Preston+Brooks

===__ //"// // I should have forfeited my own self-respect, and perhaps the good opinion of my countrymen, if I had failed to resent such an injury by calling the offender in question to a personal account. " - Preston Brooks// __===

= ABOUT ME = **Name**: Preston Brooks

31
 * Age**:

M
 * Gender**:

Democratic Congressman from South Carolina
 * Occupation**:

joined the South Carolina Volunteers and served as a captain in the Mexican War. Upper middle
 * If in politics, what was your occupation prior to that:**
 * Social Class:**

Rich
 * Financial Situation:**

Walks with a walking cane... (picture above) Very handsome
 * Appearance:**

From South Carolina
 * Location:**

Attended and participated in lots of meetings held by the congress.
 * Daily Routine:**

Loving husband Caring father Very religious
 * Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits:**

1. Born in Roseland, South Carolina 2. Son of Whitfield and Mary Parsons-Carroll Brooks 3. Before graduation, was expelled for threatening local police officers with firearms. 4. Served in the Mexican-American War with the Palmetto Regiment 5. Fought a duel with future Texas Senator, Louis T. Wigfall. Was shot, so he had to use a walking cane for the rest of his life.
 * Past/Individual and family history:**

2. Second marriage= Wife: Martha Caroline Means (1826-?), Children: Caroline Harper Brooks (1849-1924), Rosa Brooks (1850-?), Preston Smith Brooks (1854-?). 3. Cousin: Matthew Butler, was a Confederate general. 1. Fought a duel with future Texas Senator, Louis T. Wigfall. 2. Cousin was a Confederate generalBeat Senator Charles Sumner
 * Family**: 1. First marriage= Wife: Caroline Harper Means (1820-1843), Child: Whitfield D. Brooks (1843-1843
 * Social relations with others:**

Christianity
 * Religion:**

attended South Carolina College AKA University of South Carolina. 1. Fought a duel with future Texas Senator, Louis T. Wigfall. Was shot, so he had to use a walking cane for the rest of his life. 2. Brooks beat Senator Charles Sumner with his wood cane in the Senate chamber because of a speech Sumner had made three days earlier for mocking Brook's uncle, Andrew Butler.
 * Education:**
 * Conflicts/Enemies:**

= JOURNALS =
 * Journal #1 -** The time frame is sometime during the year 1850. Consider all of the things that have taken place during the previous five years (Mexican-American War, Mexican Cession, Wilmot Proviso, Compromise of 1850, Fugitive Slave Act). You are free to write about any one (or more) of these things in your journal entry. Be sure to include your actions in response to one (or more) of these events.

Ever since I was young, I do not think I was ever really, truly, whole-heartedly happy... After the expulsion from college, my life only got worse... It's already been four years since the Mexican War started. I’m just glad that the war is over. I can’t take any more wars.. although I have only participated in one. However, as a captain, I still had lots of responsibilities and worries. After my beloved Brother, Whitfield Brooks Jr.’s death last year, my self-esteem became even lower. I think all these things made me get old faster.. I suppose I should live a happier life from now on.

Today, I traveled around the Southern neighborhood with my fellow co-workers. It was nice to just get out of the place that I have been staying in for decades. While just walking around, I met a yeoman farmer. He was quite nice. We talked about each others’ opinions on the growing population and status of the developing country. Then I met another person who was an Irish immigrant. His thoughts on the country’s status was quite different from the yeoman farmer’s opinions. He thought that the country was not very nice to immigrants. I believe it isn’t too... Maybe I should focus more for the immigrants in office... But then again, I’m having trouble with other issues...

Now I’m sitting in my room at my house... Since I was way too busy to even come home during the week, I should play with my children a lot more today. I feel really bad for them these days.. for my dear wife too...

Sigh... I really need God even more these days. It is really hard trying to be a good politician, a good father, and a good husband at the same time.. Anyways, I’m going to eat dinner now.

http://www.public.asu.edu/~icprv/courses/hst315/secret315/biographies/AB%20to%20Recon/brooks.preston.txt http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_Brooks
 * Journal #2 -** The year is now 1852. Continue your story as you began in Journal #1. For this journal entry and all subsequent entries, you must interact with at least two other characters in each journal entry. When you interact with another character, provide a hyperlink to that character's page in your journal entry.

Today was not really a good day. My head ached so much the whole time and I just could not calm down at all. That damn Charles Sumner is getting on my nerves even more. Starting from the morning till evening, I continuously heard lots of people telling me how he went around local towns making speeches about anti-slavery movements. He is even more determined to get rid of slavery. Charles Sumner has been annoying me ever since I can remember. Honestly, I do not get people that are for anti-slavery. What do they want then? Do they want to work on the plantations and farming themselves? That is probably not what they want either... Pathetic people... They do not want slavery when they also do not want to free the blacks because they are afraid of the decreasing number of jobs open.

One of my numerous number of slaves ran away last week... AGAIN! But one of my acquaintances had found him sleeping beside a cave in the forest. Thus he was brought back to me. I am so happy and glad that the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was passed! If it did not, I would have lost many of my slaves.

I also went to a congress meeting today and it was a disaster. Discussions are not discussions at the congress. They are more like.. arguments and quarrels among parties. Once in a while, they turn into vicious fights too. I hope I do not get into any. Unless people disrespect any of my family members such as Andrew Butler, I will do no harm.

These days, I feel as if America is not running so well. Just on the issue of slavery, which should be untouched, there are so many internal conflicts going on... I pray to the Lord everyday for the Northerners to realize the importance of slavery... *Sigh*


 * Journal #3 -** It's 1854... the Kansas-Nebraska Act has passed. Squatters are now moving into Kansas in an attempt to sway the vote. Continue your story...

Bleeding Kansas,,, a series of violent events involving anti-slavery Free-Staters and pro-slavery elemtns... has finally been ended with an act that I think will change America greatly. A couple of days ago, the Kansas- Nebraska Act of 1854 has finally been passed. The act created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new lands, repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, the Compromise of 1850, and allowed settlers in those territories to determine if they would allow slavery within their boundaries. Popular sovereignty had taken a big role in the process. Kansas has been determined to admit to the Union as a free state.. What a shame for Kansas people. I am not a hundred percent sure about the status of Nebraska yet, but I really do hope it allows slavery. Maybe I can move there with my dear family if slavery is allowed...

This guy named, Stephen Douglas... I do not know if I really like him. I mean, the fact that someone would make it an option either to have slavery or not, is just disturbing to me. Whatever, I do not really want to depress myself by talking about anyone like him. My cousin, Andrew Butler, was a housemate of Atchison.

I heard that there have been so many squatters in Kansas. I hope they make the right decisions...
 * Journal #4 -** It's now 1856. Bleeding Kansas has just taken place and John Brown emerged on to the scene. Buchanan was just elected as the US President. Dred Scott is arrested and is about to be brought to trial. Continue your story.

This month, the May of 1856, had been outrageous. That goddamned Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, an ardent abolitionist, began a two-day speech on the Senate floor. There, he criticized three other politicians' names, including my cousin, South Carolina's Senator, Andrew Butler. My dear cousin Andrew was absent that day due to his sickness and he could not hear the uncivil and mannerless speech. I am glad that he actually was not there. He could have been really furious..

There are numbers of things that I cannot stand. First, it is when someone talks smack about my family members. Second, it is when someone tries to play/ joke around with me. Lastly, it is when someone is trying to hurt my pride and self-esteem. I cannot stand any dunderheads that try to do that.

Anyways, there and infuriated, I entered the Senate chamber and attacked Charles Sumner at his desk. Then it got down to the floor. Sumner started to crawl and escape. Thus in order to make sure that Sumner did not move or escape, I pinned his legs with the desk. I beat him up for a while and my hits only got worse. Although I was angry and FURIOUS, I really enjoyed letting out all the stress on him. Later, other congressmen set the moron free, but I wanted to beat the $h1t out of him more. However, I guess it was enough for the day.

Although there are lots of gossips going around about me, I truly think Sumner deserved the beating. I could care less if his people are calling me names and spreading damaging rumors about me. Still, I'm a hero in the South now. Also, I am getting numerous amounts new canes. My fellow southern people are supporting me with their best ability. I just hope the whole issue of “slavery” will be ended with the favor of having slavery in America. **Journal #5** - The year is 1860. Lincoln was just elected as US President, prompting South Carolina to secede. Write the next chapter in your story. (Preston Brook's son now. Preston Brooks died.)

I still, truly, madly, deeply do miss my dear father... If he was still alive, he would have done great things to America. America needs my father! The society is falling apart even more these days. Just a couple of days ago, Abraham Lincoln was just elected as the president for our country. This cannot disturb me any more. I guess he can be a good leader since he is an very elite person. However, his thoughts and his actions aggravate me so much. If he does not want slavery, he can just not own any slaves. What is he to think that he can change America?

I have not had any time to sit down and actually read anything for like the past decade. Now, I finally have time. Thus, my coworker introduced me a book called Uncle Tom’s Cabin written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. After reading the book, I could not ease my anger. Does she have a clue of what she was writing? She is absolutely a pathetic, insane woman.

We cannot just stay like this. We are planning to secede and break away from the Union tomorrow, on Christmas Eve. Our plan for now is the get South Carolina seceded and then get other states like Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina to follow quickly. We have not been planning this for long, but I am sure that this will work. The faster we secede, the better chance we will have of keeping slavery... My father’s death, caused by the stress the Northerners had given him, will be paid back. I will get my revenge on them and die without any grudge and regrets. If we have to fight, we will fight. I am ready to fight and I always have been ready. It will be the Northerners that will regret.