The "Crime Against Kansas"

      The main event, of which the Caning of Charles Sumner was present, happened BEFORE the Civil War. It is important to note this as it is a major event that would propel the Americans into having a civil war in the end. Specfically, on May 19, 1856, Kansas was given a choice whether to be a slave state or a free state. The reason for this decision was because there was a line that separated the North Side from the South Side. Kansas was in between the line, and so it became hard to decide whether Kansas was part of the North Side or the South Side without actually dividing the state itself. The residents were in charge of deciding the fate of the state, but during that time, the Senate came together and discussed the idea. One man in particular, by the name of Charles Sumner, was a hard advocate for antislavery. Of course, Sumner needed to have an say in this slavery issue for Kansas. He crafted a speech called the "Crime Against Kansas" Speech. In this speech, Sumner spoke against the spread of slavery, but in addition, he spoke against 2 Democratic senators.

      Specifically, he targeted Stephen Douglas of Illinois and Andrew Butler of South Carolina. To Stephen Douglas, Sumner called him right in front of him, a "noise-some, squat, and nameless animal ... not a proper model for an American senator". A more specific reason to this was since Stephen Douglas helped the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which the Union did not exactly like, especially Charles Sumner in this case. However, to Andrew Butler... Sumner insulted him by quoting Don Quixiote as evidence ... by stating that he was taking "a mistress ... who, though ugly to others, is always lovely to him; though polluted in the sight of the world, is chaste in his sight--". But after finishing, he quickly amended his last few words of his line to "the harlot, Slavery". In short, what Sumner referred to Butler as was a elated and fixated lover of slavery, even to the point when it is becomes disgusting to watch. Even though that was a well prepared insult, Andrew Butler was not in the courtroom at that time due to a recent heartstroke he had.

     However, his cousin, Preston Brooks, was in the Senate and he heard this too. Preston Brooks muttered to himself that what Sumner did was an attack to his family and his state. Brooks was enraged, and so, he wanted to get revenge. At first, he was going to match Sumner into a 'gentleman's duel', but then he realized that Sumner was no man from his coarse, constant cursing, and therefore it was pointless. At last, he decided on using his cane, for 3 reasons. (1): Brooks wanted to only harm Sumner and not kill him, and he thought that a 'light cane' would be more fitting since it is the same instrument used against naughty dogs. (2): The cane he had was a 11 and a 1/2 gutta-percha cane, and at that time, it was a heavy yet light weapon to use. (3): Brooks always had a cane, due to a fight that he was in with the future Texas Senator Louis T. Wigfall, in which he shot Brooks in the hip, making Brooks use a cane whereever he went. Now, Brooks had decided that once the Senate room was almost empty, he would go in and attack Sumner.

The Caning is Near

      On May 22, 1856, Preston Brooks was walking into the Senate Room, and he brought his friend named Laurence Keitt with him as well. When Sumner went in, he noticed Charles Sumner sitting at his desk with copies of his "Crime Against Kansas" speech in his hands. At the right moment, Brooks walks in front of Sumner, and he retorted out to him, "I read your speech twice, and guess what? It is a libel against South Carolina and it is a libel against Andrew Butler! And he is a cousin of mine!". With that, he took the cane and repeated hit Sumner over and over again. Other people were still in the Senate, but none of them did anything since Laurence Keitt had his pistol drawn, and he said, "Let them be.". With that, Brooks kept hitting Sumner again and again, even when Sumner got stuck between his desk and was defenseless. Sumner made a last attempt to get out of the predicament, but by the time it was over, Sumner was on the floor bleeding unconscious while others were watching in shock. Brooks and Keitt made their exit without being even touched by the onlookers.

     As soon as this event happened, word traveled fast. In fact, overnight, both Charles Sumner and Preston Brooks were both heroes in their own way. Charles Sumner was a northern hero as well as a powerful abolitionist martyr to the North Side. On the other hand, Preston Brooks was a southern hero (obviously...) who was a full advocate for slavery and in addition, as a welcome for standing up to the South, 'admirers' gave Brooks canes as gifts. One cane, as a bonus fact, was engraved: "Hit him again." From this caning, it made the North not in agreeing terms with the South, and by default... it is a major event that separated the United States and which was an integral part in arriving to the climax of U.S. History: The Civil War.