Sumner was at his desk in the chamber when Brooks came up to him and said, "Mr. Sumner, I have read your speech twice over carefully. It is a libel on South Carolina, and Mr. Butler, who is a relative of mine." Sumner started to stand up, but Brooks began beating him with the gold-headed cane. Sumner was trapped by the desk, which was bolted to the floor until he tore it out. Several other senators tried to come to Sumner's aid, but Lawrence Keitt pulled a pistol and held them at bay. Sumner fell to the floor unconscious and Brooks continued to beat him until the cane broke. Only then did he turn and walk out of the chamber.
Southern "honor" in action, I suppose. The one good thing that came out of it was to show the north just what kind of people the southerners were and did much to galvanize the new Republican party.
I wouldn't lay that blanket over "Southerners" any more than I would lay Mullah Omar on the people of Afghanistan.
The South had it's Talaban, and it was the Slave Power who fanatics like Brooks represented. They would do anything for their religion of slavery.
Don’t think for a minute that we are’t STILL capable.
Especially where our rights and liberties are concerned.