The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-03-14
THE RICHMOND RENCONTRE-TES-
TIMONY BEFORE THE JURY OF INQUEST.
&C Fiat iustitia, ruat cnlum y

of our friends of the Richmond 'Star'' should
for moment, make it necessary that we should
correct any OF their statements, as their fault
leans to the side OF their dead friend, and as they
profess TO be, and we believe they are, governed
! by the same spirit that has actuatcd ourself
throughout this matter. to separate and keep it
distinct from party bias feeling and it was for
that very purpose that we penned our article OF
the 9th instant, which the gentlemanly editors of
! the " Star" have copied, so that the text may
accompany their comments. We stated what we
had heard while in Richmond from the most
reliable authority, rejecting much which excited
rumor put forth as fact, in order to correct the
thousand and one falsehoods which were crcuat
ing through the whig press. Z" north and south %
with the evident design of nuring the survivor of
that fatal ARRAY for the Charleston :" Courer's"
correspondent in Richmond had kno,cingly stated
10 that paper what no must have known to be
untrue, when he represented that Richie had
urged the barbarous mode of combat adopted and
when every body in Richmond knew that it was
his opponent who was guilty. The New York
Courier and Enquirer" too, in its first COM
rnent, CHE blood Of ,cLosc Editor ought TO rush
back upon his co,card heart, TO stagnation, ,cith
horror ,ohen he speaks on such subject. and
the ghost Of the lGmented CILLEY rises before
hlm) asks with the unbushing hardihood of
! falsehood, &" what measure of condemnation should
50 be melted out 10 Mr.. Richie, who has but
recently arrived at manhood, for the fend-
like pertnacity, with which he pursued, Mr.
!" Peasants" SC, thus stamping the act Of Mr.
plaaSantS far is do -
Mr.. Richie, who had " protested" against the
mode of combat, and who, so far from ''purSu-
ing" with " fiend-Iike pertinacty," the deceas-
ed, stood his ground, and ceased to strike, when
his opponent held his hand 1t was 10 correct
this base poisoning of the public mind that we
gave all the authentic facts in our possession ::
and we regret that our respected contemporaries in
Richmond, did not, at first, think proper TO pub
lish an authentic, or 80 true statement" of the
whole affair, as it would have saved much mis-
representation.
We deeply commisserate with the friends of
the deceased, both personal and political; we
have said before that we honored the high. souled
chivalry and manly qualities of Mr. Peasants,
and we can well forgive his friends for feeling
sensitive to any thing that would remotely tarnish
his honor, now he is dead and far be it from us
to unnecessarily disturb the ashes of the tomb
but there is such thing as justice TO the living.
and while we done no injustice to the dead, we
demanded that justice for the survivor
! As 10 the statements we made of Mr. Peasants
remarks, we are mainly sustained by the ca
pGrte testimony given before the Coroners In
quest, and we have no doubt those statements
will be fully corroboraled on the final trial. In
! DR.. Warner own testimony, we find the follow
ing: g He Peasants said Rtchie vas a
BRAVE FELLOW" Pleasants stated to witness
that he ,OGs determined TO hare RiLchies life.
or he should hare his" This is enough for the
present 10 show that had good grounds for our
statements; and we could not but be surprised
as we are still, now we have seen part of the
testimony, that Mr.. Peasants should have stated
that he " did not intend to kill his adversary -
and we cannot account for it now in any other
way, than that, being an ertremis, the spirit
wandered, and remorse was fastening upon his
soul, as the shades of death fell upon him.
Our friends of the " STAR will see, if thew
will read our remarks as quoted in their per o
the 10Th instant, that we did not ''assail the
ONiN'CiJ OuI lS8lCNlGu tlldb the coroner
Jury should have used the harsheSL word :" &c
We now "regret' it, and believe it was used
thoughtessly, and without due consideration be
ing given to its importance, and bearing upon the
living parties
Having said this much to show that we wer,
principally correct, in the statements we bav,
given TO the public, and to prove that our obisc
was 10 dvest the future examination and con
sideralion Of this melancholy affair of party pre-
judice, and that we meant TO rebut falsehood,
only, we now give the Testimony, delivered be
fore the Inquest.
The Erpartc Evidence before The Coroner.
Jury.
William H. Mcfarland being duly sworn tes
lided-ihat he was with the deceased lust befor,
his death heard deceased in conversation witt
DR.. Warner; DR.. Warner enqured of the de-
ceased ifho understood him to have drawn the bal
from one Of his pistols, the deceased replied, yes
yes; DR.. Warner enquired when2 10 this Their
was no reply. DR.. Warner enquired how hi
impression was he said, by screw Dr. Warne
enquired was 1t your purpose to give your opponen
every advantage Deceased said, mol and short
ly after corrected this and said, yes Witness