The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-08 00:00:00

A PROMISING SENSATION SPOILED.

There has been an after-piece to the heavy drama on
Bullock and Georgia enacted in the Senate last week,
which promised for awhile td lead to big results in the
shape of one or two dead bodies on some bloody field in
the vicinity of Bladensburg or elsewhere. But, like
many another 'affair which opened with fair pros-
pects of a big sensation, it has suddenly and
very flatly come to an end. No duel is to
happen. Neither a Bullockite nor a Ferryite is to fill
an untimely grave, and Morton and Ferry will have no
"dead body" to answer for hereafter at the judk
meat seat. It appears that on the day of the furious
debate between Ferry and Morton on the Fifteenth
Amendment Bill a friend of Bullock happened to be in
the Senate, and freely expressed his views on the high
merits of the Indiana Senator's address. A gentleman to
whom these remarks were particularly addressed unfor-
nately happened to be on the other side, and took mortal
offence at the Bullockite's freedom of speech. Ho
retorted very harshly, and the result was a formal
demand by the Bullockite for a retraction. A corre-
spondence followed, and it seemed as though bloody
business was meant. The Bullockite—Major Ben T.
Hutchins by name—chose a friend, and the other party—
Colonel Quintin Curtius Washington—fortified himself
likewise. The first chosen seconds would not work blood-
thirsty enough, and a new batch was chosen, and then
another. General George W. Adams was the first arnicvs
of Hutchins, and L. L. Cronuse officiated mildly for the
other side. Then young Bright, son of the ex-Senator,
and General Ames took their places as substitutes, and
finally the seconds became General Richard Winter
Smith and Johnny Coyle. Under the last-named gen-
tlemen the hostile negotiations were perfected and
' the choice .of weapons made. I believe the hour of
meeting on the bloody field was actually fixed. It was a
great pity, therefore, such a promising sensation should
be spoiled; but it was. There was a hitch in some place,
and the duel was abandoned. Hutchinx claims he comes
off with flying colours. while Washington is reticent, but
eminently dignified. Your correspondent interviewed to-
night the gallant Major, who stated that a
friend of Colonel Washington informed him that
soon of ter the little " onpleasantness " in the
Senate Gallery, Washington sent for a couple
of pistols, which he has carried ever since. Hutchins
says he regards Colonel Washington as not 'wishing
to fight, and hereafter he will not recognise any com-
munication from him. As the correspondence is very
brief I suppose it may be as well to send it to you. The
Bullockite first sent a note by L. L. Croness to Mr.
Washington, demanding a retraction of the offensive
words which were according to Major Bittchings as
follows :

" God damn you, sir, I don't know you ' • and God dam,
you, sir, I don't want to know you : and God damn you
sir, if I had my way I would hang every one of you
sir."

To this note Mr. Washington responded as follows :-
" Washington, D. C. , May 18, 1870.

_ .
" Sir,—Your note, bearing yesterday's date, was handed
to me to-day by Mr. L. L. Crounse. In reply, I have tc.
state that while I was engaged in my usual duties in the
Sena:,e gallery you, without possing any personal ac-
quaintance with me whatever, expressed to me political
opinions which were to me necessarily offensive. I had
said nothing to you, had not looked at you, and did not
even know your name or anything of you hen you thus
accosted me. Had your remark been civil, though yon
were a stranger to me, I should have made no answer, or
a civil one ; but they were irritating and offensive
—first, in maintaining that a large class in the
South, to whom I belong, ought to be shut
out from any post of nour or trust under
the national or State Governments ; second, in holding up
the people of the South, and especially the people of
Georgiv as so lawless and violent as to make it necessary
to quarter troops among them. Ido not pretend to quote
your precise language, but the substance of what I under-
stood you to say. As a Southern man Ido not recognise
the right of any one, and especially an utter stranger to
me, as you were, to address remarks to me which neces-
sarily reflect upon myself and the Southern people,
and that, too without any provocation. It was after,
and because you had thus wantonly expressed to me offen-
sive and irritating remarks that I uttered any response,
and that response the one of which yon complain as per-
sonal. I hope that you are by this time sensible of your
error in thus expressing disagreeable opinions to a total
stranger, and when you shall have expressed regret for
your own aggression your request for an explanation satis-
factory to us both will have a better basis than it now has.
I am your obedient servant, " L. Q. WASHINGTON.

" Ben T. Hutchins.
With this note Mr. Washington also sent the following
memoranda to be signed by Hutchins :

" After consultation with my friends, I have to say
that I did not suppose that I was speaking to a Southern
gentleman when I addressed you. I moreover did not
design to offend riu, and withdraw the offensive and
unpleasant remarks. This explanation I respectfully re-
quest
.you to recall the personal remarks used by you.
Reply

Of course, the irate Bullockite refused to sign the above
He would have nothing but blood. Finally, Hutchins,
having the fear of the district law against duelling, which
is very severe, before his eyes, went across the Long
Bridge into Virginia and wrote the following, which he
carried over here and left in the office of Mr.
Washington :

• " Alexandria, Va., May 23, 1870.
Mr. L. Q. Washington—Not having any reply to my
second communication and not finding any suitable friend
to carry this message I leave this request on your table,
asking for the third time a satisfactory explanation of
your personal remark, or else choose your own time,
place, weapons, &c., which is due to one gentleman from
another.

" BEN. T. HUTCHINS."