The Caning of Charles Sumner
(adapted from http://www.jcp.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/The_Caning_of_Senator_Charles_Sumner.htm)
"On May 22, 1856, the U.S. Senate became a combat zone" when a member of the House of
Representatives beat Senator Charles Sumner into unconsciousness." in the Senate
chambers.
Three days earlier Senator Charles Sumner, an abolitionist from Massachusetts had given
his "Crime Against Kansas" speech, in which he mocked a South Carolina senator, Andrew
Butler, as being a man of supposed chivalry and charged him with "taking a mistress... the
harlot Slavery."
Andrew Butler's nephew, Representative Preston Brooks, was enraged that his uncle
Andrew had been insulted by Charles Sumner. In those days it was typical for a
disagreement like this to end up in a duel to the death with pistols or even swords.
Instead of challenging Sumner to a duel, Preston Brooks entered the Senate chambers at
the end of the day fully whipped into a fuming frenzy of anger and carrying a light cane "of
the type used to discipline unruly dogs." Brooks found Sumner attaching postage to copies
of his "Crime Against Kansas" speech.
"Moving quickly, Brooks slammed his metal-topped cane onto the unsuspecting Sumner's
head. As Brooks struck again and again, Sumner rose and lurched blindly about the
chamber, futilely attempting to protect himself. After a very long minute, it ended."
Sumner was carried away, bleeding from cuts to the head ,and several broken bones.
Brooks on the other hand, wasn't even detained. He walked calmly out of the chamber as
stunned onlookers just stood there. "Overnight, both men became heroes in their
respective regions."