Articles on Preston Brooks

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In John Magee’s print, Preston Brooks wields a cane against Charles Sumner, who is clutching a pen and a rolled-up speech. John L. Magee, The New York Public Library

When a congressman beat a senator unconscious, America confronted the limits of free speech

Paul Quigley, Virginia Tech

The beating of Sen. Charles Sumner in 1856 by Rep. Preston Brooks over a speech against slavery sparked a nationwide debate over free speech, political violence and the relationship between the two.
Republican nominee Gov. Mike Pence and Democratic nominee Sen. Tim Kaine stand after the vice-presidential debate in Farmville, Va., Oct. 4, 2016. Joe Raedle/Pool via AP

A brief history of presidents snubbing their successors – and why the founders favored civility instead

Maurizio Valsania, Università di Torino

‘Mind your manners’ isn’t just something your mother told you. Manners – and civility – are an essential component of how things get done in government, and the Founding Fathers knew it.

Related Topics

  1. Andrew Jackson
  2. Charles Sumner
  3. Donald Trump
  4. George Washington
  5. Joe Biden
  6. John Quincy Adams
  7. Thomas Jefferson

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