New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-04-14
congrsaslonal rssIltgsrerox.
The Washington correspondents Of the Phila
delphia North Amesican says

Inc Washington correspondents Of the Phils~
delphia North American says
There has been no fatal duels ay1s,,ss rpars1,cra
of Congress since fhat bef@eer AIr CiIlev asia
Mr. Graves, in 1887. Jh 1882 OCCURRED ( ii M
Guilty between Mr. Wise and Mr. Stsntv sstsis,h
would probably have produced duel. but fsr
the arrest of both parties and their being bound
over 10 keep tbepeace he next serious diiEi-
culty vas between Slr Fancy, of Alabama, and
Mr. C1ingman, of North Carolina Mr Y gauo
Mr.. G q personal affront during the discusaiop
on the annexation oe Texas, and when appealed
to for explanations, made the pointed reply,
ssexplanations elsewhere 2 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. Ssanfy
and Mr. Tnge, Of Alabama. The latter gave
the insult, refused to retract, was challenged
and accepted After an exchange oy shots.
without execution, the parties were sssafi4fed
Probably the next affair in TIE order ef tirns
was the PERSONAL quar- Ell between Mr. Henton
ana Mt Butler. 10 which, after the sslse' was
glssn WIN great asrimony Of manner in tile
5en.ss,. onan.enge vas given, but the dif6culs4
Was ADJUSTED hy apologies and regrets.
During che excitement which enaed ,.;th ~
GompFomise of 1850, two personal aff.irs aross
which near-y approached q duel. ana nrafiucad
profound sensation The first vas tht bst ssss,
Gel BIssell of Illinois, and Col. Jeffsrson Dsyis
Col Bisse had made one Of the most irarres s.
speeches ever heard IN the House ID the Sec
tional question, during which Il de,sssSsss
with much severity, certain prefeusians 80
vanced in behalf OF The Mississippi sroops n tI
battle Of Buena Vista Col Bay{s, thsn Il, sie
Senate, had commanded that regiment "a ia
battle. He demanded refractios 81 the a.
sertion of Cpl Bissell. a correspondence ensusd.
III mniea ensed IN q challenge and its acceptance.
i 4 ane Feapons selected were muskets, arld the
1 nght would certainly have taken place. had r,ss
the parties and their friends yery onnorrnneig
| discovered that they were slarreIing about no.
\ thing at all - 2
In the spring Of 1850, MI Duer, of New YORK;.
said he believed Mr.. Meade, of Viroinia. va Z
dlsunionist ut is false and ssyou are 4 liars
were Immediately exchanged a challenge. il
accspta1ee, opposition Of friends, retractions,
and reconciliation naturally followed.
have omitted an occurrence betvae, NJ
Clay and the late Vice President King. which
produced at the time wider and deeper aensa-
ton than any other of the same nature which
led to no actual conflict at the extrs sessiar,
of ls4l, after the great triumph Of the Presi-
DENTAL election, Mr.. Clay saw that through she
detection OF Mr.. Tyler, the fruits of triumph of
the previous year were likely to be snatchef
from the hands Of those who won il. and waa
somewhat less amiable than was habituaI
with him. In one of his least compIalsant
moods, Mr.. King had declared, In su ubstsnce.
that 7. Blair was az much entitled ID coafi-
dence and respect as Mr. Clay himself ar. CLAW
Indignantly denied it, and, think, pronounced
the assertion false. Mr.. King quietly remarked.
Il have nothing to say ~ and sat down. The
next day challenge was given, the challenger
being fifty eight and the challenged party sisfy-
three years old The advanced age Of both
parties shonld have been guarantees against
any really hostile intentions; butthey we're en-
tertained, and the disagreement was arranged
only with great difficulty
Such is a brief record of Congressional beIlir-
erancy for the last thirteen years 1t is ohyios1s.
that while the habit Of quarreling remains, the
practice of fighting is going, or rather has
gone ont Of date During that whole time, but
two have ended in actual resort to the felS.
Nobody has been killed, nobody winged, nobody
hurt In short, the custom is antiquated, and
has become outlawed, no less in the manners Of
the age than in the statutes of the land. The
practice belongs to an age when personal prow-
ess was essential to the success in the public SER
vice, and was test of fitness for leadership.
The age of chivality has passed, and many incl
dents of the system are looked upon as ridicu-
ious and barbarous. which, in their dag, were
proper and necessary.