The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-19

pYe5s, before the closing OF the last moil we have
the exciting announcement that there are genuine
symptoms OF real fight between General Cullum
ana w. ID. Polk. OF Tennessee; and also between
the same Mr. Polk and Addison White, of Kentucky ',
all growing out Of the debate in the House. The
preminaries for duel arc now in arrangement"
No enVi0us sefgeant-at. arms, no busy magistrate,
seems to be thought Of and still less do the
friends OF The PARTIES seem likely to interfere 80 the
next mail may give the sequel Of these pleasant
rrehminaIies, IN the shape Of some grievous bodily
injuries, the result Of baf dozen alternative dis
charges OF rifles or revolyers That one debate
should have given rse to two duels, and those oi
such necessity aud interest," might surprise the di.
ligeLt readers Of our own parliamentary inte,li
geDce but when the debate is perused the wonder
disappears. IL is yory lively affair and remind ds
orc OF tho primitive councils of chiefs, when an
Agsmemnon would offer gratutOus insult 60 the
bIayest OF bls colleagues and Achilles would defy
Lis his chlet withCu beng once called 60 ORDER ex-
cept by the Silent suggestions OF Pallas Athene.
Tire subject matter OF the diEputs was fnnilisr
enough to The assembled representatives, but in
the report il is treated in brief abusive msnner,
which prscladcs tho possibility Of our forming any
opinion about it. The gauntlet was thrown down
by Mr. Polk apr0p0s TO a bill about lighthouses
re delivered the following enigmntical, but,
az it appears, infapmatoIy speech :--.' Il was
lot his pupose to discuss the bill before them
but to snow, amorg other things, that the
canI OF pay 10 cents The dollar. he was at Bal-
more len the wings nominated Gen. Scott, and it
was understood, for three or four DAYS, That mon
from Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia had agreed
10 come to Seward, and tho fact that Scott was
nominated showed the bargain had been made" A
single word, the proyerb tells us, is enough for the
wise, and il is equally certain single word will
sometimes have marvellous effect on tho unwise
An antagonist jumped up at once. The whole as
rising difficulty" Mr.. CulIuin was the man Sim.
ply to prove his perfect readiness to QUARREL he ex-
claimed Il can't hear my co lleague.' The report
er explains, these gentlemen occupied seats On diff
ferent sides Of the hall; members generally began
to manifest additional interest in the proceed
ings. i wish, them" said Mr.. Polk, in reply,
''you would come a little nearer" We are to con.
clude that MIR. Cullum adopted this pacific sug-
gestion, and, the whole assemblage now listening
a7cct's avibiss, the two beigerents stood face to
face IN pleasant proximity. Mr.. Cullum continued,
2" understand you to say something about be.
trayal of the South" MIR. Polk hercupon became
more exphcit:-"I say the man who now occupies
position as Senator from Tennessee to have been
nominated with Fillmore on the ticket, and that he
betray his nterest My colleague can answer whe-
ther he was connected with this Betrayal" Mr. Cul-
lum met the challenge-"My colleague in the Senate
can answer for himself proclaim here that have
entered into no collision, public or private. and
the inSil uation gratuitous unounded un-
truthful, and utterly false" This was enough The
whole assembly. and the two fiery spirits round
whom 1T had gathered, went off ut this word
and hencelorth there was little else than an in
tsrchange of denials in the most simple, natp-
raj, and emphatic expressions which we must
give as briefly as we can, and which require no coA
ment. Mr. Polk, nothing abashcd, promptly repeated
his charge of betrayal, and added, say. whenmy
colleague made the assertion az the City Hall in this
city, that Franklin Pierce or his horse tainted he
he'd" Hereupon the chairman called to order. as
1t seems with Mighty little purpose, for Mr. Cullum
rejoined, &c When my colleague insinuates that
have made fake representation, ho is a liar"
The case was evidently become one for "prelimi-
nanes," so Mr.. Polk invoked the aid Of a squire.
- ash some friend to come TO me-" That's what
J say said Mr.. Cullum. Some friend of order
having interferj, the quarrel nov took rather
more aIgumehtatiye and historical line, and Mr..
Polk went intoa an attack on General Scotts military
career. This called up Mr.. White, of Kentucky,
TO whom Mr. Polk Immediately intimated that if he
not seem TO be understood, he added, sthe excite
mi mt being as the reporter says, "at the fever
point oil over he hail. :, For fear of misrepresen-
tation, tell the gentleman he is liar. For some
minutes after this the house appears 10 have been
pretty equally divided between its wish to enjoy the
sport ana itssense ofits injured dignity hafstandng
On tpto, and halfcalling to order After time, Mr.
Culluu sought an opportunity of explanation, and
for time really to be adopting conciliatory
tone but it did bot last long, and at The first open.
ing Le offered the implacable Mr. Polk interjccted,
6 laid you are liar, and say so again" After
ono more fierce defiance from Mr.. Cullum, and one
moie speech ending with 6 liars,' by Mr. Polk,
this amiab bic discussion at last were itself out sim
90 no more. Pistols rifles must now decide
The knoty points OF tho . betrayal Of the South,'
PieIces courage and General SCOTS truth. Wilo
friends al Washington give us dtfor snceityWhen
say that the cause of represen aiye institutions
snd constitutional government Is rather too lowiust
uov 70 afford this unfayorabe display Pafli9ments
ought to have dignity Of their own. Tho military
despodtms Of Europe haye their pegeants, ther re-
views, their ffes, their religious ceremonies, their
chiefs their time honoured symbols and
forms Republics, end constitutional mouarchies,
are rather bare OF thcse things. They should,
have some tbing elso instoaa, Their de-
liberations should DO grave, deeorous, courteous
"a d calm. The representative Of tho psoplo, being
q ruler, chief, and elder Of the people, ought TO
bear meeslJ and suitably his high honor, and do
Justice thereby to those be represents Are we
really 10 conclude that Mr.. Polk bearing the naine
Of the late President. fairly ard correctly represents
his constituency tn general spirit OF the United
States! u il ueual in that country for any dozen
men assembled nywhere to 90 on giving the lie to
ore another for half an hour together From this
exhibition we might conclude that II was 70 such
III common occurrence, and that really the American
tongue is so foul, the American honor ID % blunt,
a. TO endure the free bandyipg backwards aud tor
wal de Of this most dreadful chage for dozen times
in succession. No rifles revolyers can wipe out
the disgrace of such sce1e. ans tho stain on the
honor of those who merely heard and saw without
taking the trouble to stop it, Will aot the Aneri-
cans for the sake of liberty itself for the sake Of
sivliZatisn, provide against the recurrence OF so
great politieal scandal
England.
TIE London papers have ceased to publish supple
merits for week past, and have taken tho opportu-
nifty Of bringing up their arrears Of reviews and
beck notises sure sign that the fountains Of news
are dry. Even Mr.. Webster's letter on the Peru
v ian guan0 question has provoked nothing more
startling than a leader or two in the Times. The
leud between the Times, Datly Ne,cS, Advertiser,
,,,1 n Nana dali INN,