What was the public perception of Charles Sumner following his caning in the Senate?

The public perception of Charles Sumner after he was caned in the Senate in 1856 largely classified him as a martyr in the North. The brutal attack by Preston Brooks, a southern congressman, for Sumner's anti-slavery speech, galvanized abolitionist sentiments and heightened tensions over slavery. Many in the North saw Sumner as a symbol of the struggle against slavery and oppression, interpreting the violent act as indicative of the extreme lengths to which pro-slavery advocates would go to silence dissent.

Following the incident, Sumner became synonymous with the anti-slavery movement, with his caning fueling the outrage and opposition to the institution of slavery. This perception contributed to an increase in support for the Republican Party and the abolitionist movement, reflecting the growing rift between the North and South. Thus, the view of Sumner as a martyr effectively underscored the prevailing sentiments in the North and deepened the sectional conflict that would eventually lead to the Civil War.