The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-02-23
Border Ruaanism in washington.

Border Rufianism in Washington.
HORACE GREELEY, writing to the n.
Y. Tribune from Washington under date
of January goth. thus speaks of the as
sault made on him by Mr.. Rust, of Ar
kansas:
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29th.
have heard since ] came here a good
deal of the personal violence to which |
was exposed, but only one man has offer
ed TO attack me till to-day. and he was SO
drunk that he made poor fist of it.
In fact, | do not remember that any man
ever seriously attacked me till now.
was conversing with two gentleman
on my way down from the Capitol, after
the adjournment of the House this after
noon, when a stranger requested a word
with me. l stopped and my friends
went on. The stranger. who appeared
in the prime of life, six feet high, and
who must weigh over two hundred, thus
began
s.Is your name Greeley ?"
"Yes."
care you non-combatant %
"That is according to circumstances" /"
The words were hardly out of my
mouth when he struck me stunning
blow on the right side of my head. and
followed it by two or three more, as fast
as possible. MY hands were still in my
great coat pockets, for | had no idea that
he was about to strike. He staggered
me against the fence of the walk from
the Capitol to the Avenue, but did not
get me down. / rallied as soon as possi-
BILE, and saw him standing several feet
from me, with several persons standing
or rushing in between us. | asked.
"who is this man? :? / do not know him, "
and understood him to answer, with an
imprecation, you'll know me hereaf-
ter" No one answered my inquiry di
rectly, but some friends soon came up,
who told me that my assailant was Al
bert Rust, NJ. c., from Arkansas. He
gave no hint of any cause or pretext he
may have had for this assault, but must
infer that it is to be found in my strict
ures in Mondays Tribune. letter Of
Thursday evening last) on his attempts
to drive Mr.. Banks out of the field as a
candidate for Speaker, by passing a res
olution inviting all the present candidates
to withdraw. 1 thought that a mean
trick, and said SO most decidedly; |
certainly think no better of it. now that
have made the acquaiKsance ofrits su-
thor. 49,
The bully turned and walked along; ]
followed, conversing with two friends
Crossing Four-and- -a-half street, they
stopped behind to speak to two acquaint-
ances, and |. walking along towards the
National Hotel, soon found myself in
the midst of huddle of strangers One
of these turned short upon mel saw ii
was my former assailant-and said, "Do
you know me now?" answered, Eyes
you are Rust of Arkansas" He said
something of what he would doif were
a combatant, and | replied that claimed
no exemption on that account. He now
drew heavy cane which had not seen
before, and struck pretty heavy blow
at my head, which ! caught on my left
arm, with no other damage than rather
severe bruise. He was trying to strike
again, and | was endeayoring to close
with him. when several persons rushed
between and separated us. l did not
strike him at all, nor lay finger on him;
but it certainly would have been pleas
ure to me, had l been able, to perform
the public duty of knocking him down.
| cannot mistake the movement of his
hand on the Avenue, and am sure it must
have been toward pistol in his belt
And the crowd which surrounded us
was nearly all Southern, as he doubtless
knew before he renewed the attack on
me.
presume this is not the last outrage
to which / am to be subjected. / came
here with clear understanding that it
was about an even chance whether
should or should not go home alive; for
my business here is to unmask hypocra-
cy, defeat treaehery, and rebuke mean
ness, and these are not dainty employ
ments, even in smoother times than ours.
But shall stay here just so long as
think proper, using great plainness of
speech, but endeavoring to treat all men
justly and faithfully. / Imay often Judge
harshly, and even be mistaken as to facts,
but / shall always be ready to correct
my mistakes and to amend my iudg-
ments. ! shall carry no weapon and en-
gage in no brawls but if ruffians waylay
and assail me, shall certainly not run,
and, so far as able, | shall defend my
self.
MR. RUsT's STATEMENT.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 80, 1856.
Mr.. Rust says that when he first ap-
preached Mr.. Greeley. it was not his In
tention to assault him, and that he had
told his friends that he should only re-
monstrate with him then; but when he
inquired of Ar..G., Would you re-
sent an insult %, Mr. G. replied. 81 don't