in may 1856, republican senator charles sumner took to the floor to denounce the threat of slavery in kansas. he wanted to destroy what republicans called the "slave power". in the speech called "the crime against kansas", sumner ridiculed the honor of elderly south carolina senator andrew butler. he compared butler's pro-slavery agenda towards kansas with the raping of a virgin and characterizing his affection for it in sexually explicit and disgusting terms. the next day, butler's cousin, the south carolina congressman preston brooks, nearly killed sumner on the senate floor with a heavy cane. the action shocked the nation, brought violence to the floor of the senate, and deepened the north-south split.