Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-04-24
STATESMEN QUICK TO FIGHT.
Some Stirring Events at Washington
Half a Century Ago.

Some Stirring Events at Washington
Half Century Ago.
Sensational episodes happening at
the national capitol in which con-
gressmen were the leading figures
was the topic in which a number Of
gentlemen participated, says the
Washington Post, when an old inhab-
liant broke in with the remark that
he considered the attack upon Senator
Sumner of Massachusetts by Repre-
sentative Preston S. Brooks of South
Carolina as the greatest incident Of
the character that was being discuss
ed that ever happened in any hall Of
legislation.
1T was more than fifty years ago."
said the old gentleman, when this
unhappy circumstance occurred. To be
more exact it took place in the latter
part of the month Of May, 1856. That
would make it fifty-two years ago
next month. 1 remember the event
very well, for 1 was in the senate
chamber soon after Brooks made his
assault and saw pieces of the broken
gutta percha cane with which he
struck the senator near Mr.. Summers
desk.
"Of course there was intense ex-
citement and it extended all over the
civilized world. In many quarters
great Indignation was expressed, and
particularly in England where Mr..
Sumner, because of his we'll known
championship of the abolition Of
slavery, was a great favorite. Brooks
was arrested and taken before Justice
Hollingshead, one Of the most prom
inent of the Washington justices.
The district courts did take some
action, however. A short time after
the assault Mr.. Brooks was taken be-
fore Judge Crawford, who fined him
in the sum of $500.
The intense excitement did not
die out for some time. Mr.. summers
colleague in the senate, who was Hen
ry Wilson, afterward ce-presdent
during the second administration OF
Gen. Grant, made a speech in which
he characterized the attack upon
Sumner as barbarous and ruffianly
and used other language Of a charac-
ter that induced Mr.. Brooks to chal-
lenge him to fight a duel. Wilson,
however, was averse to the code and
declined.
"Anson Burlingame, also Of Massa-
chusetts made speech in the house
Of representatives in which he cited
the killing of Abel by Cain and said
Brooks smote Sumner as Cain smote
his brother. This led Brooks to chal-
lenge Burlingame, who said he would
meet Brooks and negotiate things on
the Canada side of Niagara Falls.
Brooks was ready to fight and willing
to go, but several friends who were
willing that he should fight did not
think he should go so far north for the
purpose and he was prevailed upon not
to so. AS l understand it, he was per-
suaded against his own will to follow
of this phase of the matter was that
both of these gentlemen were put
under heavy bonds not to fight.
This period of the year 1856 was
full o.. sensational incidents. 1t was
in the same month that Brooks caned
Sumner that Representative Herbert
Of California shot and killed waiter
at Wizards hotel whose name was
Heating. There had been some sharp
talk between Keating and the con-
gresham while the latter was break
fasting and a conversation which was
carried on in rather low tones at last
broke forth in a violent and Certain
ly on the part Of the congressman
undignified quarrel. Then there came
a scuffie and Herbert shot the waiter.
He was Of course arrested and tried.
He had two trials, in fact for the jury
disagreed, but on the second trial he
was acquitted. l think a witness tes-
titled that Heating was holding Her.
bert under the dining room table and
was pounding him, and a case of
self-defence was thereby created. At
this time the American, or Know
Nothing party was prominent in the
land Now Keating was an Irishman
and a rather popular man. His
friends attributed his killing to race
hatred and denounced Herbert and
all his friends in unmeasured terms.
There was something akin to an
international question that grew out
of this tragic circumstance. 1t ap-
peared that the testimony Of the
name L do not now recall, was desired
by the United States attorney for this
district to testify in the case, but the
minister declined to accede to the at
torney's request. He had been wit
ness to the occurrence in the hotel din
ing room, and with the exception of a
friend of Mr.. Herbert was the only
witness. However, the minister de-
clined to go to the court and give evil
dence on grounds of international law,
but he would go to the state depart
ment he said, and testify to the truth
in the matter Mr.. Marcy, who was
then the secretary of state, did not
like the position taken by the minister
and accordingly requested the
American minister at The Hague to
refer it to the minister of foreign af-
fairs at that capital. All the men,