Reviews, Notes and Comments 615
Judged impartially at this distance, it
looks a little as though
neither Brooks nor Burlingame was eager
to fight a duel. Of
course each naturally desired the public
to think that he was not
lacking in courage to meet the other in
mortal combat. While it
would doubtless have been dangerous for
Brooks to travel through
the hostile North direct to Canada, had
the public been advised of
his going, a journey to the point
designated seems not to have
presented any unsurmountable difficulty.
The contribution by
Governor Campbell shows pretty clearly
that Burlingame was
not eager to fight the duel.
While Brooks was sustained and
"vindicated" by the South
that probably did not fully satisfy his
conscience. His attack
upon Sumner when the latter was seated
at his desk and could
not defend himself, certainly did not
reflect favorably upon the
courage of Brooks. In a speech in the
House of Representatives
shortly after the assault, Brooks
publicly admitted that he took
advantage of Sumner while the latter was
seated, because he
knew that he would not have been able to
measure strength with
the Senator from Massachusetts if the
latter had been face to
face with him on his feet. Reflection
upon his rash act and the
storm of indignation that it had aroused
against him and his state
probably preyed upon the mind of Brooks
and shortened his life.
Burlingame doubtless realized that a
duel, even if he should
win and "kill his man", would
in the end bring no glory to him
or his cause.
In this connection it is interesting to
remember that Lewis
D. Campbell was an uncle of the late
Governor James E. Camp-
bell. He was an eminent political leader
of his time and worthy
of a monograph by some writer of Ohio
history.
DEDICATION OF MEMORIAL WING
The Memorial Wing to the Museum and
Library building of
the Ohio State Archaeological and
Historical Society is rapidly
nearing completion. The bronze statue of
the Marching Sol-
dier at the north entrance has for some
time been in position.
The bronze tablets in the memorial room
have been cast and will
soon be shipped to Columbus.
Arrangements are in progress to