In all the (relatively) civilized debate and discussion between the parties and candidates during the recent election, there hasn't been too much rudeness (with a few regrettable exceptions). However, that wasn't always the pattern of US politics.
I've been reading a book by Stephen Longstreet, published in 1970: 'War Cries On Horseback: The Story of the Indian Wars of the Great Plains'. In it, he quotes two views of Missouri citizens from bygone politicians, expressed during the debates over slavery in that State prior to the Civil War. First, Champ Clark, who was to serve as the Democratic Party Speaker of the US House of Representatives from 1911-1919:
"All Missourians were natives of Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. They were the flowers of their respective stocks - the salt of the earth - courageous, hardy, intelligent, honest, industrious, honorable, patriotic and God-fearing . . . the finest specimens of manhood and womanhood between the two oceans."
Contrast this with the views of Senator John J. Ingalls of Kansas:
"Missouri is a place where climate, products, labor and tradition have conspired to develop a race of hard visaged and forbidding ruffians, exhibiting a grotesque medley of all the vices of civilization. To these fallen angels villainy is an amusement, crime a recreation, murder a pastime. To the ignorance of the Indian they add the ferocity of the wolf and the venom of the adder . . . Their continued existence is a standing reproach to the New Testament, to the doctrines of every apostle, to the creed of every church."
Robust indeed! Makes our modern politicians seem mealy-mouthed by comparison!
Peter
4 comments:
I'm from Missouri and I resemble that description.
Also during the same period, we had the beating of anti-slavery Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts by pro-slavery Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina.
And while I can think of a few modern Senators who could use a similar beating, it seems none of our Representatives have gone sufficiently crazy to do so.
Not entirely crazy, but certainly a breach of decorum. I rather think that it was justified, but could have been better handled in the street.
Rep. Preston Brooks, the nephew of Sen. Andrew Butler, who Sen. Charles Sumner had visciously maligned several days prior took his elderly uncle's honor seriously.
"At first intending to challenge Sumner to a duel, Brooks consulted with fellow South Carolina Rep. Laurence M. Keitt on dueling etiquette. Keitt instructed him that dueling was for gentlemen of equal social standing, and suggested that Sumner occupied a lower social status comparable to a drunkard due to the supposedly coarse language he had used during his speech. Brooks thus decided to attack Sumner with a cane."
He approached him after the Senate had adjourned, 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." He then proceeded to beat the ever-loving daylights out of the rascal.
quotes from wiki
Of course, the best example I can think of relating to politics gone awry is one that involves kin of mine from 1837. Arkansas state representative Maj. J.J. Anthony. was murdered in a bowie knife fight by the Speaker of the House, John Wilson, who was insulted by a bill over a bounty on wolf pelts. Maj. Anthony was told to shut up and sit down by the speaker, and when he replied that he would not, Wilson said he would make him. Wilson then got down from the rostrum, drew his bowie knife, and attacked Anthony who also drew his bowie knife. Then someone nearby swung a chair as All Hell broke loose. Both men grabbed the chair and slashed at each other. Anthony nearly took off Wilson's hand at the wrist, and then threw his knife which struck slantwise. He was then mortally stabbed, expiring on the spot. The Speaker got off scott free with a ruling by his cronies of excusable homicide.
THIS is the one guy in the family who got put in the history books. *shakes head* As my uncle who researched the family history said, "just one more Anthony that couldn't keep his damn mouth shut".
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