Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-05-23
Roger A. Pryor, ESQ.

q son Of Mr.. VIM. Smith, who represented the
Seventh District of Virginia in the last Con
gress, has recently published q belligsrent
correspondence between himself and Roger
Pryor, editor of the Richmond Enquirer. In
the last number Of that journal, Mr.. P, re-
publishes it, and puts an extinguisher on the
positions of his antagonist by answering him,
as follows: - ..-s. - -
q 1t will be observed that, after my DIG
claimsr of any intention to attack the personal
character OF Gov Smith, his son, Mr.. J. Caleb
Smith, persists in thinking that "his aged and
beloved father had been the subjsct of inso-
lent aggression" and proceeds ''to punish it"
by offeTiug in return an insult (Which no man
of courage and of honor, could or would over.
look - Having done this, MI J. Caleb Smith
oonceives that 10 he's discharged debt "due
to the good order of society" His conception
Of his duties s'to an aged sud beloved father"
and his manner of promoting "the good order
Of society" are peculiar, but they are his
own, and no one has q right to comp.sln OF
them, / might have left his letter unanswered
without violating the code Of honor by which
he processes to govern himself: but to avoid
uisconstruction, chose to reply. ....
"He misunderstsnds, or affects to misunder-
stand this reply, and proceeds to complete the
salt to the saggressor.' He asserts that CT
pressed "a willingness to have an affair Of
honor with his father knowing that his years
prevented him from calling me to the field of
honor and that he had conducted bis cor!
respoDdence for two years with his left hand.
Il have never expressed a willingness to
have an affair Of honor with Gov. Smith; on
the contrary, declared that there was no
cause for it, and should have very much re.
poff cd nh CIV w cfa ka1
my readiness to give him satisfaction if he
claimed it at my hands, l did not know that
his years prevented him from calling me to
the field Of honor, but thought the contrary, as
had learned that not long since in California
he DANGEROUSLY insisted on fight to the exclu.
sion of Mr. J. Caleb Smith himself Nor had
I ever heard that he was disabled or injured
in his right hand.
"Mr. J. Caleb Smith next asserts that, after
changed my ground when the issue came en-
with himself, and plead my bonds as an eX.
cuse for not fighting him. As I had never
been invited to tight him, It would have boon
singular for me to excuse myself from it. He
endeavored to provoke challenge, it may be
with the contemplate motive Of subjecting me
to a heavy pecuniary penalty. The impov
erishment Of my family would probably have
been in his eye fit sacrifice to the injured
as one reason why should not challenge
him. sld also to illustrate his magnanimIty
in Offering insult to man thus embarrassed.
"Nor did allege duty to my family in ex-
cuse for not recognising Mr. j. Caleb Smiths
claim to call me out, but to rebut his assertion
that our responsibilities were equal.
SIN addition to this consideration and those
suggested in my note, there we're other rea-
sons restraining me from sending challenge.
vi
ment he was the injured party and claimed
the right to punish the insolent aggression
from young man upsn an aged and beloved
father He was the person to send the chal-
lenge, not I, and his substitution of insulting
language in lieu Of it, was a gross violation of
his code Of honor. He pretends to think that
denied the right Of q son to punish aggres-
sion upon his father. l have denied no such
thing. If he thinks that his father has boon
injured and can't redress himself, it is not
only his right but his duty to punish tho az.
gIessor.
"And, in my opinion, if such DO his belief,
ne has discharged his duty in q most lame and
impotent manner. Instead Of Furnishing the
sggressor, he has invited a challenge from
him. / deny his right to do this-tO put mo
on the offensive when my position is one of de-
fence. He demanded an apology, which
refused to give; according to the usual routine
lowed, and this had every right to expoct
from the tone of his first motto. He chooses to
shift his ground, to put himself on tn. defen-
siye, and proceeds with incompatible cool
ness to charge me with change Of position
81 do not wish, however, to be misunder.
stood. Had the challenge co ne, should have
declined it. Circumstances may arise, re.
curing me- to disregard my family and my
bond, but thoy are not presented by the case
nf al al Sn,sN L.
wrong, and will not subject myself to heavy
sacrifice, merely to crafty his false fantastic
notions Of honor, or his malignant thirst for
revenge. He has been unmanly enough to in
suit ne with full knowledge os % NV situation,
ana mas no claim upon me, rightfully REQ curing
the partial ruin Of my family for its discharge.
ihero afe also duties to my party and to nv
profession not to be disregarded. An editor
would grossly violate these duties who ac.
copied every cali to the field of honor An
Influential press might be easily silenced if it's
conductor were required to fight every rafian
and bully Sc; upon him by political opponents.
Rowdyism would rule the pre- IS and the country
if such were the principle Of editorial CON
duct. On the sane ground, he should decline
10 meet every person who calls him cut on a
mere preteEt of wrong, and without the sha.
dow Of justice in his complaint.
There is distinction between Gov. Smith
anu MS son claim to reparation, although the
latter is unable to see it. One has been tho
subject of severe, but not insulting, language;
the other has never been mentioned In the
Enquirer. With the former the question might
at least admit Of a doubt and accordingly I
expressed my readiness to make, in his behalf
the very heavy sacrifice involved in an accep-
lance of his call With Mr.. j. Caleb Smith
the case is altogether different I had never
reflected on him, or given him, In any way,
the slightest night to call me out; If he had
thought ut to 40 90 it would have been in
mere wantonnesa, and I should have 90 CON.
sidered it 8.
Tho public will doubtless think it is a
little singular that in the intensity of his
passion Tor revenge, 1t never occurred to Mr.
/ Isl, Smith, that there was a mode of
Furnishing" the "agg.--'' against his
"aged" father which would have relieved me
Of any embarrassment, and have established
something like equality betwenn tho parties
to this controversy.
1T is with unaffected reluctance that oh.
trude my personal affairs into the presence of
the public, and would have been content to
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