Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-11
Historic Belligerents Of the Senate and House
BY John Clagett Proctor.

Representative John E. Rankin OF Mis-
sissippi and Representative Frank E.
Hook of Michigan, only goes to show
that some members are getting mo
better FAST" except that in the present
day encounters it is rare for any one
to get seriously injured. But this sort
OF thing has been going on from time
immemorial, though fortunately, in our
own country the mode Of combat has
changed from dueling to smuggling, or
beating the other fellow up with
stick, as in the case Of the assault on
Senator Charles Sumner by Representa-
tive Preston S. Brooks on May %, 1856.
According to an early account of this
affair, Mr.. Sumner, who represented
Massachusetts in the Senate, on May 20,
after concluding long and elaborate
speech in that body. in connection with
q debate upon the affairs OF Kansas,
he commented with great asperity upon
the course pursued by Mr.. Butler OF
South Carolina and others, who had
taken a prominent part on the opposite
side. This drew forth sharp retorts from
Messrs. Mason and Douglas and severe
reioinder from Mr.. Sumner.
The Brooks-Sumner Fray
On the morning of the 22d, after the
adjournment of the Senate, while Mr..
Sumner was seated at his desk, he was
accosted by Preston S. Brooks,
nephew of Mr.. Butler, and member OF
the House from South Carolina, who
said that Mr.. Sumner had libeled the
State of South Carolina, and his (Mr.
Brookso aged relative, and that he had
come to chastise him; following the
words by repeated blows from cane by
which Mr.. Sumner was Frustrated and
so severely injured that for some days
his condition was extremely critical.
Mr.. Brooks proceeded to magistrate,
surrendered himself, and was released
on bail. On the following morning
committees were appointed by both
Houses to investigate the matter. The
Senate committee reported that the
Senate had no power to punish mem
Der of the other House, and could only
complain to the body to which he be-
longed.
The majority of the House committee
presented a report declaring that the
assault by Mr.. Brooks was breach OF
the privileges not only of the Senate,
but of the Senator assailed, and OF the
House as a coordinate branch OF the
legislative department of the Govern
ment, and in direct violation OF the
Constitution of the United States ana
: that Messrs. Edmundson and Keitt, who
were previously made acquainted with
the intention of Mr.. Brooks to commit
the assault, not only took no measures
to prevent it, but were present on one
or more occasions to witness the same,
as friends of the assailant. They, there
fore, presented resolutions expelling
Mr.. Brooks from the House, and cen
surfing the conduct of Messrs Edmund
son and Keitt. The minority OF the
committee presented report, arguing
that no breach of privilege, under the
Constitution, had been committed, and
that the House had no right to go be-
yond the Constitution in deciding the
matter.
It Is related of Charles Sumner that
he was man of tender heart and that
during the trying days of the Civil War
he was constant visitor to the military
hospitals around Washington, often 60
ing from bed to bed cheering up the
men who had been wounded in battle.
He died in this city at his residence
which then stood at the northwest cor
ner of ermont avenue and H street,
where is now the Veterans Administra-
ton Building, on March II, 1874. 1t
afterward became part of the Airing
ton Hotel property, and here later died
Secretary of State Walter @. Gresham
and Postmaster General Henry c. Payne.
Preston Brooks seems to have escaped
by narrow margin being expelled from
the House of Representatives for his
assault on Senator Sumner, at any
rate he resigned his seat but was later
reelected, and died in Washington or
January 81, 1857, after a short illness
For several days he had been confined
to his room by cold, but was appar-
emily recovering when he was attacked
by Group and soon afterward expired.
Houston-Stanbery Duel
Another famous encounter, the caus'
for which originated in the House bu
which took place elsewhere in Wash
ington, had as its antagonist the cele
brated Sam Houston, then member il
Congress from Tennessee. Houston
the general who beat Santa Ana a
San Jocinto in 1886 and subsequently
became the first President of Texas
The other party to the affair was viii
liam Stanbery, a Representative from
Ohio.
In this affair, according to the rec
ords of the Columbia Historical Society
ut seems that during debate in Con
gress Mr.. Stanbery, another membe
Of the House, stated that the Secretar
of War had fraudulently given the de
PENDANT using the name of Gov. Hous
ton, the contract for Indian ration!
and his statement was published in tn
National Intelligencer. The Governo
wrote to Mr.. Stanbery. inquirin
whether he had specifically mentione
his name and received an evasive repl.
which so angered Houston that
threatened that he would right tn
wrong wherever it was given, even wer
1t in the court of heaven and pre-
ceeded to do so in the House.
Each party provided himself wit
a pair of pistols and dirk, although
was in evidence that when the elias
came the Representative was arme
with a single pistol and the Governt