The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-03-05
JOHN HAMPDEN PLEASANTS.

Ii was with deep astonishment that all parties
learned that this distinguished and impracticable
wing editor, and, when not governed by his
monomania, polished and high soued enleman.
had pushed himself into so deadly and bloody
rencontre, as that which resulted in his death
on Friday last. We, as well as all others
mourned his untmely and unusual end. The
exact particulars of how the parties were armed
&C. have not yet transpired we believe, how
ever, that we gave nearly the facts in our first
article, and we revert again to the matter because
we think we see in the partisan journals of the
day, an evident design TO operate unjustly upon
the public mind, and thereby affect the sandinr
OF MT Thomas Rltchle, Jr., who throughout this
transaction. has been borne up by the sanction of
the public voice, and who was proclaimed In
have acted " HoNoRABLY and GENEROUSLY in
the affair."" by Mr.. PIeasans himself, hours be-
fore he died, and who declared that the reason
he reserved his fire was, IS because he had no
expectation Of sWUiUing the contest, and he
'cas determined that Richie should die also"
This we learned from what we believe was I'M
doubted authority, when in Richmond the day
after the fight what then was our establishment
to see in the Star of Saturday the statement, that
with his Pleasants'l dying breath he declared
that he had no purpose to kill his adversary. -
And this statement we find is being spread
through the country by private letters; for what
object Is this done but to create sympathy in the
public mind for the deceased and prejudice
against the living, and to further the ends of
party. 1t is to promote those ends, and make
e.. r
good to his political friends, more than had been
his life. II he had purpose to kill his adj
versary," why did he watch his usual track.
previous to the fatal day, breathing vengeance
upon him, and threatening 10 cut him down in
the street why rush upon him, when on the
field, with such determined rage, and fire upon
him repeatedly, and then attack him with his
sword ? The story is too transparent, and it is
with pain we touch upon it, for our motto is.
" dc mortWs nal nisi bonum - but we cannot
permit the LIVING to be impugned to save the
dcdd We are glad to learn from the Star. TO
which Mr.. Peasants had attached himself thai
"a statement will probably be made Of these
matters. We hope so, for the sake of Justice
and we trust that it will be one which the friends
Of both parties, who were connusant Of the affair.
will be willing to attest.
We are panied to see, too, that the Coroner's
jury, have. IN returning their verdict of Inquest
! employed the harshest word in our language TO
| designate the result of the rencontre SOUGHT and
! promoted by Mr.. Peasants, himself Was this
done TO soolh the public mind, or pander to polili-
! cal hate2
We were highly pleased with the simple and
touching notice Of this affair from the pen of the
elder Mr.. Richie, who even while writing ppdo,
the agony which must have visited his bosom
failed not to do full honor to the brilliant talent.
Of the deceased. We copy from the Union =
d" We hear with profound regret of the death ri
John IIampden Peasants, esq Of Richmond. ,ybc
brealhed his last in that city at O'Clock yesterd,
morning. We regret. on every account. both the
death ofthis gentleman, and the manner Oft Ho
| fell near Manchester. on the banks of the Tancs
river. opposite to Richmond, very early on VVcd-
nesday morning, in ar unfortunate renc6unter win
one who is related to the editor Of this manor b..
| the tenderest ties. We had hoped that he ,vonlJ
/ have survived his wounds; bot il has hoe, orlo,
ed otherwise. II is not our duty 10 enter into the
! circumstances which have brought abogt this l.,
! menled catastrophe. But is it too much 10 ask ,