Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-04-04
Congressional nellige1enov

There has been no fatal duel among members OF
Congress since that between Mr. Cilley and Mr..
GEaVes IN 1887. In 1912 occurred a difficulty be-
tween Mr.. Wise and Mr.. Stauly, which would
probably have produced duel, but for the arrest
oil both parties and their being bound 10 keep
The peace. The next serious difficulty was be-
tween Mr.. Yancy, OF Alabama, aud Mr.. Clingnan,
! OF North Carolina. Mr.. Y. gave Mr.. G. personal
aiir"nt during the discussion on the annexation Of
Texas, aud when appealed 10 for explanations,
maize the pointed reply, "explanations elsew here
satisfactory, meeting aud exchange of shots took
place. without damage 10 either combatant.
lie next affair was tn II between Mr.. Stanly and
MI lnge' OF Alabama. The latter gave tie suit
refused 10 retract, was challenged, and accepted.
Alter an exchange OF shots, without execution
the parties s'satlshed."
Probably, the next affair in The o der of time
was the personal quarrel between Mr.. Benton and
hl. out'el, IN which, after the t'le'' given
WIN great aciimony Of manner in the Senute a
chailense was given, but the difficulty was ad-
Jused by apologies and regrets.
Dutlng The excitement which ended with the
compiomise OF 1850, two perSoral Affairs arose
which nearly approached duel, and produced u
profound sensation. The first was that between
Col. Bissel of Illinois, and Col. Jefferson DAVIS
Col. Bissel hid made one of the most imnr.s>ive
speeches ever heard i'll the House on the sect onnl
que: non, during which he denounced with much
severity, certain rretentons advanced in behalf of
me MisSiss pi troops, IN the battle Of Buenu VISTA
Col. Davis, then the Senate, had Commanded
That regiment III the bait e. He demanded a re-
lractlon oil the assertions of Col. BlsSeIl. A cor
teSpondence ensued, which ended in a cha llenpe
allu lis acceptance. The weapons selected were
! musketS, and the fight would certainly have taken
place. had not the parties and their friends very
orportunely, discovered that they were uuurtel-
ling about nothing at all.
In The spring of 1880, Mr.. Duer. of New York,
SAID he believed MIR. Meade, Of Virciuio WINS
dlsunionist. alt is false" and s'you are a liar"
we1e immediately exchanged. 4 challenge. its
acceptance, lnterpostion OF friends, Ieiraclions
a"d reconciliation naturally followed.
nave Committed occurrence between MIR
Clay aid the late Vice President King which mo-
duced at the time wider and deep,r sensation
lhan any other Of the nature hich led 10 no
actual conflict AT the extra Cf .S4l, after
tue great triumph of the Pr, sidentia elect on Mr.
Clay saw that through the detection Of Mr. Tyler
the fruits cf triumph OF the previous year were
likely 10 be snatched from the hands of these who
won II, aud was somewhat less amiable than was
habltunl with him. In one of his least compaiS.
ant moods, Mr.. King lad declared in subsiaure
That r. +. BLAIR was as much entitled 10 confidence
| and respect us Mr. Clay himself Mr. Clay lndir
manly DENIED II, and, l think, prom umced tie
| assertion false. Mr. King quietly remar ed, ri
have nothing 10 say" aud sat down. The ext
day challenge was given, the challenger being
hlty'e'ght and the challenged party sixty-three
years old. The advanced age OF both psIlies
should have been guarantee against any T, ally
trstlle lnentons; but they were entertained aud
the disagreement was arranged only with great
difficulty.
ouCH otlei record oil congressional belliger-
ency iot the last Thirteen years. Ii is obvious that
while The habit OF quarrelng remains, the prac-
ice oil lighting IS going, or rather has gone out of
date. During that whole time but two have ended
IN sexual resort to the field. Nobody has been
killed, nobody winged, nobody hurt. In short the
custom is anlIquated, and has become outIawed
no less IN the manners of the age than in the
statutes OF the land. The practice belongs 10 an
age whe" personal prowess was essential 10 sue
cess IN the public service, and was test Of fitness
| Tor leadership The age of chivalIy has passed
and many incidents of the system are looked uron
as ridlc ulous and barbarous. which in their day
were proper and necessarily Washington CORES.
pOndent IF The Philadelphia American