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

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.

By: Paul Quigley, Virginia Tech, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 13, 2026

Words: 964

Last Updated: 1 week, 1 day ago

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By Paul Quigley, Virginia Tech

On May 22, 1856, Preston Brooks strode into the United States Senate chamber and beat Sen. Charles Sumner unconscious with a cane. Brooks, a South Carolina congressman, was retaliating for a speech Sumner had given condemning slavery and personally insulting a relative of Brooks.

Though lasting only a minute, the beating had far-reaching consequences. It pushed Americans one step closer to civil war.

And, as I discovered while researching …

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