The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-02-16
Border Ruffianism in Washington.
itorial Correspondence Of tie N, Y. Tribune:

nave nearu since came mere GOOQ zeal
of the personal violence to which was ex-
posed, but only one man has offered to at
tack 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 gentlemen on
my way down from the Capitol after the adj
journment of the House this afternoon, when
a stranger requested word with me. 1
stopped and my friends went on. The stran-
ger, who appeared in the prime of life, six
feet high, and who must weigh over two
hundred, thus began *
els your name Greeley? 2"
"Yes.o
care you Newfoundland ?''
"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 rapidly as possible
My hands were still in my great coat pock-
cts, for 1 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. 1 rallied as soon
as possible, and saw him standing several
feet from me, with several persons standing
or rushing in between us. L asked, "Who
is this man? l don't know him." and I'M
derstood him to answer, with an impreca-
ton, "Ycu'll know me soon enough" or
"You'H know me hereafter" when he turned
and went down toward the street. No one
answered my inquiry directly, but some
friends soon came up, who toll me that my
assailant was Albert Rust, M. G. from Ar
kansas. He gave no hint of any cause or
pretext he may have had for the assault, but
[ must infer that it is to be found in my stric-
lures in Mondays Tribune (letter of Thurs
day evening last) on his attempt to drive Mr..
Banks out of the field as candidate for
Speaker by passing resolution inviting all
the present candidates to withdraw. I
thought that mean trick, and said so most
decidedly; | certainly think noabetter of it,
now that have ma e the acquaintance of it's
author.
The bully turned and walked down along,
| followed, cOnversing with two friends
Crossing Four-and-a-Half street, they drop
ped behind to speak to acquaintance, and l.,
walking along toward the National Hotel,
soon found myself in huddle of strangers.
One of these turned short upon me- saw
it was my former assailant-and said, "Do
you know me now 2" I answered, eyes /;
you are Rust of Arkansas" He said some
thing of what he would do if I were a COM
Blatant, and replied that 1 claimed no ex-
emption on that account. He now drew a
heavy cane, which had not seen before
and struck a pretty heavy blow at my head,
which 1 caught on my left arm, with no 9TH
er damage than a rather severe bruise. He
was trying to strike again, and I was endea-
voring to close with him, when several per-
sons rushed between and separated us.
did not strike him at all, nor lay a finger
on him; but it certainly would have been a
pleasure to me, had l been able, to perform
the public duty of knocking him down. l
cannot mistake the movement of his hand
on the Avenue, and am sure it must have
been toward pistol in his belt. And tie
crowd which surrounded us was nearly all
Southern, as he doubtless knew before he
renewed his attack ON me.
Now, it would do to say. that my stric-
lures on Rust's proposition were harsh and
provoking if his friends had not spoken of it
substantially as l did. But Mr.. McMullen
of Virginia, who is violent Pro-Slavery
Democrat, has repeatedly spoken of it in
public and in private quite as severely as
did. He stigmatized it in the House to-day
as insulting to Mr. Banks, and declared that
he was anxious to beat Mr.. B., but would
not insult him. Mr. McNIullen tried to speak
of it in this strain when he voted to lay it on
the table, bit the gag-rule prevented. In
fact, 1t is notorious here that Rust's attempt
to rule Mr.. Banks to decline was defeated
because the better portion of Mr.. Banks adj
versaries, though they badly wanted to get
him off the track, could not stoop to this
mode of doing it. Hear what Mr.. McMu1len
said of it in the House to-day:
However much, Mr.. Clerk, I condemn
as undoubtedly do condemn, and as it
demn--the conduct of Mr.. Banks in holding
cedented pertinacity, yet, Sir, it was not my
province then, nor is it my province or my
purpose now, to condemn that gentleman's
been all my life never to take counsel from
my enemies. Mr.. Banks has right to look
upon the Democratic party as his political
enemies. We are such. l declare myself
one of them and do not believe that it is
in accordance with that courtesy that should
characterize the conduct of gentlemen here,
for this side of the House to attempt to die
tate to the other side Of the House. That
was the ground upon which / placed my
vote in voting to lay that resolution upon
the table. 1 sought an opportunity to ex-
plain that vote at the time the question was
taken, but we were acting then under that
nefarious gagg-law, and | was prevented from
doing 500
This is the Globes report, which I am
confident is far less strong than the language
actually used by Mr.. McMullen. have a
clear recollection of hearing Mr.. M. say that,
while he was anxious to beat Mr.. Banks, he
could not vote to insult him.
prestime 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 l should or should
not be allowed to 60 home alive; for my
business here is to unmask hypocrisy, defeat
treachery and rebuke meanness, and these
are not dainty employments even in smooth
er times than ours. But shall stay here
just so long as l think proper, using great
plainness of speech, but endeavoring to treat
all men justly and faithfully. may often
judge harshly, and even be mistaken as to
facts, but shall always be ready to correct
my mistakes and to amend my judgments.
shall carry no weapons and engage in no
broils; but if ruffians waylay and assail me
shall certainly not run, and, so far as able,
shall defend myself. H.. C.
LEAP YEAR ITEM.-The Columbus (Ohio)
Journal says that large party of dashing
and fashionable young larlies ayailed them