Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-02-21

ing with "Or did nc, &C. therefore, OeiilS
the party accused, am not proper W.T.
ness. think, in justice, that the indvidu.
al who has made the allegation should be
called to produce his proof.
Mr.. Pey,on thus explains the subsequent
occurrence us given in the lnteligenccr.
81 did not wish to enter into personal al
tcraation with one who is as completely
shielded from tho notice Of all honorable
men by his mfamy. as mad dog IS by
his hydrophobia. But, sir, he accompanied
that answer with scoul, frozen an 'nsu!.
ting look Of defiance, directed boldly to me
personally, which perhaps no one else then
saw. | appealed, sir, Immediately TO the
chair, to know if the witness should be per.
mittcd 10 insult me. walked up to him,
and said would teach him better than 10
insult me; that l would let him know that |
required no constitutional privilege 10 chas.
,isc him if he dared to insult me; that, if he
did, I would pu, him to death Oil the spot.
Sir, ! used language harsh, for was excl
ted, as any man would have been who has
a soul in him fit to be saved. The chair
called to order, and took my sear. He
says drew pistol upon hin; it is false.
After sat down he rose and began again;
| walked up to him again, and he, at that
moment seemed as il he was about to use
weapon: lie had his hand in his pocket. and
when walked up to him, | put my hand in
my bosom, but drew nothipg from it,
Every one present believed, from his att
tudo that he was armcsl with deadly wcap.
ons. My friend from Virginia (Mr. Wise)
interposcd, the witne IS was withdrawn, and
the committee unanimously passed reso.
luton ccnsuriug his insulting behavior"
Mr.. Wisc's version is as follows:
As soon as tic answer was read. look.
cd at my friend. and saw he was tloushed
with excitement; his face beamed with in.
dignation; no one could mistake his feel.
inss. He FIRST addressed the chairman, by
saving, "Air. Chairman, | wish you distinct.
ly to iniorm the witness that he is not TO in.
suit me here He was proceeding, when
| arose, and remarked, Mr.. Chairman, the
I'D insolcnce of this witness is nsuffer.
able, and has been borne long enough
He had, in fact, Mr.. Speaker, declined TO
answer one question because it was "inquis.
itorial;;" and, because another was "nquis.
iteral," he declined to answer it, and had
rung all the changes upon that word TILL, 1t
reiteration could convince and supply the
place of truth, one might have believed from
mere repetition, that the committee was,
what it has been denounced to be. worse
than u Spanish Inquisi,ion! Sir, he had re-
ceived his cue.
But to proceed: My friend rose as utter.
ed these words respecting the witness, put
me back with his arm, and said, "Thls is
nv business, Wise, not yours" And he
walked straigh. up 10 the witness where he
sat, and said to him nearly in these words
i will endeavor to give his very words,
however harsh: "You talk about my shield.
nr myself behind my constitutional privi.
leges. Now, l tell you that claim no con-
stitu,ional privileges to protect me from your
insults in my presence; and you d -d
thief and rs6be-, if you dare to insult me
here or elsewhere, to my face, | will put
YOU to death on the spot" The Chair.
man had called me 10 order. and sat down;
he Immediately called my friend back to his
seat, for i, is but due, Mr.. Speaker, to the
Chairman to say, that he has done his duty
in all respects on that committee. My
friend took his scat, when the witness rose,
and began to say, "Mr. Chairman, l have
been summoned to appear before this com.
mttee, and | claim its protection did
not finish the sentence before my friend rose
and told him 10 SIT dovn. "Sit down, sir !
YOU have no right to speak here but in wTi.
ting, and you shall not utter word; if You
speak another word will"-SIr, ! do
not remember here exactly what he said he
would do, he used many harsh epithets,
such as "d-d scoundrcl.' The wit.
ness uttered not word, but he was stand
ing & Immediately advanced his left too:,and
put his right hand into his panta!oons right
pocket. was standing then Immediately
behind my friend, and seeing Whitney as.
sumo this attitude, walked quickly around
the edge of the table, near to Whitncy's
left side. ! expected him to draw deadly
weapon on my friend. l watched the mo.
ton Of that right arm the elbow Of which
could be seen bv me: and mad it moved
one inch, he had died upon the spot -
That was my determination. Let me not
be misunderstood or misrcprescnted-l
mean TO say that if he had drawn his deadly
weapon on my friend it should nerer hare
done its erecution. | considered my friend
in imminent danger, and stood prepared
to arrest ito prevent his life from be.
ing taken by villain, who wore every
appearance, and assumed the very att.
tuJe of an insidious assassin. Happily, |