Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-05-10
LIFE IN THE SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST.
BY CHARLES sUMMERFIELD.
THE FIGHTING EDITOR OF ARKANSAS.

y There never was an age in the annals of time,or
ascountry on the face Of the globe, whore duelllng
prevailed to such an extent as it did in the early
history of Arkansas. Not one public man ever
attained to any considerable eminence, either pro-
fessional or political, in that purple land, where
law insured not life, without first passing through
the terrible ordeal Of blood and fire on She miscall
ed field CT honor. The Rectors, Conways, Critteh-
dens; SEWERS, Johnsons, and Borlands-every
name Of note that can be mentioned-al furnished
SO many examples Of this strange yet general rule.
Even the learning and eloquence Of the mild and
merciful lawyer and poet, Albert Pike, to achieve
influence or distinction, awaited not until he had
proved his powers in mortal combat with o re-
doubtable foe.
In addition to the usual causes operating on all
frontiers to produce such a state of society, an
other one existed in the stormy sea of politics.
The Wings aud Democrats were nearly equal in
numerical force, and never did hostile factions
display more intense activity and concentrated bit
terness. On the stump. in the forum and through
the press-everywhere, and by all possible means
they hurled their furious anathemas against each
other in terms Of measureless wrath and denuncia-
ton. As a necessary consequence, none save
men of the highest courage dared to aspire to be
leaders in parties, where such o position must be
won and maintained at the flaming mouth of the
pi stol, or before the fearful point Of the bowie
knife and double edged dagger.
One horrible PECULIARLY marked the course of
such personal conficts-they almost always termi-
mated fatally to the individuals engaged in the I'M
natural strife. No combatantI thought his fame
yindicated by merely winging his Antagonist
nothing would suffice but the coup dc grace OF
death. Indeed, the universal opinion OF the COM
munity regarded bloodless encounters as shameful
in the extreme-worse, oven than positive coward
Ice; and as every candidate for popular favor had
prepared himself well, by long practice, TO use
the last great argument, which closed all discus
sion and silenced the most stubborn ~objector, very
few meetings occurred where the spectators were
not gratltied by Witnessing the slaughter OF one or
both of the ambitious rivals.
As may be easily imagined. tho post Of an edi-
tor was the most perilous Of all others; and hence
the opposing factions respectively selected the en-
tire corps TO manage their journals from the
most desperate adventures that could be mustered,
and paid them accordingly to do their own fight
ing and that Of all TIE anonymous correspondents.
In some instances, thousands of dollars were ex-
pended as mere premiums, besides the offer Of
enormous salaries, TO secure the pen and pistol of
the most notorious duelists in the Southwest. !
could specify one man, an ex senator who owed his
rise to this very circumstance.
However, leaving these vague generalities, the
following brief sketch of striking and real particu-
lars will afford a tolerable conception Of the stern
trials incident to editorial life.
early in the month OF July, 1899, Israel Woods,
the proprietor of the Arkansas Democrat, was
ufacture Of written SANDER for his weekly issue.
A single glance at his person was truly enough to
make an ordinary beholder tremble with apprehen-
sion; for you might search the wide world withou.
finding his superior in phi ysical power and agility.