Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-02-04
THE ASSAULT on HORACE

" hIIe We InInk OTeeley+ IS pTOVOhlLS ADJUST VI
hia political opponents, in the columns of the
Tribune, haslong since deserved signal rebuke,
ne cannot justify the severe personal assault
made by .Mr. Rust Of Arkansas on Ruch noto-
rioua nor,-combatsnt as the demure Horace If
Mr.. Rust wished to show his supreme contempt
of Greeley by publicly insulting him, he might
have pulled his nose, or effected his purpose
quite as weIlin some other mode than that of ia
Aictng wounds on one SO much his inferior, physi-
cally. And, in this view Of the matter, Rust
has allowed his chastised adversary to have a
decided advantage in the sympathies of the pub
lie, for says Greeley, in his letter describing the
affair, mot very consistently we must own with
his non-combatant principles 81 did not strike
him at all, nor lay finger on him; but 1t GER
taiuly would have been pleasure to me- had
been able to perform the public duty of knock
ing him down" That is, Mr.. Greeley's friends
will say, he would have performed the puddle
duty-thouSh not duty to his martyrei self
of whaling Mr. Rust, but he was not able to
do it; and Mr. Rust was not therefore acting. a
manly part in beating defenceless adversary
o, Horace, Horace, what manner of man art
thou, that thou shouldst fight with csrnal wcap-
ons for the public, when thou wouldst not fight
With carnal weapons for thy own precious head?
Horace, however, will not lose much, in his
peculiar way Of profting, BY this cudgeling. If
he does not prosecute for damages, the sympathy
ofhis admirers will make every blow open an
avenue through which to pass eashinto pock-
We subjoiu two accounts Of the sffair, one
from the Washington Star; the other from Gree
~ himself:
F1onr.-we hear that yesterday afternoon,
shortly after the House adjourned, the Hon. Mr..
Rust, Of Arkansas, (who was in the company of
Acssrs Bocock of Virginia, and Greenwood Of
Arkansas twas overtaken in the Capitol Grounds
by the Hon. Horace Greeley, Of the New York
Tribune; who, in that journal of Monday last,
had published letter over his initials, in which
he had referred to Mr.. Rust in the following
terms:
Il have had some acquaintance with human
degradation; vet it did seem to me to-day that
Rust's resolution in the House was y more dis
creditable proposition than had ever known
Erayely submitted to a legislative body"
Mr. r. thereupon stepped up to Mr, Greeley,
who was walking between two friends, and ac-
eompanied by moro, and taking him by the lapel.
of his coat, remarked to him, ''You are nom
eombatant:" Mr Greeley replied that he did
not know Mr.. R, then asked him whether he
would resent an insult? To this MIR. Greeley
replied, ''Well, don't know" Mr.. Rust then
slapped Mr. Greeley with his open hand, and the
latter returning the blow, received several blows
from Mr.. Rust before the bystanders, could stop
the collision. After they were separated, Mr..
Greeley repeatedly said he did not know that
man. ere Mr. Rust moved down the Avenue
He WAS subsequently, again orertaken by Mr..
Greeley, who, as he was passing within foot or
two of Mr.. R., the latter, on his approach near
asked him, ado you know me now2" He repli-
cd Eyes; understand your name is Rust, and
you have treated me very ungentlemanly." Upon
those words being uttered Mr.. r. struck at him
q blow with stick, which being parted with.
Mr. Greeley's arm, was shivered 1.-THE stlck) by
the blow Some Of those with Mr.. Greeley pro-
tested that he was not a fighting man, when he
replied that he did not shelter himself behind
that plea Rust approached him again, when
Greeley said that she had nothing to- fight
with" Rust then said, Get something, sir. !"
Greeley rejOined, No, don't Tor WON'T fight y !
Rust then lefthim.
We understand from gentleman to whom
Ar. r. communicated his purpose, originally,
that he stopped Mr.. Greeley to demonstrate
with him against making insulting commentson
him, (Mr. RI while he was protested non.
combatant, and that he was induced to make the
assault, by what he regarded in Mr.. Grecley's
answers as an intimation that he was ready and
willing to repela attack that might be made on
him. We hear that the blow on the arm with
the stick, bruised and famed it very severely,
and that one Of RS blows on the back of Mr..
Greeley, head, with his fist was, also, very Sc
we're in its effects We abstain from making
comments on this affair, merely presenting the
public with "a account Of it derived from gen
tleman who witnessed it from first 10 last
Washington Star, ,,ssssg-
Editorial Correspondence Of the y. Y Tribune.
WAsHlS9roS, Tuesday Jan. go, 1856.
fhSvc heard since came here good deal of