AMH 2010 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Appalachian Mountains, Preston Brooks, John C. Breckinridge
Document Summary
South carolina representative who used a cane to beat charles sumner on the senate floor for his criticisms of pro-slavery leaders. Black slave brought between missouri, a slave state, and illinois a free state, claimed to be free because he was living in the free state, however white property rights overruled black citizenship and therefore his rights were not acknowledged. 1857, slaves were considered property not citizens, had no rights that a white man should respect, and that congress did not have the right to prohibit slavery in any territory. One of the most skillful politicians in republican party. Tried to gain national exposure by debates with stephen a. douglas. Lincoln"s attacks on slavery made him nationally known. He felt slavery was morally wrong, but was not an abolitionist. He felt there was not an alternative to slavery and blacks were not prepared to live on equal terms as whites.
