Image is a straight on view of Brooks in a dark civilian suit vest and large bowtie with a white shirt and high collar.

Image is clear and clean with good contrast. There is light surface dirt throughout.

Reverse has E. ANTHONY back mark with a modern pink paper label that reads “PRESTON BROOKS.”

Preston Brooks was born August 6, 1819 in Edgefield County, South Carolina. He served in the Mexican War as a Captain in the Palmetto Regiment and was a member of the US House of Representative from South Carolina, serving from 1853 until his resignation in July 1856 and again from August 1856 until his death.

Brooks, a Democrat, was a fervent advocate of slavery and states' rights. He is primarily remembered for his May 22, 1856, assault upon abolitionist and Republican Senator Charles Sumner; Brooks beat Sumner with a cane on the floor of the United States Senate in retaliation for an anti-slavery speech in which Sumner verbally attacked Brooks' second cousin, Senator Andrew Butler. Brooks' action was applauded by many Southerners and abhorred in the North. An attempt to oust him from the House of Representatives failed, and he received only token punishment in his criminal trial. He resigned his seat in July 1856 to give his constituents the opportunity to ratify his conduct in a special election, which they did by electing him in August to fill the vacancy created by his resignation. He was re-elected to a full term in November 1856, but died in January 1857, five weeks before the new term began in March.

Brooks' act and the polarizing national reaction to it are frequently cited as a major factor in the rising tensions leading up to the Civil War.

He is buried in Edgefield Village Cemetery in Edgefield, South Carolina.  [ad]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.

THANK YOU!