Jerks in History

[J. Beckert]

Judging the Sumner caning with 21st. century mores does an injustice to those involved, in my opinion. Sumner's venom went beyond the rules of decorum and he knew this. Thinking that making slanderous, vile personal attacks against several members would be protected by the sanctity of the Senate chamber, Sumner made a bad gamble and lost. He called Stephen Douglas a "noise-some, squat, nameless animal" who was not a proper model for a U.S. Senator. He ridiculed Andrew Butler's speech impediment after he had suffered a stroke. His remarks went beyond espousing his views, which he was certainly entitled to do, but he elected to make this personal, which elevated this to another level in those times. He publically insulted another members relation, while the man sat and watched this transpire. He was vile and insulting and it was he that defiled the chamber, in my opinion. Brooks approached him two days later and explained what his intentions were and told him he was going to punish him for it. Fair warning and after a tirade like that, Sumner should have expected this. A good example of having an alligator mouth and a canary backside.