Jonathan P. Baird: The loud echoes of the Sumner beating
Sen. Charles Sumner of Massachusetts was nearly beaten to death with a cane in 1856. Wikimedia Commons
Published: 2/14/2021 6:30:05 AM
Since the insurrectionist mob attacked Congress on Jan. 6, the most common historical parallel cited has been the War of 1812. In that war, in 1814, British forces overran Washington, D.C., and set fire to many public buildings, including the U.S. Capitol.
While the War of 1812 is most cited, I would mention a different historical precedent. 1856 witnessed the most infamous day in the history of the Senate. On May 22, 1856, Congresssman Preston Brooks (D-S.C.) viciously attacked Sen. Charles Sumner (R- Mass) on the floor of the Senate. Brooks beat Sumner so badly he almost died.