The Yazoo Democrat., 1854-05-03
Congressional BeIIigerency.

OUHSlCpDlVHul DCUI@IAOuVy
The Washington correspondent of the Phila-
delphia North American says:
There has been no fatal duels among members
of Congress since that between Mr. CiIley and
Mr. Graves. in 1897. In 1912 occurred diff
Guilty between Mr.. Wise and Mr. Stauly, which
would probably have produced duel, but Tor
the arrest of both parties and their being bound
over to keep the peace The next serious diff
Guilty was between Mr.. Yancy of Alabama, and
Mr.. Clingman Of North Carolina. Mr.. Y. gave
Mr.. G. personal afTIont during the discussion
on the annexation of Texas, and when appealed
to for explanations. made the pointed reply, ex-
plantations elsewhere" They were demanded
elsewhere. and not being satisfactory, meeting
and exchange of shots took place, without dam
age to either combatant.
The next affair was that between Mr. Stanly
and Mr.. lnge, of Alabama. The latter gave
the insult, refused to retract was challenged,
and accepted. After an exchange Of shots, with
out execution the parties were " satisfied"
Probably the next affair in the order of tiui
was the personal quarrel between Mr.. Ben@h
and Mr.. Butler, in which, after the g lie" was
Senate, challenge was given, but the difficulty
was adjusted BY apologies and regrets.
During the excitement which ended with the
Compromise of 1850, two personal affairs arose
which nearly approached duel, and produced
profound sensation The first was that be-
tween Col. Bissell of Illinois, and Col. jefferson
Davis. Col. Bissell had made one of the most
impressive speeches ever heard in the House on
the sectional question, during which he denoun
ced with much severity, certain pretensions adj
vanced in behalf Of The Mississippi troops, in the
battle of Buena Vista. Col Davis, then in tha
Senate. had commanded that regiment in &c
battle. He demanded a retraction of the asser4
ton Of Col. Bissell. A correspondence ensued,
which ended in a challenge and its acceptance
The weapons selected were muskets, and the
fight would certainly have taken place, had not
the parties and their friends very opportnnely
discovered that thes were quarreing about no
thing at all.
In the spring Of 1850, Mr.. Duer, Of New
York, said he believed MIR. Meade, of Yirginia
was disunionist. " II is false" and you are
a liar" were Immediately exchanged: A chal-
lenge, It's acceptance. interposition of friends,
retractions, and reconciliations naturally follow
ed
have omitted an occurrence between Mr..
Clay and the late Vice President King. which
produced at the time a wider and deeper sensa-
zion than any other of the same nature which
led to no actual conflict At the extra session
OF 1871, after the great triumph of the Presi-
Dental election, Mr.. Clay saw hat through the
detection of Mr.. Tyler, the fruits of triumph
of the previous year were likely to be snalched
from the hands of those who won II, and was
somewhat less amiable than was habitual with
him. In one of his least complaisant moods,
Mr.. King had de clared. in substance, that +. p.
Blair was as much entitled to confidence and
respect os Mr. Clay himself. Mr.. Clay indig-
nantly denied it, aud, | think, pronounced the
assertion false. Mr.. King quietly remarked, 81
have nothing to say, and sat down. The next
day challenge was given, the challenger being
6fty-e light and the challenged party sixty-three
years old. The advanced age of both parties
should have heen guarantee against any really
hostile intentions; but they were entertained,
and the disagreement was arranged only with
great difficulty.
Such is brief record of Congressional belli-
gerency for the last thirteen years. 1t is obvi-
Gus that, while the habit of quarreling remains,
the practice of fighting is going, or rather has
gone out of date. During that whole time. but
two have ended in actual resort to the field
Nobody has been killed. nobody winged, nobody
hurt. In short, the custom Is aniquated, and
has become outlawed, no less in the manners of
the age than in the statues Of the land. The
practice belongs to an age when personal Prov
ess was essential to the success in the public
service, and was test of fitness for leadership.
The age of chivalry has passed, and many Incl
dents of the system are looked upon as ridicu-
lous and barbarous, which, in their day, were
proper and necessary.
BLOCKADE OF RUSSIAN PoRrs.-The Brit
ish government, it is said, have notified the