Outside of Yale, a host of other groups workshopped parts of this book. The American Political History Seminar at Princeton, the Columbia Seminar on Early American History, the Congress and History conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the National Council for History Education, and the Charles Warren Center at Harvard helped me hash things out. Pauline Maier, who attended my session at the Warren Center, was particularly encouraging. Over the course of many years, she was a much-loved mentor and friend. I wish that I could show her the end product. Also, great thanks to my fellow members of the Little Summit: Amy Chazkel, Seth Fein, Chris Hill, and Pablo Piccato. Their keen insight and advice made an enormous difference in the early phases of this project; their friendship and encouragement made those phases fun. The wonderful people at the OpEd Project—which is working to boost the presence of women in the arena of public commentary—were invaluable at a key point in this project; Katie Orenstein, Chloe Angyl, and Mary Curtis helped me find the best ways to use my work about the past to comment on the present, and I thank them.
I wasn’t always a barrel of laughs in the many years that it took me to write this book, so I want to offer my heartfelt thanks and apologies to any and all friends and colleagues I’ve inconvenienced as I’ve hidden myself away to write. Thanks to everyone at BackStory for their encouragement and patience in putting up with my ongoing need to “finish the book.” Thanks, too, to the friends who listened to me talk for years on end about congressmen behaving badly. Janice Norian, Kristen Walters, Anne Marie Alino, Lisa Bloom, Donna Saleh, and Alan Mowatt never failed to cheer me on. Honor Sachs supported me through some trying times and sent kick-ass encouragements to write. Beth Wrightson and Kelly Allgaier were the truest of friends through times high and low. Ted Weinstein offered sage publishing advice. I couldn’t have written this book without their friendship and support. My fellow “gym rats” at In-Shape in North Haven—and particularly Bob Strathdee—were equally enthusiastic, even in the midst of lifting weights. Rudy Williams, Tony Delfi, Emir Graciano, Adam Ufret, and Efrain Burgos were friends through it all, listening to a good many fight stories and urging me forward. Muffie Meyer and Ron Blumer urged me forward as well, even when I vanished into my writing hole, as did Gloria Sesso. Mel McCombie, Harris Friedman, and their feathered little Dickens were dedicated supporters and friends. Helen Lankenau had many words of wisdom. In many ways, Doris Silverman’s advice and support were the backbone of my writing process. And finally, the folks at Meredith’s Bread in Kingston, New York, deserve a shout-out; their “magical biscotti” (as I call them) were my ritualistic prewriting breakfast, and though I’ve thanked them on many a Saturday morning at the local farmer’s market, now it’s official because I’ve put it in writing.
In the final phases of writing this book, two people deserve special mention and special thanks. When my project became a book that needed a home, my agent, Wendy Strothman, was a tireless advocate and advisor, and she generously gave the book a final read in my last week of writing. My editor, Alex Star, was deeply engaged with my book from the outset, offering crucial editorial advice and encouragement; it has been a joy to work with him. Indeed, my heartfelt thanks to all of the wonderful people at Farrar, Straus and Giroux, including the wonderful Dominique Lear, Stephen Weil, and Jonathan Lippincott, who designed this book.
Thanks to my family as well, who never failed in their faith in me. My brothers, Richard and Marc, and my sister-in-law Joanne Keegan were ace advisors; Marc went out of his way to encourage me to tell a good story. My mother enthusiastically and appreciatively listened to me read bits of the book aloud, which meant a lot. My father, market researcher that he is, couldn’t wait to advertise the end result. My niece, Olivia, didn’t really help me with this book, but I love her—so here she is.
And finally, much love to my cockatiel Boo, my constant writing companion. He came into my life when I started this book and died when I ended it. Throughout it all, he sat by my side, giving my manuscript a dubious side-eye and laughing along with me when I found a particularly egregious bit of mayhem. As goofy as it is to credit a pet in one’s acknowledgments, Boo merits it. He witnessed it all.
INDEX
The index that appeared in the print version of this title does not match the pages in your eBook. Please use the search function on your eReading device to search for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listed below.
Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.
abolitionism, see antislavery advocacy
Adams, John Quincy
and alcohol
and anti-dueling law
and bullying
and Cilley-Graves duel
on Dawson
death of
and dueling
and disunion threats
and Duncan
and free speech
and French
gag rule debate motivation of
and Giddings
on Northern appeasement of Southerners
and Northern cowardice
and opinion of Congress
as political combatant
and press
and rules of order
slaveholder attacks on
on slavery
and Texas annexation
see also gag rule debate
Albany Evening Journal
alcohol
Alexandria Gazette
Allen, William
American Anti-Slavery Society
American Party
American people, see national landscape
“Andrew Jackson and Andrew Johnson” (French)
anti-dueling laws
antislavery advocacy:
and bullying
French’s participation in
and Giddings
and Northern appeasement of Southerners
and presidential election (1852)
and presidential election (1860)
and press
and Republican Party
slaveholder anger at
violent actions in
antislavery petition campaigns, see gag rule debate
“antislavery toreadors”
see also slavery, petitions
armed combat in Congress (late 1850s)
British responses to
Keitt-Grow fight
and popular culture
press coverage of
public response to
threats of
and weapon-wearing
Arnold, Thomas
Bailey, Gamaliel
Baker, Edward
Baltimore Sun
Banks, Nathaniel
Barksdale, William
Barton, David
Baton Rouge Daily Advocate
Beaty, Martin
Bell, John
Bell-Turney conflict
Bennett, James Gordon
Benton-Butler conflict
Benton, Thomas Hart
Butler conflict and
character of
and Cilley-Graves duel
and duels
and electioneering
and free speech
and Northern appeasement of Southerners
as political combatant
on press
reelection loss of (1851)
and slavery
and working conditions
see also Benton-Foote conflict
Benton-Foote conflict
and Benton’s character
and Benton’s politics
and bullying
and dueling
and Foote’s character
and honor code
investigation of
press coverage of
public response to
scuffle (April 17, 1850)
and Southern Address
violent nature of
and Wise
Black, Edward
&nb
sp; Blair, James
Bleeding Kansas:
claims for
and congressional combat
constitution debate
and French’s political transition
and predictions of congressional violence
and press
and Sumner caning
Sumner’s “Crime Against Kansas” speech
and violence in Kansas
see also conspiracy theories
Bodle, Charles
Bond, William
Boon, Ratliff
Booth, John Wilkes
border-state congressmen
Borland, Solon
Boston Atlas
Boston Courier
Boston Herald
Bouldin, James W.
Boyd, Linn
Brady, Sarita
Branch, Lawrence O’Bryan
Breckenridge, John C.
Brodhead, John
Brooks, Preston
bullies
definition of
see also Sumner caning
Brown, Albert Gallatin
Brown, Charles
Brown, John
Bryant, William Cullen
Buchanan, James
Bull Run, First Battle of (1861)
bullying
and Adams
and anti-dueling laws
armed warfare threats
and Benton-Foote conflict
and Cilley-Graves duel
and Compromise of 1850
and disunion threats
and dueling
evidence of
and Foote
and gag rule debate
and Giddings
and humililation
and Kansas-Nebraska Act
and Keitt-Grow fight
as political strategy
and press
public response to
and Republican Party
and sectional differences
and shifts in Southern bullying
and Speaker role
and Sumner caning
Sumner on
and Wise
and working conditions
Buncombe speeches
Burlingame, Anson
Burt, Armistead
Butler, Andrew:
in Benton conflict
and Benton-Foote conflict
and “Crime Against Kansas” speech
Hale on
and Kansas-Nebraska Act
Bynum, Jesse
Calhoon, John
Calhoun, John C.
California statehood
Cameron, Simon
Campbell, Alexander
Campbell, Lewis “Lew”
Campbell, Thomas
Campbell, William
Cambell-Edmundson fight
Campbell-Maury fight
Capitol
committee rooms
galleries
and symbolism
Carroll, Mason Michael
Carter, Timothy
Chandler, Zachariah
Charleston Mercury
Chestnut, James
Chicago Democrat
Choate, Rufus
Chunkers
Churchwell, William
Churchwell-Cullom fight
Cilley, Bradbury
Cilley, Greenleaf
Cilley, Joseph
Cilley, Jonathan
background of
character of
see also Cilley-Graves duel
Cilley-Graves duel (1838)
and Adams’s accusation of Wise
advisor teams in
and anti-dueling law
and Benton
and congressional community
consultations in
and cross-sectional party bonds
day of
and 1852 presidential campaign
and free speech
French’s diagram of
French’s records of
French’s response to
and honor code
investigation of
and Northern appeasement of Southerners
participant responses in
and political parties
public response to
reelection of participants in
and sectional differences
and sectional rights and honor
weapons in
and Webb
Civil War
and congressional violvence
Claiborne, John F. H.
Clark, Daniel
Clark, Horace
Clark, John
Clay, Clement
Clay, Henry:
and Benton
and Benton-Foote conflict
and bullying
and Cilley-Graves duel
death of
and duel challenges
fame of
and Northern appeasement of Southerners
oratory of
Clemens, Sherrard
Clephane, Lewis
Cleveland, Chauncey
Clingman, Thomas
Cobb, Howell
code duello, see honor, code of
committee system
community of Congress
Compromise of 1850
and armed warfare threats
and bullying
and California statehood
celebration of
and disunion threats
and 1852 presidential campaign
and French’s politics
public response to
and rules of order
and sectional rights
and telegraph
see also Benton-Foote conflict
Confederate Congress
Congress, U.S.:
and alcohol
atmosphere of
conventional image of
demographics of
and national expansion
oratory in, see oratory
public mistrust of
role of
as symbol of Union
and women
see also congressional violence; House of Representatives, U.S.; Senate, U.S.; Thirty-sixth Congress
congressional constituents
Congressional Globe:
and alcohol
appendix of
and Benton-Foote conflict
and Cilley-Graves duel
and Compromise of 1850
as congressional record
distrust in
and extent of coverage
and gag rule debate
and Kansas-Nebraska Act
and letter-writers
and obscuring of conflict
and partisanship
public opinion of
and popular culture
and speakership election (1849)
as symbol of Union
Congressional Temperance Society
congressional violence:
acceptance of
armed
as amusing
calculations about
definition of
evidence of
extent of
and fairness expectations
implications of
national context of
and personal reputation
and political parties
as political strategy
predictions of (1855)
press amplification of
public response to
public support of
pull of
and representation
rise of (1850s)
rules of
sectional differences in
street fights
Sumner on
verbal abuse as war-era substitute for
and weapons
congressional working conditions
and alcohol
and committee system
and interaction tone
and physical conditions
and public spaces
and rough atmosphere
congressmen
in attempts to control press coverage
border-state
and Civil War battles
demographics and
legal privileges of
as performative representatives
and sectional differences
violent backgrounds of
see also specific people
Connecticut Courant
conspiracy theories
see also press
Constitution, U.S.
Covode, John
Craige, Francis Burton
Crawford, Martin
“Crime Against Kansas” speech (Sumner)
Crittenden, John J.
cross-sectional party bonds
see also Northern appeasement of Southerners; political parties
Cullom, William
cultural federalism
Curran, William
Cutting, Francis B.
Cutting-Breckenridge fight
daguerrotypes
Dana, Amasa
Davidson, Thomas
Davis, Henry Winter
Davis, Jefferson
Davis, Matthew “Old Specs”
Davis, Reuben
Dawson, John B.
and antislavery advocacy
background of
and bullying
and rules of order
and Wise
Democratic Party:
and Cilley-Graves duel
and 1852 presidential campaign
and French’s political transition
French’s role in
ideology of
and Jackson
loyalty to
and slavery
and Sumner caning
see also doughfaces, Northern appeasement of Southerners
Dickens, Charles
disunion:
and bullying
emotional logic of
downplaying of
experience of
French’s consideration of
and French’s political transition
possibility of
and presidential election (1860)
and self-defense
Southern Address
and speakership conflict (1859)
threats of
Dodge, Henry
Doolittle, James
doughfaces
see also Northern appeasement of Southerners
Douglas, Stephen
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dromgoole, George
dueling and duel challenges:
advocacy against
and Benton-Butler conflict
and Benton-Foote conflict
and bullying
and Cilley funeral
and Civil War
and community of Congress
and late 1850s heightening of congressional violence