This event is known as the Caning of Charles Sumner, and it took place on May 22, 1856. On this date, Representative Preston Brooks, who was a supporter of slavery, attacked Senator Charles Sumner, who was an abolitionist. He used a cane to do so, leading to the name of the event.
The issue shocked people due to its violence, and it led to the development of even more division between the North and the South. In the North, Brooks was seen as a savage, and Sumner as a martyr. People were enraged, and they believed the episode was an example of the lack of tolerance displayed in the South. On the other hand, the event was supported by many in the South, as they believed it demonstrated the weakness of the Northerners.
