. . . on Thursday, in reply to Mr. Sumner’s now famous speech, Senator Butler promised that he would do so in no spirit of recrimination, but, while he should confine himself strictly within the record, he should avail himself of all legitimate parliamentary privileges to place in a proper point of view a subject which had been greatly mistaken, as well North and South
. . . Sumner wrote a letter to Theodore Parker, of which the following is an extract:
“The tyranny over us is complete. Will the people submit to it? When you read this, I shall be saying in the Senate that they will not. I shall pronounce the most through philippic ever heard in this legislative body.”
He delivered his “most thorough philippic,” and received therefore a most thorough caning.
This letter was read to an abolition meeting in Boston—and received with great applause. Mr. Parker also read the letter from Hale, which expressed the opinion that all the Northern voters needed just such blows as Sumner received—which did not meet with as much applause. Also a letter from Wilson, which states, that he would have grappled with Brooks, if he had been present—that the times are stormy in Washington—that the eyes of bloody men are upon them as they walk the streets, &c. Parker then stated: “that Keitt had threatened to flog Wilson, if he met him in the street, when Wilson went and walked in front of his lodgings, Keitt was at the door, but did not interfere.”
We see by this sort of proceeding, that these people are for provoking more outrages. When they get what they seek, we hope they will not annoy the country with their howls.
SOURCE: Richmond Daily Whig, Richmond Virginia, Friday Morning, June 6, 1856, p. 2
