Butler was appointed to the United States Senate in 1846 as a States' Rights Democrat and elected thereafter to finish the term ending in 1849. He was re-elected by the South Carolina legislature to a full term in 1848 and again re-elected in 1854. He served in the Senate for the remainder of his life and was the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during much of that time.
Butler was an ardent advocate of slavery. He was a co-author with Stephen A. Douglas of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. This act provided for westward expansion, but in order to gain Southern support, it repealed the Compromise of 1820 by allowing voting residents of new states the right to choose on allowing slavery.
Butler's Senate career is noted for an event at which he was not present. Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, during his "Crime Against Kansas" speech in May 1856, denigrated South Carolina and abused Butler personally in terms considered to exceed parliamentary propriety. Sumner likened Butler to Don Quixote and said Butler: "has chosen a mistress to whom he has made his vows, and who, though ugly to others, is always lovely to him; though polluted in the sight of the world, is chaste in his sight. I mean the harlot, Slavery." Senator Stephen Douglas, who was also a subject of criticism during the speech, suggested to a colleague while Sumner was orating that "this damn fool [Sumner] is going to get himself shot by some other damn fool."[2]
South Carolina Congressman Preston Brooks, the first cousin once removed of Butler, considered Sumner's speech an attack on his family honor. Two days after the speech, Brooks brutally beat Sumner on the Senate floor with a gutta-percha cane, while fellow South Carolina Rep. Laurence Keitt brandished a pistol to prevent other senators from intervening, even as Sumner lay defenseless on the floor and Brooks continued to beat him. Butler later remarked that if present during the speech, he would have called Sumner to order, hoping to prevent further offense.[citation needed]
DeathEdit
Butler's death at age 60 was attributed to dropsy, an archaic term for edema.[3] He was buried in the Butler Family Cemetery near Saluda.[4]
EvaluationEdit
Butler's cenotaph at the Congressional Cemetery
U. R. Brooks noted that biographical material to write from was scanty and that Butler's power lay in his own presence with "grand gifts of eloquence, action, pathos, and convincing argument." Ellet wrote
Senator Andrew Pickens Butler was conceded to be the most unique and original intellect in the Senate. His face, though not handsome, was sturdily expressive, with massive features and "troubled, streaming, silvery hair, that looked as though it had been contending with the blasts of winter".... His power as a speaker stood acknowledged in the admiration of both Houses... Like all men of impetuous impulse, he was very restless; one moment pacing to and fro the space behind the Speaker's desk, another giving the grasp of his hand to some younger Senator, the next taking active part in the debates of the day.... The moment a question was submitted to him, his mind instinctively applied all the great principles.
^Lockwood, John, and Charles. The Siege of Washington (2011) p. 98
^Springfield Mirror. June 11, 1857. p. 2, col. 3. Archived from the original on February 6, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
^Historic Preservation Division Staff and Motte J. Yarbrough (October 1974). "Butler Family Cemetery" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
^Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. Standard Publishing Company. pp. 261.
ReferencesEdit
Ellet, Elizabeth (1869). Court Circles of the Republic. Various Reprints. ISBN0-405-06910-3. pp. 471, 472, 485
Brooks, U. R. (1908). South Carolina Bench and Bar. The State Company. pp. 9–20
Benson, T. Lloyd (1877). The Caning of Senator Sumner. Thomson Wadsworth. ISBN0-15-506347-2.
andrew, butler, other, people, named, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspape. For other people named Andrew Butler see Andrew Butler disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Andrew Butler news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message Andrew Pickens Butler November 18 1796 May 25 1857 was a United States senator from South Carolina who authored the Kansas Nebraska Act with Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois Andrew ButlerUnited States Senatorfrom South CarolinaIn office December 4 1846 May 25 1857Preceded byGeorge McDuffieSucceeded byJames H HammondJudge of the South Carolina Court of Common PleasIn office December 6 1833 December 3 1846Member of the South Carolina Senate from Edgefield DistrictIn office November 22 1824 December 5 1833Personal detailsBornAndrew Pickens Butler 1796 11 18 November 18 1796Edgefield South Carolina U S DiedMay 25 1857 1857 05 25 aged 60 Edgefield South Carolina U S Political partyDemocraticSpouse s Susan Ann SimkinsRebecca Harriett HayneProfessionPolitician lawyer judgeSignatureIn 1856 abolitionist senator Charles Sumner gave a speech in which he insulted Butler s character In response Preston Brooks Butler s first cousin once removed caned Sumner on the Senate floor nearly killing him Contents 1 Biography 2 Political history 3 U S Senate 4 Death 5 Evaluation 6 Legacy 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 External linksBiography EditButler was a son of William Butler and Behethland Butler 1764 1853 and was born in Edgefield South Carolina His early education was at Moses Waddel s Willington Academy He graduated from South Carolina College now the University of South Carolina He was admitted to the South Carolina bar in 1818 1 Political history EditButler was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives as a young man and in 1824 was elected to the South Carolina Senate He served two terms and part of a third in the state Senate before being appointed the judge of the session court in 1833 In 1835 Butler was appointed the judge of the South Carolina Court of Common Pleas U S Senate Edit nbsp Daguerreotype of Senator Andrew P Butler 1849Butler was appointed to the United States Senate in 1846 as a States Rights Democrat and elected thereafter to finish the term ending in 1849 He was re elected by the South Carolina legislature to a full term in 1848 and again re elected in 1854 He served in the Senate for the remainder of his life and was the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during much of that time Butler was an ardent advocate of slavery He was a co author with Stephen A Douglas of the Kansas Nebraska Act of 1854 This act provided for westward expansion but in order to gain Southern support it repealed the Compromise of 1820 by allowing voting residents of new states the right to choose on allowing slavery Butler s Senate career is noted for an event at which he was not present Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts during his Crime Against Kansas speech in May 1856 denigrated South Carolina and abused Butler personally in terms considered to exceed parliamentary propriety Sumner likened Butler to Don Quixote and said Butler has chosen a mistress to whom he has made his vows and who though ugly to others is always lovely to him though polluted in the sight of the world is chaste in his sight I mean the harlot Slavery Senator Stephen Douglas who was also a subject of criticism during the speech suggested to a colleague while Sumner was orating that this damn fool Sumner is going to get himself shot by some other damn fool 2 South Carolina Congressman Preston Brooks the first cousin once removed of Butler considered Sumner s speech an attack on his family honor Two days after the speech Brooks brutally beat Sumner on the Senate floor with a gutta percha cane while fellow South Carolina Rep Laurence Keitt brandished a pistol to prevent other senators from intervening even as Sumner lay defenseless on the floor and Brooks continued to beat him Butler later remarked that if present during the speech he would have called Sumner to order hoping to prevent further offense citation needed Death EditButler s death at age 60 was attributed to dropsy an archaic term for edema 3 He was buried in the Butler Family Cemetery near Saluda 4 Evaluation Edit nbsp Butler s cenotaph at the Congressional CemeteryU R Brooks noted that biographical material to write from was scanty and that Butler s power lay in his own presence with grand gifts of eloquence action pathos and convincing argument Ellet wrote Senator Andrew Pickens Butler was conceded to be the most unique and original intellect in the Senate His face though not handsome was sturdily expressive with massive features and troubled streaming silvery hair that looked as though it had been contending with the blasts of winter His power as a speaker stood acknowledged in the admiration of both Houses Like all men of impetuous impulse he was very restless one moment pacing to and fro the space behind the Speaker s desk another giving the grasp of his hand to some younger Senator the next taking active part in the debates of the day The moment a question was submitted to him his mind instinctively applied all the great principles Legacy EditButler County Kansas is named for him 5 His brother William Butler and his nephew Matthew Calbraith Butler also served in the United States Congress See also EditList of United States Congress members who died in office 1790 1899 Notes Edit Butler Andrew Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Lockwood John and Charles The Siege of Washington 2011 p 98 Senator Butler of South Carolina died Springfield Mirror June 11 1857 p 2 col 3 Archived from the original on February 6 2015 Retrieved February 5 2015 Historic Preservation Division Staff and Motte J Yarbrough October 1974 Butler Family Cemetery PDF National Register of Historic Places Nomination and Inventory Retrieved July 1 2014 Blackmar Frank Wilson 1912 Kansas A Cyclopedia of State History Embracing Events Institutions Industries Counties Cities Towns Prominent Persons Etc Standard Publishing Company pp 261 References EditEllet Elizabeth 1869 Court Circles of the Republic Various Reprints ISBN 0 405 06910 3 pp 471 472 485 Brooks U R 1908 South Carolina Bench and Bar The State Company pp 9 20 Benson T Lloyd 1877 The Caning of Senator Sumner Thomson Wadsworth ISBN 0 15 506347 2 External links EditUnited States Congress Andrew Butler id B001173 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress U S SenatePreceded byGeorge McDuffie U S senator Class 3 from South CarolinaDecember 4 1846 May 25 1857 Served alongside John C Calhoun Franklin H Elmore Robert W Barnwell Robert B Rhett William F De Saussure and Josiah J Evans Succeeded byJames H HammondPolitical officesPreceded byChester Ashley Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee1847 1857 Succeeded byJames A Bayard Jr Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Andrew Butler amp oldid 1170913880, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
