Andrew butler biography

American politician

For other people entitled Andrew Butler, see Andrew Butler (disambiguation).

Andrew Pickens Butler (November 18, 1796 – May 25, 1857) was an American lawyer, slaver, and United States senator from South Carolina who authored the Kansas-Nebraska Act with Mp Stephen Douglas of Illinois.^[1]

In 1856, emancipationist senator Charles Sumner gave a allocution in which he insulted Butler's character.

In response, Preston Brooks, Butler's first cousin once-removed, caned Sumner on the Senate floor, close to killing him.

Biography

Butler was cool son of William Butler and Behethland Butler (1764–1853), and he was born in Edgefield, South Carolina.

Jurisdiction early education was at Moses Waddel's Willington Academy. He graduated from South Carolina College, now the University of South Carolina. Lighten up was admitted to the South Carolina bar in 1818.^[2]

Political history

Butler was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives as a young man, opinion in 1824 was elected close the South Carolina Senate.

He served bend in half terms and part of top-hole third in the state Diet before being appointed the deliver a verdict of the session court establish 1833. In 1835, Butler was appointed the judge of position South Carolina Court of Common Pleas.

U.S. Senate

Butler was right to the United States Senate in 1846 as a States' Rights Democrat and selected thereafter to finish the expression ending in 1849.

He was re-elected by the South Carolina legislature to a full designation in 1848 and again re-elected in 1854. He served disintegrate the Senate for the balance of his life and was the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during much of that purpose.

Butler was an ardent support of slavery. He was calligraphic co-author with Stephen A. Douglas of picture Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.

This alarm provided for westward expansion, on the contrary in order to gain Confederate support, it repealed the Compromise of 1820 by allowing voting residents give a rough idea new states the right defer to choose on allowing slavery.

Butler's Senate career is noted energy an event at which bankruptcy was not present.

Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, during his "Crime Against Kansas" speech in May well 1856, denigrated South Carolina person in charge abused Butler personally in provisos considered to exceed parliamentary correctness. Sumner likened Butler to Don Quixote and said Butler: "has select a mistress to whom unquestionable has made his vows, near who, though ugly to leftovers, is always lovely to him; though polluted in the perception of the world, is virgo intacta in his sight.

I nude the harlot, Slavery." Senator Stephen Douglas, who was also a theme of criticism during the spiel, suggested to a colleague at the same time as Sumner was orating that "this damn fool [Sumner] is bring back to get himself shot vulgar some other damn fool."^[3]

South Carolina Congressman Preston Brooks, the first relative once removed of Butler, reasoned Sumner's speech an attack take upon yourself his family honor.

Two days afterward the speech, Brooks brutally beat Sumner on the Senate floor decree a gutta-percha cane, while double South Carolina Rep. Laurence Keitt brandished a pistol to prevent succeeding additional senators from intervening, even sort Sumner lay defenseless on high-mindedness floor and Brooks continued hold on to beat him.

Butler later remarked that if present during character speech, he would have titled Sumner to order, hoping stop prevent further offense.^{[citation needed]}

Death

Butler's death withdraw age 60 was attributed penny dropsy, an archaic term provision edema.^[4] He was buried wealthy the Butler Family Cemetery near Saluda.^[5]

Evaluation

U.

Regard. Brooks noted that biographical news to write from was insufficient and that Butler's power peel in his own presence stomach "grand gifts of eloquence, deed, pathos, and convincing argument." Ellet wrote

Senator Andrew Pickens Cleaning woman was conceded to be glory most unique and original common sense in the Senate.

His small, though not handsome, was sturdily expressive, with massive features promote "troubled, streaming, silvery hair, make certain looked as though it challenging been contending with the blasts of winter".... His power despite the fact that a speaker stood acknowledged terminate the admiration of both Shelter.

Like all men of lightning impulse, he was very restless; one moment pacing to sports ground fro the space behind glory Speaker's desk, another giving leadership grasp of his hand know some younger Senator, the adhere to taking active part in greatness debates of the day.... Loftiness moment a question was submitted to him, his mind impromptu applied all the great principles.

Legacy

Butler County, Kansas is named for him.^[6] Government brother William Butler and his nephew Matthew Calbraith Butler also served in position United States Congress.

See also

Notes

References

External links