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VOLUME 4?NO. Ki. ABBEVILLE C. II., SOUTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST 1, 185G. WHOLE NUMBER 169.
L".!1 " " ' - ?? -... iV?l?uj^'.iw.iii tern mm
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MISCELLANY.
Speech of Hon. P. S. Brooks,
On resigning his seat in Congress: delivered
in the Jlousc of lic/irescntatives,
July 14, 1850.
Mr. Brooks said :
air. Speaker : Until this moment I have ,
felt tli.it there was .1 propriety in my remaining
silent, and intrusting my defence
t6 friends who arc abler and more learned
than myself. I have heretofore felt that
other and higher interests than any which
affect me personally were involved in the
proceedings of this case. The interests of
my constituents, of this House, and of nil,
indeed, who arc concerned in the constitution
itself, in my vk-w, have been intimately
and inseparably complicated.
[Here Mr. 1'rooks was interrupted by Mr. 1
G lddingg, Arc.]
Sir, 1 am indebted to the House for even 1
this much courtesy. I was about remark- 1
ing that there were higher interests than-1
my own involved in this matter. I have ;
been content, therefore, meet personally and
_;i -11 -1 - . "
in sucucc an uie consequences ol these pro- <
ceedings. <
Some time sincc a senator from Massachusetts
allowed himself, in an elaborately i
prepared speech, to offer a gross insult to i
,ruy State, and to a venerable friend, who is
any State Representative, and who was absent
at tho time. I
Not content with that, he published to j
the world, and circulated, extensively, this i
uncalled-for libel on my State and my blood, i
Whatever insults my State insults inc. Her
history and character have commanded my I
pious veneration, and in her defence I hope
I ehan always be prepared, humbly and i
modestly, ?r> perform the duty of a son. I',
should have ibrfeited my own self-respect!,
;nnd perhaps, the good opinion of my conn-11
itrymen, if I had failed to I'Osenisuoli an in-11
.."jury, by calling the offender in question to' |
a personal account. It was a personal nf-!j
fnir anrl in fil-in/y 1
.* ! 1VVIIVOO I Ml* J 1IJJ UiUI I
-bauds I meant no disrespect to the Senat?:[|
of the United States, or to this House, i
-Nor, sir, did I design insult or disrespect to ! t
the State of Massachusetts. I was aware <
' of the personal responsibilities I incurred, ,
>aud was willing to meet them. I knew, i
too, that I was amenable to the laws of the .
Country, which afford the same protection
.to all, whether they be members of Con- i
gross or private citizens. I did not, and do
uotnow, believe that I could be properly
punished, not only in a court of law, but \
'nero also, at the pleasure and discretion of I
..the House. I did not then, and do not
now, believe that the spirit of American
freeman would tolerate slander in high pla- |
ces, and permit a member ofCongress to pub- '
' fish and circulate a libel on another, and j
th^a call upon either house to protect him i
against the personal rcsnonsihiHtira wliw-h
'- ho had thus incurred. I
J3ut if I had committed a breach of priv- ,
Siege, it was the privilege of the Senate, and <
. y?ot.of .this Ilousc, which was violated. I |
- was answerable there, and not here. They
-1had no right, as it seems to me, to prose- ,
cute jnc in these haUs, nor have you the
""*rt]?Titin law or under the constitution, as I
r respectfully submit, to take jurisdiction over .1
-^offences committed againet them. Thocon*y
-etitdiion does not justify them mjnaking
" a request, nor this IIouso in granting
^flTanhappily, the day should ever come
vvhen sectional or party feeling should run
, bo high as to control all other considerations
of nubliti dutv>or in&Luuv how piku
r.t/ wiibit be to use such precedents for the ex>-jOM'Of
arbitrary power, in tiitber House, to
^expol'membero of the -minority 'who ipny
^'-'ftaVererfdered themselves obnoxious to the
pfevwKkig spirit of the 'House to which
Vlojig.
:i. Matters may go smoothly enough when
- - one House asks the other to punish a member
oftWsive to* ?'majority of its
"?%n:body; but how will it be when, 4ipon
of insulted dignity, dfmun&a arc [
? t!&'
_-i ^.,1, ... . |
made of this House to expel a member who '
happens to run counter to its party predilections,
or other demands which it may
not be so agreeable to grant ? It could
never have been designed by the constitution
of the United States to expose the two
Houses to such temptations to collision, or
fn I'm- *lirt - '
- - V
which was given to cither House to punish
its own members for the violation ol' its:
rules and orders. Discretion has been said j
to be the law of the tyrant, and when exer- j
ei>ed under the color of the law and under j
the iniluence of party dictation, it may and ;
will become a terrible and insulVcrahle des- j
pot ism.
This House, however, it would seem, from j
the unmistakable tendency of its proceedings,
takes a different view from that which
I deliberately entertain in common with
many others.
So far as public interests or constitutional
rights are involved, I have uow exhausted j
my means of defence, I may, then, be al-;
lowed to take a more personal view of the '
question at issue. The further prosecution I
ot' this subject in the shape it has now assumed
mav not only involve my friends,
but the House itself in agitations which
might he unhappy in their consequences to
the country. If these consequences could
he confined to myself individually, 1 think I
am prepared and ready to n.?M them, here
or elsewhere ; and when 1 use this language,
I mean wluitl say. But others must not
sutler for me. 1 have felt more on account
of my two friends who have been implicated
than for myself, for they hav^ proven
that "there is a friend that stickcm closer
than a brother." 1 will not constrain gentr\
.? K. I!? ~ ?
..W...V. 1? II.-OUI1IV I? I vajJUllMUIIIlV on my
account, which possibly they would not on
I heir own.
Sir, 1 cannot, on my own account, assume
the rosposihility, in tin* face of the American
people, of commencing :i line of conduct,
which in my heart of hearts I believe
would result in subverting the foundations
of this government, and in drenching this
ball in blood. No act of mine, and on my
personal account, shall inaugurate revolu-!
tion ; but when you, Mr. Speaker, return j
to your own home and hear the people of!
the great North?and they arc great peo- j
pie?speak of mens a bad man, you will j
io me the justice to say that a blow struck j
by me at this time would be followed by
revolution?and this T know. [Applause
ind hiss.es in the gallery.]
The speaker announced that if any such j
jemonsirauons wore repeated the galleries
;liou!d be cleared.
Mr. Ih-ooks, (turning to the gentlemen's
*n!lcry,) if I have any friends in the gallery,
I appeal to them to lie quiet.
At the same time, Mr. Speaker, T am not.
willing to sec the constitution wounded
through me ; nor will I submit voluntarily to
i wrong if I can avoid it. I will not involuntarily
give my name to countenance parliamentary
misrule or constitutional aggros ?ion.
If I am to be tried again for the matter now
before us, I will choosa my own tribunal.
[ will appeal from this llouso to mv own
constituents. If an expression of public
opinion is to be invoked in my case, let my i
constituents and my follew citizens pro-:
ion we upon it. From that verdict I will j
not appeal. The temper of the times is j
riot favorable for a calm and dispassionate!
judgment of the case; and if, by any act of!
mine, 1 can save the majority of this House j
from the consequences of a rash decision,
the time may come when the good men who,
;ire pursuing mc?and I believe there ave
sueli in the opposition?will admit that I
deserve their thanks for the deed. The axe!
lliat is uplifted to strike me may fall upon i
others, and fall tipnn thorn after tliev liavej
parted with the shield of the constitution:
to protect thorn.
For myself I have only to say that if T
cannot preserve my self-respect and eonsti-'
tutional rights, together with a seat in this j
[>ody, I must renounce the last rather than
the former.
I have no desire, sir, to continue an ar-,
n;iiment which my friends have exhausted.1
The determination of the majority is fixed,'
nnd it is in vain to resist it.- I will make |
no appeal to a jmcked jury, hut I protest j
against its inconsistencies nnd its usurpa-:
Lions. During this session the charge was !
openly made by a member from the State,
L>f Pennsylvania,on this lloor, that another,!
[Mr. Pearce] who is his colleague, had been
guilty of an attempt to bribe, and 110 proccedinga'were
instituted in the case. Do the
majority of this House propose to instruct
the American people, frjgn their high position.
thnt. brihoru ia Avn'niant.la ?r?*t ownrJn
assault and battery a crime ? That is the
lesson, and you are the teachers. At the
Grst session of the last Congress a ,raeiuber
leaped from his seat, and, while tho Speaker
was 5d his chair, he passod over several tables
towards his antagonist, who drew a
weapon in defence, aut} ^cither gen tl em eh!
was subjected to the c$i)aure of. this IJxmso,
A?.was appropriately, remarked by my friend j
from North Carolina* (Mr. Clingman,) the
assarting member?and ft is not for me to
s;ty a w.oj^l agrtinsy him, for personally Hike
him?has now the most lucrative of$tee in
.1 . - *. -f .1 * w
tnegiiioi mis nouso, find wns' clodtCd by
the unanimous vote of rflefi jWtf
are-wow. gbuspiring to inflict pu'otihmc?*
upon. roc. ... ' fW
An?i vtl -wlidoc l&lbflf IS thifT tataiorcb...
.....
"* '
M f ^ . ?, l
nary stretch of constitutional power invoked
I Sir, I do not intend to violate any
rule of this House, or of parliamentary
courtesy, but it cannot he denied that lie is,
pur excellence, the representative of a sovereignty
which is at this instant in open, statu
torv rebellion?not to a simple rule of :i
single house, hut to the constitution and
laws of the I idled States of America,
Massachusetts sits in judgment upon nn
without a hearing, and presents lire for a
breach of privilege! Sir, is it not strange
that it did not occur to that sage legislature
that its demands upon the Congress
of the United Stales, relative to a member,
was a greater lircncli ot privilege in tliein
than that complained of the member himself?
What right, sir, lias the legislature
of Massachusetts t<> make any demand upon
this House! She has not the right of
even instructing the most insignificant
member from tlie Stale, and hi\s l?y her
resolutions but given additional proof that
she unit her comprehends the t heory of our
government nor is loyal to its authority.
I have said, sir, that, if 1 have committed
a breach of privilege, it was the privilege
of the Senate. If I have in any particular
violated the privileges or proprieties
of this House, I am unconscious of it, and
L challenge every member to specify a single
disorderly or improper act. Tn mv intercourse
with its members 1 have endeavored
to observe a civil and respectful deportment
; 1 have, rendered prompt and
iinolicit obi-dii-liei! lo it< 1 .. 'l--?
- V wii.JUt >tiv.u (IllltlUI "
ities, and I can truly say that which many
who have recorded their Votes againct me
cannot?and {li.it i<, tiiat never once, in the
three vcars that I have held a seat on this
tioor, have I been declared out of order. It
before the transaction, for which a ufrijority
have declared ine to be deserving expulsion,
I have ojli nded any oilicer or member, or
been unkind even to an emjiloj'ee, I regret
and am ignorant of it.
A .. I ' *
iiilii _\i:i, Sir, lll? VOX C WHICH Ji;lS J list
been taken transmits me to posterity as a
man unworthy, in the judgment of a majority
of my peers, of a seat in this hall.
And tor what ? The mem!.it from New
Jersey, (Mr. Pennington)?the prosecuting
member?the thumb-paper member?
j laughter] ? the Kalstalliau member, who,
like his prototype, was born about foilr
o'clock in the morning, and if he has not
the bald hea.l, is graced with the corporal
rotundity | ureal laughter] of hi* predecessor,
upon his advent into this sublunary
world?he says it was for making a "murderous"
n<*niilt with a "bludgeon," and he,
forsooth, would have this House and the
country believe, u gh an intent to kill.
Now, sir, I see that a very respectable and
excellent gentleman from Massachusetts .has
in his hand a cane of the ordinary size for
a gentleman of his age, and 1 beg him to
raise it for inspection of ihe member from
Now Jersey. [Mr. T)e Wilt clelcvated his
cane.) Now, sir, I ask that member to answer
as a. gentleman?I beg his pardon,
that is a word which he cannot comprehend
?but as a man on the witness stand, is
not that cane double the weight and thickness
of the one used by tnc, and which you
have impudently and I'alscly called a i-bludge?m
?"
Mr. Trafton, (interrupting.)?I have noticed
several interruptions in the galleries
luring this discussion, and I wish to move
that the Sergeant at-Arms be directed to
clear the galleries. [ Hisses in the galleries.]
Mr. Wheeler. I object.
The Speaker. The motion is not in order.
The Chair announced some time since,
that if there was any further disturbance
the Sercreant-at-Arms would have orders to
-i? .1 -it?:?
vjitaii! Lite i;iiiitri
Mr. Brooks. I again appeal lo inv
friends in the galleries to be quiet.
The Speaker. Order must be preserved.
Mr. Brooks, (resuming.) If I desired to
kill the Senator, why did not I do it ? You
all admit that I hud him in my power. Lot
me tell the member from New Jersey that it
was expressly to avoid taking life that I used
an ordinary cane, presented to me by a
friend in Baltimore, nearly three months before
its application to the "bare head" of the
Massachusetts senator. I went to work
very deliberately, as 1 am charged?and this
is admitted?and speculated somewhat as
to whether I should employ a horse-whip
or a cowhide; but knowing that the Senator
waa my superior in strength, it occurred
lo me that he might wrest it from my hand,
ana men?tor l never attempt anything I
do not perform?I might have been compelldd
todo that which! worthl have regretted
tho balance of my natural life. -*
The question has been asked in certain
newspapers why I did not invite the Senator
to personal combat in tho mode usually
adopted. Well," sir, as T desire the whole
truth to be known about tho matter, I will
for once n6tice a newspaper article on tho
floor of the House, and answer hero*
My answer it, that 1 knew tl?U the Senator
would uot accept a message ; and having
formed the.unalterable determination to
nunish liiin. I ' lhat tlm /%ffc?n/ ?
|t . r 1 ? VM % IlltV bilV VUVIIVV VI
"edbtling'h hostilfe message," Btiperadded tc
the indicfrtiytit- for nawult and battery
would subject mft to legal penajtica more
vcrc thair"tr6nW ^BcMm^Dsed* for a simpW
?itia?It knd'fefttterjriiv^ ; i ^ 1
t 'Whit,.(>' *
U /ipt, AvbkU tU/f wjtU, tb<
jfcj\itafy ^xccptipji of ft dwp^gujsiicd gotv
fT!i * *r"? ' tr * 3 ';
tIonian from (rcorgia |Mr. Tombs] have
pronounced mo guilty of n breach of its'
privileges?I'ur this act I am complained of j
, by that body to this House. Your commit-j
too have declared, ami this House lias now
concurred in the opinion, that my offence
11 is to the Senate, and that no rule.or order
I of this body have 1 violated.
Now, sir, let me ask why the Senate did
> not protect its own rights? The argument
II has been made here that ex necessitate this
i Utilise must have the power to protect it..
| self. It' that principle be truo in its npnii
j cation hero, why lias not tlio Senate
| the same powers of protection? ]>ut
what right lias this House to punish mo fur
oflences committed out of its presence !
j Again, sir, I challenge comparison with anv
j member, aged or young, pious or not, as to
the propriety of my demeanor as a senile- j
, man and a member. They tell me that mv ,
resposibility to this House is because of the
I general responsibility which attaches to evj
ery member. IIow far docs your anthori
j ty extend J Across the Potomac? To my
j own home ? Why,sir, if I go to my home
land lind that one of my slaves has behaved
! badly in my absence, and I direct him to
be lloarired. 1 mav be charrrod wiili?tit/*
j t he language which is familiar here?"crime
! the blackest ami most heinous!" ami when
I come back?and come back I w ill?tuav
| lie punished myself for inflicting a chastiseI
mont which, by the common law and the
i constitutional laws of my country I have
the right to inflict upon my slave, who is my
i properly. '.Yhere do you stop in this question
of authority of the House over its!
members ? As we understand it, there is
sense iti this authority controlling a xnem!
her while the House is in session and rci
stmnilnrr liin* iVnm /l?iii? *!. %?? t
, . 0 ui.ii.?iuiu? ui cuiimrnis- |
| sing ils proceedings. If Llio government j
was constitutionally administered every citizen
would have a direct interest in this
much. I Jut if your authority goes into the
Senate chamber, and even when the Senate
is not in session, why should it not go into
the ante-rooms and down the stops of the
Capitol ? Why not pursue me into the
avenue?into the steamboat?to mv plant|n
lion? I take the gentleman who have lai
bored for my expulsion on their own dcela!
ration. They are committed to it, and they
cannot now evade it. They say that my
responsibility is not because of any offence
committed in tlie presence of or to this
1 Louse, but because of the general and necessary
authority which the House has over
its members. Now, it seems to me tlftit, if
I my sesponsibility to this House for nn of
tenets coininiiieu eisewnero is because of my
membership, it is a logical conclusion that,
my resposibility ceases when my relation is
dissolved. Whether or not the authority
of the Senate reaches me after my relations
to this House have terminated, it is not 1
lor me now to inquire; but, in justicc
to myself, I take occasion to say to the
I country, that if the Senate take that view,
j T shall recognize its authority. Now, sir,
let me inform the honorable members who
| have been pursuing me so fiercely, that my
present attit 1 was long since foreseen,
and that I a ..together prepared for any of
itsemerg<I knew with whom I had to
deal, and my resignation has been for more !
| than ten days in the hands of tho Govern
j or of South Carolina, to take eli'ecL the very
j instant that I announce my resignation up!
011 this floor. But, before I make tho announcement,
I desire to s:iy a word or two j
in reference to what has been said of me in j
debate and elsewhere. I saw in some of the j
New York papers that a certain feminine 1
gentleman from that State (Mr. Morgan) j
had applied to mc the term "villain." Well,
that was not a word "spoken in debate,"
and I only allude to it to advertise the indignant
gentleman that I have seen the
word, and know that it was spoken in New j
York, and not here in debate. lie need not 1
be much alarmed ; and, if he will "hold :
I still" when I get hold of him I'll not hurt |
hiiiwmuch. And this is all that I can say 1
about that matter here.
Your amiable colleague, [Mr. Knapp,]
who was presented bv his constituents with 1
a revolver, intended tor my particular bene- '
fit, yesterday declared that Massachusetts 1
would "take her own time and place" to ]
| resent what he and sho both pronounced to 1
' be an insult and injury. I do not intend,
| Mr. Spearker. to utter an offensive, unkind.
or even a rough word to tliat gentleman?
for he is a gentleman,socially, I know?but
1 wish to say this to him, that I will never <
plead the statuto of limitations in bar of
; the wrath of Massachusetts. i
j On yesterday, however, wo had a violent
' demonstration from the gentleman from
Connecticut, [Mr. Woodruff] who is now
near mo, and who, with historical accuracy,
(?) has asserted that the bones of
Connecticut revolutionary soldiers now lie
in the valleys of the sunny South. That
member, with a show of manhood wliich
elicited my admiration, in Lin written re
. marks, used the following language:
i . 'Will not ibiaiialt, with too much reason,
' continue to be characterized as a.'chamber
i of assassins,' if we do not n ?w. unite to rie;
buke and emphatically condemn this.mon.
sCrons violation of all. honor and (decency:
) Tb4 country demand*, aotiop, awl ibe,tim*8
aro hot for ?>mct. expiation of dwtordj^
awl brutal outrage^wh^hor committed 11^
y this GApLtpl.br on plau?& of fUnlas,
a > "If tbefe ianotspiritor rnanline^s en?"3lv
fSl, :!' v?:li *,?V
>n'? j.-i
lierc to promptly purgo this body by proper
and constitutional uioans, at all events let a
trial be made; let the vote come. Wo shall
then know who dare screen audacity or
give countenance to crime."
Again t
"I court no disturbance; but the privile(TivQ
nf fl?i? lTr.nco ol.??ll ???? *? ? - r
V. - ?wtiov dlltl I I1VII, PU till" ?t>> I 21111
concerned, be infringed. With an endeavor
and design always to cultivate courtesy,
I shall not hesitate here my place, or elsewhere,
to freely characterize as they deserve
any loft assumptions of arrogance, or any
mean achievmcnts of cowardice."
And again :
"I say again, let the vote come ; and if
honorable gentlemen cannot wholly rid themselves
of an unwelcome presence, tliey can
at least show their appreciation of an action
waiting few of the elements of the most
audacious crime, and of a spirit equal to
deeds that I will not name."
I lis conclusion is grandiloquent. It is
as follows:
"An<l lot me tell you, Mr. Speaker, that
llic spirit of true conrayc in Connecticut
sru.i. i.ivks !"
Well sir, I cofllss to you that all other
considerations escaped me when I heard
the expression of so much manhood. lie
went through the motions well, and when
ho had finished I could not resist an expression
of admiration of a spirit with which
we have not recently been familiar, and I
involuntarily arose from my scat and made
him a profound bow.
1 thought, sir, that a gentleman who could
utter such sentiments bo handsomely was a
toeman worthy of anybody's steel, and I determined
in a very quiet way to treat him
as a gentleman, for he spoke like a man.
The very first friend who chanced to come
by me after the gentleman had coticltidoil
was my friend from Tennessee?Mr. Savage
?about whom I happened to know something
in Mexico, lie wsis the very man I
wanted ; and I asked him to present my
compliments to the gentleman from Connecticut,
and say a word quietly in his ear
in my behalf. My friend did so, and here
is a letter giving a report of the interview:
Washington City, July 11, 185G.
Dear Sir, I make a brief statement of
the main facts connected with my call on
the lion. Mr. Woodruff, of Connecticut,
epokc to-day in the llouse of Representatives.
A few moments after Mr. Woodruff concluded
his speech, you requested me to
bear him a message. I immediately went
round to that part of the House where he
sat, just inside the bar. I told him I wanted
to speak with him, and we had better
walk to the window, which we <li?l T !>"?
said ill substance, "Col. Brooks .and his
friends, myself among the number, understood
you in your .speech to hold yourself
out as a fighting mfln, subject fo-lhe law of
honor ; and I am requested to present you
Col. Brook's compliments, and inquire
whether you aro willing to receive a communication
frogAWiim under tlio rules of
that code." llo-replied that he did not
intend to bo so understood ; he did not intend
to hold 'himself out as a fighting man,
and if there was anything in his speech that
would Jjj^r that construction, he, like Col.
Bingham, would be ready to explain. I
then told him that I considered that this
declaration on Ins -part ended my mission
on that part of Col: Brooks, but I would
advise liiin to look over his speech before
publication; that I thought if lie would examine
it carefully lie would find points and
sentences that would indicate to a man of
honor and scnsibility.thnt he did intend to
hold hifnself out as a fighting man, subject
to the code of honor. lie replied that he
would do so, and this ended the interview.
I was fully satisfied, as your friend, believing
you to be as. gonvrous as brave, that it
could not be your duty or inebriation to
press the matter further.
1 "am, respectfully, your friend and obeJi'.nt
servant, JOHN II. SAVAGE.
Hon. Preston S. Brooke.
Now, sir, 1 have to ftay to that member
ns Uncle Toby (of Tristram Shandy memory)
said to the fly,: "Go, little wreteh,
there is room enough .in,.this world for both
you and me." 11 in moderate laughter.] Another
quotation ha* just come to me, and I
will givo him also the benefit of that:
"You con burl nonmu's fame by your ill word;
Your pen is just as harmless as your sword."
I now desire tho attention of iny quondam
friend from Massachusetts [Mi1: Coming.]
Ho nlludod, in. the opening of his
speech, to our past personal and family relations.
1 have to say. Jo hi in that my at*
taclunents do not set so loosely upon me
as to he cast off unnecessarily, an3 that I
yet take deep interest in the wdfrttft' of hia
excellent family.- Hud ourrelatffce position
been reversed, I ehould have paid nothing,
or I should have done more than he- has done.
Prom his rtfgWr inthft his representative
character, an&nt the time armed
tp'tho teeth,-and, not with a r$e. hypocritically
ai*l cowardly, disguised as a walking
cane, and carried in the hand of a poltroon
Arid puppy,"hut Witlf;ltl6 geribirie article
-i-lfe' quoted Ifi'H IrtngftarfBarid' endorsed tb*,
Rontiment 4f the<Oiewier-.Wcbb, of poor
Joflna*at^Mrtey;^to(ri^y, ^^llowa ^ ?jWJj
Senate -Jlm\#r,
<fc4 vtir. n - liai ?i v4 bjJnApniiu imltetti Fl*',
?/ ftgbf& arrf} U0b r*:
? U ! - merited
death on tho spot from any patriot
present who was in a position to inflict tho
punishment."
Now, sir, I say to tliat gentleman that
no man has the right to wear arms wlio..
does not intend to use thorn. In my coun'
try the cock that crows and won't fight is
despised l>y the liens, and even by tho pul? <
lets, who knew a thing or two instinctively*
[Croat laughter.] His ehivalrio spurs dwindle
before: the charges of the valorous gout,
and his place is?out of sight. I feci, air,
that "the blood more stirs to hunt tho lion
than to chase the hare but if my quonduni
friend has any ambition under tho
direction of tho Chevalier Webb, to play
the "juttriot," let him or It. jtrcux chevalier,
separately or together, or backed by tho
whole bljlok-rf>iml?lif?nn kmw /wmvia
I ?v..., V,v^...v- iant ILO
life which they say is forfaited.
Now, Mr. Speaker, I have nearly finished
what I intended to say. If my opponents,
who have pursued mo with unparalleled
bitterness, are satisfied with the present condition
of this affray, 1 am. I return my
thanks to my friends, and especially to those
who arc from the slavcholding States, who
have magnanimously sustained me, and
felt that it was a higher honor to themselves
to be just in their judgment of a gentleman
than to he a member of Congress for
life. In taking my leave, I feel .that it is
proper tl.nl I should say that ["believe some
of the votes which have been against rod
have been extorted by an outside pressure
at homo, and that their votes do not express
the feeling or opinions of the members who
gave them.
To sucli of these as have given their vptes
and made thnir speeches on the constitutional
principles involved, and without indulging
in personal vilification, I own my
respect, But, sir, they have wiitten me
down upon the history of tho country as
worthy of expulsion, and in no unkin4neqs
f must tell tluMn that for all future time my
self-respect requires that I shall pass them
as strangers.
And now, Mr. Speaker, I announce to
you and to this llouso that I am no longer a
member of the Thirty-fourth Congress.
[Mr. Brooks then walked out of the
House of Representatives, and was soon
surrounded by his friends.] i
APPENDIX.
Thft imnnrlonpo nf z?vii rvnvcrtn
? j, V, y? ^ * ? V*iO|/Ui^U jf^l UVWf
who, by newspaper articles and in privato
conversations, have done injustice both to
the Hon. Mr. BuiTmgame and myself, readers
it necessary that the subjoined memoranda
should be nppended to my speech :
Mr. Burlingamc, in a fair and manly way,
admitted his responsibility for any language
used in his speech, and disclaimed any intention
to reflect upon the personal character
of Mr. Brooks, or to impute to hun.in
any respect a want of courage; but, discriminating
between the man and the act
fo which he was called upon to allude, he*
had characterized the latter only in soch
manner as his representative duty reqailtod!
liiin to d<>.
The above is a statement made by Jijjr.
Burlingamc in reference to the passage in
his speech which referred to Mf/ Brooks,
j It is in the hand writing of Mr. Speaker
Banks, and was acknowledged bv Mr.Bftr
lingarue in our presence, and was satisfactory
to us as friends of Mff" Brooks.
w. \v. boycb;
July 15,1850. Til. S. BQCOCK::'
"The Man and the Act."
Mr. Bnrlingame of Massachusetts, oh being
challenged by Preston S. Brooks ftotei
his strictures on the Sumner assault, ^disclaimed
any intention to reflect upon the
personal character of Mr. Brooks, or to impute
to him in any respect a want of courage
; but, discriminating between the nym
and the act to which he was called.]]pQjvlo
allude, he had characterized the latter. Qfljjr
in such manner as his representative doty
required him to do." This apology^Ivis
given great offence to his constitu^mV
perceive in it a backing down from itibjjosition
he assumed as a "fighting man.", Xlie
Boston Courier concludes some str}ct$fes
as follows : ' 'i t
"We cannot trust ourselves to characterize
his conduct. Had his views of djioljiibg'
been honestly entertained and honestfjf Adhered
to, fio would in the estimation 9# a
largo body of men in MassaehusettiCTfteti
thechampion of a section ; and living jnijiht
have been a hero or dying a marlw. A?
Mi) he has disgraced his district aJad his
adopted State and is no reprcsefolaUs# of
tfie character and courago of New fingtaad.
If at tlie end of his Congressional^w^eer
he sh all be remembered at alt, ffijnjfbe
Only for the pucilanimous diAcnnluiatioD
winch- he. baa suffered himselrto m'&ke
between "the man and the act.** " j
o-. ?;? io)
Getting TirtK.?"Hallo, iny.fri?ptyl>8ee
yon are loosing flesh." ;m;ow
0ld gentleman, indignant atth? familiarity
of his supposed friend, and ftputttfing
mostfyrocaously? :{>. .'/ hjhh
j; . "W~wbat 1 loosing fleBh I yon impudenl
l??l TMI M ?? XJ-i
OVUUIIUIUI, A I' Id.(-JU11 niiww my xiwuuif Sir.
T, ?irf last night, sir, was- weighed; tiiyand
Jlfcd gained ten pounds airJ Vety*.,pfeUr
state pf affairs, if a person has tbiM iasHud
4n;tb?manner" : y* . t':l .-to)
! -h Well my friend, all 1 can iftf mJ if joa
look behind, you wilt find iitohiMriuiT
r: Old gent discovers n soialUdog smaking
?violent assault on hia maket basket;f)a!v
A . ,-W ,\{V; . li
(T??^ v ? ' .cupit