Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-04-14

The writer Of this lin with large circle Of the
acquainsnces Of Mordecai Cooke J In this county, has,
with the most poignant regret heard OF the unfortunate
personal difficulty between him and Mezsr Gardner ESD,
which resulted the death OF the latter He has alsoseen
with small degree OF indignation that spnt OF persc
cution has been aroused against Mr. Cooke among the Ia
borc AT the Navy Yard. and the Agrarians and Fanny
Wright men Of Portsmouth and Norfolk When a dith
Guilty OF such nature that between Cook and Gardner
occurs il should be investigated with impartial judicial
scrutiny; and attention should be paid TO lswess and
apacous mob who nearly always wrong At the begin
ming, and who, If right first, 10 become
wrong before they end In this IL will perhaps assist
calm the public mind, ascertain the standing and
character OF the in question: and as from the cir
cusances the aray is probable that or the other
party have been killed, TO see whose death would
have been the greatest loss the community Twas well
acquainted with Mr. Cooke at the University OF Virginia IN
'36 80 and 3s-and among 900 400 Students the elite
OF the young OF Virginia and the South there were
none who surpassed him in requirements and talent He
not the OF the word man OF genius; his
mind was creative; his imagination not glowing or
was seldom or never indulgcd but in the heavy armed
troops of and the gh, infantry of wit and sarcasm
have known o his age TO surpass hm-dunng
long acquaintance with the University, justly renowned us
she is for the intelligence and ability OF her Alumni In
his private Cooke stand
He brave tault-generous, ardent and liked
in his neutrality-suspicious. Of his honora man OF the
very strcest veracity from which he devatcdever
ready the weak and in their defence to attack the
proud and overbearng- with and allowing
no tre with him-he had At the age OF IT, as
fixed and determnate a character man ever knew
Indeed so high estimate do place upon Mr. Cookies
racy and his eaessness from long andintmae acquain
with him. that should have the slightest difficult
" in credng his declaration, THAT the pistol went off
while 10 Gardners hands, IL it couoborated las
by other testimony and evenf were opposed TO all
the evidence in the MIR. Gardner personally en-
trely unknown me, but will affirm that he
morally mentally and physically inferior to Cooke
He slightly known here the Editor OF paper IN
Portsmouth, OF the Orestes A. Brownson order which pro-
fessed teach the doctrines OF Jefferson, Madison and
Monroe but incucated those of Mnrai, Danton aud Ro
bespierre Peace however his ashes The famous max
i'm 'de raOrfus nil boRH" always appeared to me to
SAVIOUR more female weakness than OF manly reason He
that has much feeling speak i'll OF the dead-who,
they cannot defend themselves least ignorant OF his
abusc-w hesitate, by the NEST wanon caumny, to
destroy the quiet the reputation the fortune OF the living
Yet heard beneath the tomb, any than
praise. De nil perufn-de rris nal DO
nun-would approach much to justice and good
sense Press noble Cooke to the high destiny that
awaits you regardless of the gbes the ISLANDERS and the
Of your He who writes this is politically
opposed you but for character he must enter
tain exalted respect which time cannot diminish dis
lance remove. w. L. l..
Albemarle County, April 10th, lS43. .
~ Norfolk Herald requested TO copy.