms abundant-
ly capable of defense and offense,
and cried out like a woman, Il am
dead. I am ,deed. I am almost
dead"
1t was then and there that Brooks
stained the famous bloody shirt
which soon found its way to glass
in the Boston museum, as part of
the infaming program. While Sum
nel for several years played the
martyr, as many people then
thought, not from the physical effect
of brutal cowhiding to which he
tamely submitted, but to mask the
contempt brave men at the North
and South felt for him Burlingame
of the house felt it, and challenged
Brooks, and the challenge was &C.
cepted, but Burlingame insisted on
going to Canada to fight, while Brooks
asserted his right to fight uearer
home. Brooks was expelled aud
wanted to be governor of South Caro-
lima, but the people re- elected him
unanimously, aud he returned to
congress and died in Washington
city of something like diphtheria be-
fore his succeeding term expired
! Instead of being condemned at the
South, as Col. Mcclure states, he re-
| ceiyed WALKING canes enough to I'LL a