Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-09-29

PERSONAL CONTROVERSY ALMOST A DUEL. &c
-PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 24th.-A sharp personal cor.
respondence has occurred between Senator Cooper
President of the Sunbury and Erie Railroad. and Nor
ION McMichael, esq, editor of the PHILADELPHIA
North American IN consequence of articles published
in that paper rejecting the city substitution to
the Erie and Sunbury Railroad as obtained BY
false pretences and malverSation. Mr.. Cooper ad
dressed note asking Mr. McMchael if the language
applied to him. In reply, Mr.. Mem denied his
right to question him, but said that he was legally
morally and personally responsible for that as for
everything that appear in the columns of tie North
American.
MIR. Cooper then sent for the Hon. VIM. Cost John
son, of Maryland, to act as his friend, who was the
bearer of the challenge to Mr.. McMichael, who ask
ell two days for consideration. At the termination
of that time Mr.. McMichael declined the meeting on
the ground that it was his imperative duty as pub
lie journalist to anmadvert upon such transactions
and that he therefore could not be held personally
responsible
1t is intimaed that the correspondence will be pub
lshed in case OF any repetition of the charges in the
North American.
By provision of the Constitution of this State,
the sending of challenge is made u msdemeanor,
punishable by fine and imprisonment, and makes the
challenger incompetent to- hold any office of trust,
honor or profit.
European intercourse has greatly chnnged affairs
at Constanlinople. An EngIishman or a French
man may now, by merely taking off his shoes, sans
frman "sans everything,' enter the mosque of San
ia Sophia itself without let or hindrance and also
may stroll (again taking off his sho.s, though re-
tanning the haU into that of Sultan Achmet during
divine service" listen the monotonous chant of
the lmaums, and observe the prostration of the wor-
shippers. Continuing his walk he may wander about
the Serago Gardens without suspicion. The officers
of the Guard it is true, may stop him. but it will be
merely to offer pipes and coffee, and to chat about
the war and then, disregarding doubtful shake of
the head from an old Mussuman. he may walk into
the Courts of the Serial ITSELF and criticse the odd
heterogeneous mass of splendor, little taste and
much barbarty The splendor is in the profuse gild-
ing, in state of rapid decay. Pera, too, has its
attractions-in the evening bands of music may there
be heard, and good beer may be obtained The Bos-
phorus is in all its beauty, shining like silver in the
bright sun, except where the highly colored houses
contrast in reflection with the tall black expresses
and where its surface is varied by The passage of nu-
merous merchant craft and huge transport steamers
(such the Orinoco and HimaIaya) the swift lit
of pretty Greek faces, Turkish Yasmacks and their
fezzed brethren, few English and French officers
on leave being intermngled, and pretty fair sprnk-
ling of travelling Englishmen, dressed in mixture
of straw hat and turban, and sort OF style Oscilang
between the West and the East, wonderful to behold
The Turks are much improved in civility the wo-
men wear their yasmacks generally smaller and thin
ner, and one may prophecy the time not far distant
when that article may become merely fashionable
custom in dress, an airwoven web, and used but to
set off to advantage that which it is supposed to
conceal