New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-07-28

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A., dec;ped any negotiation, at that time, hav'
;,~r,,,reuce 10 weapons, as premature.
49,. a. C,., Lace to cay that he has TO Gay IN
.h., Ne derived the impression from my re-
-. n ,evsrd to weapons, &c that "as NOV 'nen
ma,A .a - a, upon terms for hostile meeting and
!. Alarmed Col Brooks. informed him that
sn'' s.s,ng.me acting under my advice, could not
M. D r tSs District but that ] could be found at
,oSo;pgs or at my scat in the House, and would
s - and deliver to him any communication touch
an. subiect matter Of the correspondence. After
.sw sussestions in which we mutually concuTed, as
"a the propriety OF keeping the affair from the public
s sepsrsted-Gen Lane saying if, after an interview
9Th Col Brooks. he (Col b. deemed any communi-
csson necessary in the premises, it would BE- handed
10 me on the next day.
The foregoing statement as TO what occurred be-
4veen Gen Lane and myself, has been examined by
him. and admitted to be substantially correct
Az 10 O'Clock I reported the facts to Mr.. Burin-
came and he Immediately le the District In private
conveyance, accompanied by Mr. James of Wisconsin.
Iws either at my lodgings al my desk in the House
during the whole of the next day, the 2ed No commu
ncatsn from the parties, verbal or written was made
to me, and was surprised at the dinner table of the
hotel that day, when heard friend Of Mr.. Brooks
publicly state the contents Of the correspondence On
the morning of the following day. the 23d, The Union
newspaper contained the publication Of Mr.. Brooks,
embracing his note and the reply with the statement
of Gen Lane appended in which the place Of meeting
was declared absurd, and the insnuation made that
his arrest was the result of the conduct of Mr.. Burn
games friends II s not improper here to say that no
information was given to me by Mr.. Brooks or his
friends of design to publish the correspondence,
that the place designated was Objectionable to him
except verbally by Gen. Lane in the interview men
toned, prior to his publication in The Union.
Up TO the present hour, have learned nothing fro
Mr. Books or his friends toutside Of newspapers pub
Hcssops except on the Path ius when, on inquiry of
Gen Lane was told that Col. Brooks would not be
at Nisgsrs Falls to-day to meet the appointment sug'
eested By Mr. Buringsme. l therefore took measures
10 have Mr. Burlingame return to his seat in the
House-having previously published in The Union Of
that day (24tb}, in his absence the Gard asking sas
pension of public opinion until Mr.. Burlingames return
TO Washington.
These are the material facts in the case fer they
are embraced within my knowledge, with the inter-
views conversations writings, explanations cards, &c,
Of the parties and their friends.
Prior to o'clock of the 2lst inst. have had no
connection direct or indirect For the contents Of the
note of Mr.. Burngame reply to that Of Mr.. Brooks,
especially that portion designating time and place
"for meeting" to negotiate &C., as well as for his
bearing gentleman in every respect from that time
10 this, / an accountable. Mr.. Brooks bad requested
place to be named outside Of this District, coHven-
lent to Mr.. Burlingame. Not aware Of any rule of
courtesy which required me to cons~k the
wishes of Col. Brooks or his friends on that
point, it was settled without any conhscsCe with
them. If this justifes complaint, the
error is nine 1t proper to say that the suggestion
n he ada 0f
Niagara Falls as the place was prescued by me to
Mr.. Burlipgsme. AT first he disapp'oved Of it, and
added with some feeling, tdat if Mr.. Brooks was
anxious to meet him to negotiate, &C." he would,
if necessary 90 even to South Carolina. insisted on
the time and pace had named, saying to Mr.. Bur-
lingaIne that if was to be bis adviser, he must be
governed by my counsel, and that 81 would be
responsible for my decision" Mr.. Buringame then
scquesced, stating tina. If communication was pre-
sented to Directing to the time or place 10 his alb
senoe should change either or both at my dscre ton.
deem knowledge Of the facts on this point alike
due to Mr. Bnr ingame and myself in view Of the IN
expected publicity which Col Brooks has given to the
matter through the press.
From the spirit of Col. Brookss note was induced
to hope that no hostile action would result from the
meeting which he invited believed that the retired
place had designated, being accessible BY one days
travel in cool, healthfu, and magnifcenly pictur-
esque region remote from the excitcments of metro
poan life would be far more appropriate in the hot
than any point in the region OF the District OF
Columbia But Mr.. Brooks seems to set out with the
assumption that his note was in spirit il not in form,
a hostile message, or in other words, challenge.
What right had l. in this view of the matter, to
drire the challenged party outside o! the District II
the answer be to evade the laws of country, then
Cd he tnls IN
chosen, because there is DO State North or South, in
which the laws do not prohibit sush hostile meetings
under heavy penalties After assuming that the note
was a challenge, he says that he could not reach the
Falls of Niagara without running the gauntlet of
mobs sssassins, prisons and pententiares bais and
constabes. 1t sppesw by the note Of Gen. Lane
TO him that he had informed Mr.. Buriingame
at the outset, tkat he had The right Of select
ing the place for the meeting, &c, and yet after
II was chosen, he objected to it on the ground that
il was "too far distant" and would sabject Mr..
Brooks "to 90 many hazards Of arrest, and there
fore advised him to take no further notice Of the
matter" / win not stigmatize the people S,uthwsrd
as "mobs" "sssassns," etc., but in behalf OF the
people between this point and Niagara Falls, assert
Col Brooks would have been quite as secure North OF
Hasons and Dixon's Line as Mr.. Bunpgame would
have been South Of il. i know nothing OF the rules
Of ehivsly except what nature has taught me, nor
have studied, will waste time in studying
the matter Of the Code Duelloi but as my action in
The premises seems to be rebuked, leave the parties
10 show the Authorities to justify their PROPOSE
lions Fist, that the challenging party may, in hi,
message make any restriction either to the time or
place Of meeting Second that in selecting the Place,
the challenged party is circu inscribed, geographically,
by any precise latitude longitude Third, when the
1L,rs nv 10 the seiecfion the