the anti-slavery crusade-第29章

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sions　a　disposition　to　make　the　most　of　the　weak　point　in　Sumner's　constitutional　argument　against　the　Fugitive　Slave　Law。　He　was　accused　of　taking　an　oath　to　support　the　Constitution　though　at　the　same　time　intending　to　violate　one　of　its　provisions。　In　a　discussion；　in　June；　1854；　over　a　petition　praying　for　the　repeal　of　the　Fugitive　Slave　Act；　Senator　Butler　of　South　Carolina　put　the　question　directly　to　Senator　Sumner　whether　he　would　himself　unite　with　others　in　returning　a　fugitive　to　his　master。　Sumner's　quick　reply　was；　〃Is　thy　servant　a　dog　that　he　should　do　this　thing？〃　Enraged　Southerners　followed　this　remark　with　a　most　bitter　onslaught　upon　Sumner　which　lasted　for　two　days。　When　Sumner　again　got　the　floor；　he　said　in　reference　to　Senator　Butler's　remark：　〃In　fitful　phrase；　which　seemed　to　come　from　unconscious　excitement；　so　common　with　the　Senator；　he　shot　forth　various　cries　about　'dogs；'　and；　among　other　things；　asked　if　there　was　any　'dog'　in　the　Constitution？　The　Senator　did　not　seem　to　bear　in　mind；　through　the　heady　currents　of　that　moment　that；　by　the　false　interpretation　he　fastens　upon　the　Constitution；　he　has　helped　to　nurture　there　a　whole　kennel　of　Carolina　bloodhounds；　trained；　with　savage　jaw　and　insatiable　in　scent；　for　the　hunt　of　flying　bondmen。　No；　sir；　I　do　not　believe　that　there　is　any　'kennel　of　bloodhounds；'　or　even　any　'dog'　in　the　Constitution。〃　Thereafter　offensive　personal　references　between　the　Senators　from　Massachusetts　and　South　Carolina　became　habitual。　These　personalities　were　a　source　of　regret　to　many　of　Sumner's　best　friends；　but　they　fill　a　small　place；　after　all；　in　his　great　work。　Nor　were　they　the　chief　source　of　rancor　on　the　part　of　his　enemies；　for　Southern　orators　were　accustomed　to　personalities　in　debate。　Sumner　was　feared　and　hated　principally　because　his　presence　in　Congress　endangered　the　institution　of　slavery。　Sumner's　speech　on　the　crime　against　Kansas　was　perhaps　the　most　remarkable　effort　of　his　career。　It　had　been　known　for　many　weeks　that　Sumner　was　preparing　to　speak　upon　the　burning　question；　and　his　friends　had　already　expressed　anxiety　for　his　personal　safety。　For　the　larger　part　of　two　days；　May　19　and　20；　1856；　he　held　the　reluctant　attention　of　the　Senate。　For　the　delivery　of　this　speech　he　chose　a　time　which　was　most　opportune。　The　crime　against　Kansas　had；　in　a　sense；　culminated　in　March　of　the　previous　year；　but　the　settlers　had　refused　to　submit　to　the　Government　set　up　by　hostile　invaders。　They　had　armed　themselves　for　the　defense　of　their　rights；　had　elected　a　Governor　and　a　Legislature　by　voluntary　association；　had　called　a　convention；　and　had　adopted　a　constitution　preparatory　to　admission　to　the　Union。　That　constitution　was　now　before　the　Senate　for　approval。　President　Pierce；　Stephen　A。　Douglas；　and　all　the　Southern　leaders　had　decided　to　treat　as　treasonable　acts　the　efforts　of　Kansas　settlers　to　secure　an　orderly　government。　Their　plans　for　the　arrest　of　the　leaders　were　well　advanced　and　the　arrests　were　actually　made　on　the　day　after　Sumner　had　concluded　his　speech。　A　paragraph　in　the　address　is　prophetic　of　what　occurred　within　a　week。　Douglas　had　introduced　a　bill　recognizing　the　Legislature　chosen　by　the　Missourians　as　the　legal　Government　and　providing　for　the　formation　of　a　constitution　under　its　initiative　at　some　future　date。　After　describing　this　proposed　action　as　a　continuation　of　the　crime　against　Kansas；　Sumner　declared：　〃Sir；　you　cannot　expect　that　the　people　of　Kansas　will　submit　to　the　usurpation　which　this　bill　sets　up　and　bids　them　bow　before；　as　the　Austrian　tyrant　set　up　the　ducal　hat　in　the　Swiss　market…place。　If　you　madly　persevere；　Kansas　will　not　be　without　her　William　Tell；　who　will　refuse　at　all　hazards　to　recognize　the　tyrannical　edict；　and　this　will　be　the　beginning　of　civil　war。〃　To　keep　historical　sequence　clear　at　this　point；　all　thought　of　John　Brown　should　be　eliminated；　for　he　was　then　unknown　to　the　public。　It　must　be　remembered　that　Governor　Robinson　and　the　free…state　settlers　were；　as　Sumner　probably　knew；　prepared　to　resist　the　general　Government　as　soon　as　there　should　be　a　clear　case　of　outrage　for　which　the　Administration　at　Washington　could　be　held　directly　responsible。　Such　a　case　occurred　when　the　United　States　marshal　placed　federal　troops　in　the　hands　of　Sheriff　Jones　to　assist　in　looting　the　town　of　Lawrence。　Governor　Robinson　no　longer　had　any　scruples　in　advising　forcible　resistance　to　all　who　used　force　to　impose　upon　Kansas　a　Government　which　the　people　had　rejected。　In　the　course　of　his　address　Sumner　compared　Senators　Butler　and　Douglas　to　Don　Quixote　and　Sancho　Panza；　saying：　〃The　Senator　from　South　Carolina　has　read　many　books　of　chivalry；　and　believes　himself　a　chivalrous　knight；　with　sentiments　of　honor　and　courage。　Of　course　he　has　chosen　a　mistress　to　whom　he　has　made　his　vows；　and　who；　though　ugly　to　others；　is　always　lovely　to　him；　though　polluted　in　the　sight　of　the　world；　is　chaste　in　his　sight。　I　mean　the　harlot　Slavery。　Let　her　be　impeached　in　character；　or　any　proposition　be　made　to　shut　her　out　from　the　extension　of　her　wantonness；　and　no　extravagance　of　manner　or　hardihood　of　assertion　is　then　too　great　for　the　Senator。〃　When　Sumner　concluded；　the　gathering　storm　broke　forth。　Cass　of　Michigan；　after　saying　that　he　had　listened　to　the　address　with　equal　surprise　and　regret；　characterized　it　as　〃the　most　unAmerican　and　unpatriotic　that　ever　grated　on　the　ears　of　the　members　of　that　high　body。〃　Douglas　and　Mason　were　personal　and　abusive。　Douglas；　recalling　Sumner's　answer　to　Senator　Butler's　question　whether　he　would　assist　in　returning　a　slave；　renewed　the　charge　made　two　years　earlier　that　Sumner　had　violated　his　oath　of　office。　This　attack　called　forth　from　Sumner　another　attempt　to　defend　the　one　weak　point　in　his　speech　of　1852；　for　he　was　always　irritated　by　reference　to　this　subject；　and　at　the　same　time　he　enjoyed　a　fine　facility　in　the　use　of　language　which　irritated　others。　One　utterance　in　Douglas's　reply　to　Sumner　is　of　special　significance　in　view　of　what　occurred　two　days　later：　〃Is　it　his　object　to　provoke　some　of　us　to　kick　him　as　we　would　a　dog　in　the　street；　that　he　may　get　sympathy　upon　the　just　chastisement？〃　Two　days　later　Sumner　was　sitting　alone　at　his　desk　in　the　Senate　chamber　after　adjournment　when　Preston　Brooks；　a　nephew　of　Senator　Butler　and　a　member　of　the　lower　House；　entered　and　accosted　him　with　the　statement　that　he　had　read　Sumner's　speech　twice　and　that　it　was　a　libel　on　South　Carolina　and　upon　a　kinsman　of　his。　Thereupon　Brooks　followed　his　words　by　striking　Sumner　on　the　head　with　a　cane。　Though　the　Senator　was　dazed　and　blinded　by　the　unexpected　attack；　his　assailant　rained　blow　after　blow　until　he　had　broken　the　cane　and　Sumner　lay　prostrate　and　bleeding　at　his　feet。　Brooks's　remarks　in　the　House　of　Representatives　almost　a　month　after　the　event　leave　no　doubt　of　his　determination　to　commit　murder　had　he　failed　to　overcome　his　antagonist　with　a　cane。　He　had　also　taken　the　precaution　to　have　two　of　his　friends　ready　to　prevent　any　interference　before　the　punishment　was　completed。　Toombs　of　Georgia　witnessed　a　part　of　the　assault　and　expre