The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-05-08

and later in he United States senate.
He was one Of the South most bril-
liant orators.
Preston S. Brooks aG.er this affair
practiced law in Edgefeld and COM
mandeJ the company from Ninety
Six in the war with MEXICO In 1872
he ran FOR congress. His opponents
were men who alietl, Us nviu Jne
position indicated by heir titles; F.
". i,ickens Of Edgetiald, United States
minister Russia and war governor
o South Carolina; Gea. Darlington OF
Laurens: Col. Sullivan OF Laurens;
CsI. !. Foster Marshall OF Abbeville;
Col. Fort of LeXing' on. All Of these
were strong men, but Brooks Won in
a walk, and although he would not
c.,ugass his own county-EdgeGeld
also tie nome Of GOV, Pickens. h
carried this cou4ty among others.
He was reelected in 1874. 1t was in
1886 that his name became known
over the entire union. Charles Sum
rer, senator from New York and al
terwards secret: + war under
Pr s.aer, Lincoln. made bu ey
speech on the question Of slavery
in Kansas and in The absence OF Sen
ators Stephen A. Douglas and \. P.
Bui Ter pronounced bitter structures
against those gentlemen. Senator
Butler, very aged man, was a kias-
men OF Brooks. The latter waijed until
Summers speech was published ii. full
before taking any step. He tried to
! ca.ch Sumner outside of the capitol
building but could not. Brooks
approached Sumner from in front, not
from behind as malicious persons
nave charged, and said: "Mr. Sumner
have read your last speech with care
and with as much impartiality as is
/ possible under the circumstances, and
l feel it my duy to say that you have
/ libelled my ate and have slandered
my k;nsman, who is aged and absent
and l have come to punish you for it. !"
/ Sumner offered to rise at the word
punish He was physically much
more powerful man than Mr.. Brooks
! The latter struck SumAer with a mol
low, gut,a percha cane, such as was
much affected in those days. He
rained several blows on Sumner until
the latter in escaping fell. This light
cane was more of a toy than of a wea-
pom, and could not have caused ser
ious bodily hurt.
/ This was characterized by an Eng
lish writer as "the first blow of the
Civil War. The country was wild
with excitement. Resolutions pro-
posing the expulsion Of Brooks from
! congress were proposed and reported
favorably by tee comm: tee. 1t re-
quires a two-thirds vote 20 become Of
effect. The vote was III for expulsion
to 50 against. The feeling was intense.
Among hose who defeated Brooks was
Thomas l.. Clingman Of North Caro-
lima, whose speech On this occasion
was a masterpiece Of bitter sarcasm
and of eloquence 1t was known that
when one member of tle house had
/ assaulted another member, 10 action
had been taken. When one senator
attacked another, no action mad been
taken. And it was a mere excuse to
try 20 expel Brooks because he had
attacked member Of the other con-
gress
Brooks resigned and was Immediate
ly unanimously reelected by his con-
stituents. His reception when he came
home was we'll nigh an ovation He
was presented with loving cups, and
received over 30 handsome canes and
riding whips. One Of the latter is il
possession of Miss Maggie Rion, IL
brarian of the University of South Car
DINA and has ever $50 worth Of gold
inlajd work
The last dramatic incident of
Brooks life was the proposed duel
with Congressman Burlingame Of
Maine. This was the outcome OF the
Sumner affair. A challenge was pass
ed a@d accepted. Rifles were chosen
as the weapons but Burlingame insis-
ed on fighting in Canada. Broo'sk
,reinds dissuaded him, telling him he
Tou.d have to g through the North,
which was hostile and he would be
assassinated. The meeting never took
place and Northern papers character