Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1837-07-08

Louis. We here learned that rencontre hat
taken place the day before between TWO citi
zens, an editor and physician. One of thu
parties assaulted the otherin his Office with his
knife. He was however disarmcd after in
fiictlng one wound; and being in the nower o.
ms antagonist, was dirked and cut until he
fell lifeless. He was not dead when we arri
we'd. When will this system of pistoling
dlrking, cutting and chopping cease! The de.
mon OF bloodshed and private murder seems to
stalk with fearless tread throughout this re-
/ gion. In New Orleans, we were disguised
with the tales Of blood and the waste of human
life. At Natchez some tale of recent fight
Is detailed to the passing traveller with the
current news from shore. Opposite Natchez,
Grand Gulfand Vicksburg the duelling grounds
are poined Out, where almost yearly, human
life is poured out like water. At every land.
Ing place, ones ears are shocked by some
bloody narration, of citizen armed against citi-
zen, friend against friend. The citizens Of
vicksburg have recently called meeting for
the purpose of expressing their opinions in re-
ation to the prevailing habit of carrying dead
ly weapons. Municipal laws, supported by
fine and Imprisonment have been, believe,
already passed there in relation to this custom.
If men were not at all times armed they would
not be so ready to inflict injuries and resent i'm
agnary insults. 1t is now, a word, (and not
a blow but the flash of pistol, or the thrust
of knife. The example of Vicksburg in re-
lation to carrying arms upon the person, was
proposed to be follow ed in Natchez do not
know if laws against it have yet been passed
there, but remember hearing gentlemen of
high political rank observe to me, that any
such municipal regulations, We're an infringe
ment of the constitutional rights of American
citizens, and that general disarming law
might as well be passed at once, ''for a man
had the same right to his pistol as his rifle, to
his Bowie knife as his sword" So has every
man right to keep twenty -four FOUNDER
loaded with grape shot in his yard pointed into
his neighbours windows, shower of sparks
from neighboring furnace constantly falling
around it. Municipal laws, judiciousy franz
ed can remedy the evil and should be applied
to it. If gentlemen will carry arms let them
carry small swords al their sides at one.
have Just returned from visit to the town
of Memphis, Which, like Natchez, is built on
the level summit ola bluff. The ascent to the
town is very precipitate. The face ofthe cliffs
approaches SO near the river that there is no
landing place excepta morrow path which has
been eXcavated at their base There is no bar
or beach here to form foundation for lower
town as at Natchez, the river sweeping strong
and deep past the very foot ofthe bluff, which
overhangs the steamers in vast fragments,
which are held only by few roots, and appear
as if about.t to descend like an avalanche upon
the boats beneath. Two dilapidated steam
boats, altered by the carpenters making toera-
Bile stores, moored at the shore, are the only
buildings there. These are occupied as gro
ceries, fruit and cake shops, and markets for
boats, and serve all the purposes ofhali a dozen
stores. Along side of these floating stores the
steamboats, stop as if to apier. The landing
is half mile below the town, but when Mem
phis was first settled, broad flat bottom
stretched beneath the bluff Immediately oppo-
site the town. The constantly changing riv-
or has now left no traces of this, aud the land
ing place has been gradually moving south,
and is likely to disappear entirely, leaving the
town wholly inaccessible from thcriyer. The
situation of Memphis and its surrounding see
nery, is very similar to Natchez and its vicln-
itv. The views up and down the river, are
yery much alike at both places, although that
up the river from Memphis is finer and more
extensive than that in the same direction from
Natcbez. The Natchez bluff is however three
times higher than this and infinitely more grand
and romantic. After el1ecting the short, steep
ascent from the river, we come to nearly ie-
vel common, which we crossed to the village
nearly nearly half a mile distant, and entered
the Bluff or Front street, whose stores all IRON
ted the river They appeared to be well filled
with goods, and considerable business was
doing in the street. The town rejoices II the
signs speak truly, in many Doctors, Lawyers
and Editors. Besides the main street; there
| is second street parallel with III square back.
These two streets are intersected by hall do
zen others: Some parts of the town are COM
posed OF streets compactly built, but the dwell
ling houses are generally few and far between.
we went into an EDITORS Office (Which was
table in the printing office, where we found the
editor directing his papers to his subscribers
for it was publication day) exchangeo
..bt" for one of them, and descending the stars
gained the street, where saw hearse, made
! Of timber, the clumsiest, heaviest, most uli-
couth conveyance that ever man roue 70 iiS
last home upon. Timothy Trotter consoled
himself with the prospect OF riding In car ca,
rage to his grave if he never rode IN one WINE
Iliyinp-.-but Tommy would rather walk 70 ms
own burial as he had walked all his lie, tia,,
commit himself to the hearse In question:
/ like to see a neat hearse and funeral parapher-
nalia;i speaks well for any village, and shows
that the citizens entertain that respect tor the
dead which forms part Of our better preJudle-
ces. The hearse was drawn mp before an o.
fee around which several negroes and boys
were assembled. stopped and looked u
through the open door. A corpse was stretcn'
ed upon bed, a coffin was beside it on a chair
and three or four men were placing white I'm
en- in it, the edges deliberately scolloped' IKE
paper cut fancifnlly with scissors. No females
were present. The corpse was wrapped IN
winding sheet, which was scolloped arouno
the cuff, and white gloves were drawn on 1 1re