No Title.Columbus, Ohio, State Journal [Republican](27 May 1856)
[Pointing Finger] The Louisville Journal speaks of the
disgraceful outrage in the Senate chamber in a
spirit of just condemnation, although it thinks
Mr. Sumner ought to be punished "for his
incendiary harangues." If bludgeons rather than
arguments are to be used in the Senate, the
Journal presumes "Massachusetts might find many a bully within her borders who could
make short work with Mr. Brooks." After
alluding to the fact that there has long existed a
grudge between South-Carolina and Massachusetts,
ever since in fact the expulsion of Judge
Hoar from Charleston, in which the most
offensive language has come from the champions of
South-Carolina, the editor of the Journal tells
the following anecdote in point:
"We happened to be in the Senate Chamber
near the close of the last session of Congress
during one of the night discussions of all manner
of slavery questions. Judge Butler, who is
really a gentleman of many fine and generous
personal qualities, had become exceedingly
elated from frequent visits to the Senatorial
Restaurant. Sumner was making a severe speech
that evidently had reference to the forcible
expulsion of Mr. Hoar, a venerable citizen of
Massachusetts, from the limits of South-Carolina,
but he did not mention South-Carolina's name.
Mr. Butler interrupted him by asking in a fierce
tone, "does he mean South-Carolina?" Sumner
proceeded without noticing the interruption. "I demand," exclaimed Butler, starting again
to his feet, "whether he means South-Carolina;
for, if he does, let him say so, and I will give
him something to make him remember me and
South-Carolina as long as he lives." Sumner
still proceeded quite imperturbably, bestowing
no attention upon his excited opponent just in
front of him. "Does he mean South-Carolina?
ejaculated Butler for the third time. "Yes, I
do mean South-Carolina," thundered Sumner,
with more spirit than we had thought an
abolitionist could possess. He finished his speech
without any further interruption, and Butler
rose to reply, but the fine old South-Carolina
gentleman was too far gone to be half equal to
the tremendous occasion."
The Journal thinks that Senator Butler, "who
is quite as fiery-hearted as he is white-headed,"
will not thank any younger man for taking his
quarrel off his hands; and advises the prompt
expulsion of Brooks by the House, as a duty
both to itself and the Senate, and to the patriotic
portion of the people of the United States.
It may well be said that when the freedom of
debate is gone, the liberties of the country hang
by a rotten thread.
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