The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1849-12-15
Miscellaneous.
From Nqah's Weekly Messenger
Robert Crittenden and the First
Great Duel in Arkansas


Arkansas has BEEN the land Of bloody du-
s, IN other countries, such rsnconlres
amid avery recent period, both It,eir number
,,d mortality have been alike astonishing
scarcely q single combat Of tho kind has oG-
,youd uunuende, will immediate death Ia
,es Of both Of uld antagonists, and often TO
The singular fact seems 10 have been
rTTrrVOWiug 10 the cotemporhnepuH action
oCtAu chuaeH. tlfBfIhn buttlEgTgut rhHrur
,sr o,tr people, 20 intensely deulruciyei
md arondly, the peculiar nature 81 their
6mrfls, resulting mostly from feelings Of
l.clu aud political phfIiZnHEhip, A special
subsidiary, tending powerfully To the same
result, may hu found Ia tho deapollc force
dfrNuple, and tie strong prucliylly Of the
nassra 10 initiate lhoir superiurH, aud par
nrularly their recognized leaders. HID tho
in duel ever wnged IN ArlSHUMH been the
work of mediocre or iguoh8 men, it might
nave excited emotions of disgust or con.
rmpt, aud ccuniuly never would hnyo be-
come n precedent To be quoted ibspeccll aud
copied ~ conduct 30 extensively ~ Il wna,
Unfortunately, however, u was Iho deadly
fulr uf Two ,grnRl flvulr, Individuals Of culi
nfui inlruia i.sd nll commanding influence,
and puIltcd chielninH both. Hence IL was,
aud !. sllIl, rul6 of controlling authority To
which, perpetual reference n always had IN
dfrn ofion0r. IN such eases, whenever q
o,Niuly arises NJ 10 point Of etiquette OF
ORDER ~ ilc arrangements, nn appeal m usu-
ais mndo TO 1.-THE grand duel bctwiXi Criten-
den aud Conway the history Of which We
NlII nov proceed to detail
w lsIO, Criurndou aud Conway began ga
cau'n-s lho territory rs opponents Tor the
Office ct delegate to the supreme cougrcss
ol llc milton, the ionner being Wing and
lLr latter Democrat. The hrld was alto.
Relbor ueHj parties had hui yet been organ
ilrd, aud all was IN state of trHusiion---Hg-
ralcd, stormy aud doubtful. The mnRnlh.
rrnco of the priIc for Which they struggled
simulated ihc riynlsto Ihe hlghcE; drgrco of
enthusiasm, uuil the strife hccGniG madden
me, aud hurst over nh The boundaries of dc,
cent language aud even COMMON courtest. 49,
was generally hrlrvrd HAT. whatsoever
luvy acquired tie nsccndrrcy now would
be- ruuhlrd lo keep "a long while, perhaps
tot ever Under such circumstance, ulr eN
ricmcrt OF the people aud their leaders may
be- m1gincd.
lofa time the opposing candidates pursu,
ct d6.rcnt circuisonc sweeping the stumps
flhe north, and the other those of the south
Ihry we're probably induced TO take this
course IN the first instance from the snno
m"llvr.-tho desire Ia avoid personal col
lslUu; for they seem all along 10 have dread.
eel -N1l,B- I-tminuinu. The suyrrcigu vo.
Itf, Mere dissatisfied viii this distant can
uoundc, they loudly demanded TINT th,
champions should bo brought To close quur
ten, 81 ~ to afford an opportunity of dccid
lug their Respective merits with the senses
dudhy immediate contrast Hence the po
lnci chlrltnlus were forced to submit, nnt
the primary "pitchcd haulo" was appointed
To CONE OF ut Liule Rock, IN midsummer.
& On the day designated an immense con-
course assembled To- witness The triRl Of
strength, Intense WIS the frrmeut of pas.
slpuuic feeling, Many spectators were even
tnuwu To- have travelled four hundred miles
to be- present on the occasion. The hunters
AND h"rdsmcE who were too poor to pay the
expense of hoArl aud lodgings NJ the hotels
"chupcd our IN the woods around the town
Elf, ia the morning 1t was discovered Thut
no tuusc could ho procured lnrge enough "a
hold llto of the people alrcndy arrived
and accordingly the place Of meeting was
cl0hgcd from the City Hall to u beautiful
grove Of pines in tho vicinity, which, before
The sun had performed three hours spnco of
ms long summer journey,was dcnsely crowd.
eel by tho eager mnsses-tto rue rulers
"UUSG scGPrTc tdy TT rtTv ttTUttut l-r,S7
II should bu remembered by the render
that both parties had held cnucuscs, the pre-.
Nous night, mud M their proceedings were
very slunnr IN their mode of conducting bu-
'ncss, and M to their specific ohlcct-the II.
.enrvcncnt OF victory for thcmsclyes--it will
Do sufficient to give an account ofonc only.
The democratic caucus was called at the
--rritcnce of Col. Wharton Rector, aud the
hilln subject of discussion related to the
method which Conway should ndopt IN the
irpte of tho ensuing day, aud more espec-
,diy hs Ia hs treatment of his antagonist
Cot Chester Ashley made powerful speech
urging genllcnanly aud pnciGc measures as
The safes, aud surest, because most likely to
propihln the good opinion Of the communi.
W. \, H. SEWER, then youthful nspiraut
~ The FIRST brilliant day break of his promise
took the snmc side. @ut Wharton Rector
the fiery dnelist, assumed contrary ground
Ills Grafton was brief but characteristic of
the man aud of the times:-"l know the peo
pie of Arkansas better than any of you, be.
cause ] hnvb resided among them longer
and tell you, from actual observation Hut
from experience, that the only path 10 certain
popularity in this meridian runs through the
Nrcu0 of Il furious fight Therefore Conway
must manage Ia get up fight"
But" ntcrposcd Col. Ashley "whnt If
Cfluenden should refuse to fight? I know
myself thai lac IL not shot aud has never
heen engaged IN n rcncontre Of the sort"
80 much the better" replied Rector
laughing. AIN thnt cnso there will bc no dan
ger to our man; and besides, il Crtlcnder
Should hnck on. lac will be utterly disgraccd
hnd then we can cowhide him Off the track
with IMMUNITY"
but suppose no should deceive us all, npd
prove hiWsefn tremendous hero ?" -ueges.
'rd Sosier. "Supposo that lac shuuid accept
aud Kill Gen. Conway, who tx there ia our
L.. Al. e
"l-have thought Of that too" responded
Hector 0uul | hnve uruyi,le,l spninst it