The Sumner-Brooks Affair
As you might expect, the issue of slavery was contentious long before the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861. Many attempts were made to compromise between the North’s abolitionist policies and the South’s agrarian, slave economy. But there was also a lot of vitriol flowing through the country. In the US Legislature, there was often acrimonious debate about the subject.
In May of 1856, Senator Charles Sumner, an abolitionist from Massachusetts, gave a speech over the course of two days where he derided the South and in specific Senator Andrew P. Butler of South Carolina, specifically on the topic of slavery and as he described them “excesses”.
The speech was not well received by many people. In fact, only the extreme abolitionists were supportive, while the moderates thought that Sumner was being un-American.
The tensions during that time period were exceptionally high, and Sumner’s speech did nothing to quell that tension. Instead, a few days later, Congressman Preston Brooks, Butler’s nephew, beat Sumner with a cane, wounding him severely. It took more than three years before he could resume his duties.
The aftermath was divided right down the line between North and South as you might expect. Even though the more moderate in the North had nothing good to say about Sumner’s speech, he came across as a lovable martyr, leading him to reelection even though he was still unable to take his seat until two years into his next term.
Brooks on the other hand was derided in the North, but seen as a hero in the South. He was invited to dinners, and collected canes that were sent to him by people who admired what he had done. Even though he resigned from the House of Representatives before he could be censured, he was reelected to his seat, nearly unanimously.