The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-03-13
THE FREE TRADER.


The Washington papers give an account Of a
duel which was fought near Richmond, Va, on
the 18th inst, the details Of which are sickening
and must increase the odum in which this bar
barous mode Of settling disputes is held by all in
teiiigcn, men. The renconirc was between Tho
Richie, jr., Of the Richmond Enquirer, and John
n. Pleasants, of The Richmond Star, and until
lately Of the Richmond Wing, and resulted in
the death Of the latter. We have seen no his.
tory Of the origin Of the quarrel between the
parties, but by looking over the editorial. Of
the Enquirer for month or two back, we appre-
bend we have a tolerahle clue to the whole affair.
Il appears that the Richmond whig OF Jan. 2 !,
10 replying to an article in the Enquirer, accused
the editor Of the latter, among other things, OF
publishing the predictions Of his Washington
correspondent, knowing them to be false. The
Enquirer OF next day contained a short reply,
in which we End this sentence: "Weto not cure
TO enter into controversy with Mr.. Please nts
enough has occurred in former ones between Mr..
J. H. p. aud ourselves TO show the utter futility
Of any atlemp, to bring them to a final decision. y
This evidently referred to . challenge that had
given by Mr.. Richie to Mr.. Peasants, which the
latter refused to accept. What next took place
may be inferred from the following paragraph
which appeared in the Z inquirer Of Feb. 81:
ave Uhe junior editor) returned TO this city
on Thursday night. We have seen letter all
dressed by J. X. Peasants to Chs. Maurice Smith
ESQ, dated at Philadelphia, Feb. 4. and publish
ed Feb. l6. in answer to an article which appear
ed ia the Enquirer on the 9th Of January.
This letter affords strong corroborative evidence
of our opinion expressed. in our article Of the
9Th ult., and. from J. II. Peasants commun MICA.
ton evidently Understood by him to the extent
va Overwhelmingly, that facts within our know
ledge proved him 10 he coward.
"He appeals 10 the confines Of age, and de-
pendant children" As an excuse. Let it bc-we
shall not disturb him.
II was doubtless in consequence Of the publ
cation Of this paragraph that Mr.. PIeasants invi-
ted Mr. Richie to personal rencon,re. They
met on the morning of the 25,h Feb. on the ca.
nal bank, on the Manchester side Of James River
opposite Richmond. The agreement was tina,
they should take their stations tw hundred yards
apart, with two pair Of duelling pistols and a
bowie knife each to fire approaching, and Gu. as
tdey pleased. The firing took 20 effect on eth
er, but when they came in contact, Mr., Richie
received slight wound in the cheek, and Mr.
Peasants a wound across the abdomen with a
bowie knife, Of which he died at O'Clock ON the
following morning.
These are briefly the horrij details as we un.
derstand them. Tho Washington Union, which
is edited by the father Of Tn. Richie, Jr, in pub
fishing brief account Of the affair, asks a sus.
pension Of public opinion until all the circum.
stances Of the shall have been fully develop.
Cd; and pays the following tribute to the deceas.
ed:
"Mr Peasants had edited the Lynchburg Viz
rinian for several years. until the winter Of 1923
~. when he established the "Richmoni Wing"
one Of the strongest papers ia the South. lie
left tina. Journal few weeks since. when he a-
scented himself in the edilorship Of the Richmond
Star. He was gentleman Of brilliant talen,s-
Que Of the best writer's in Virginia and an able,
experienced, and arden, politician"
Mr.. Richie a, latest accounts was in Wash.
in.,on We know not VIA. the laws Of Virgin.
ia are in reference TO dueing bu, j, looks strange
TO Us here that Mr.. r. should DO at large. They
may view things differently in Virginia; bu.
whatever the proSoca,ion may have been ,ha, ur.
ged NJ. Richie to take the life Of fellow in the
manner above detailed, at least north Of Mason
* Dixos's line, 40 one can hold him guil,less Of
murder.