The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-15
JOHN mitchell I'm TROUBLE,

Our readers are well acquainted with the
history of Mr.. Mitchels adventures in Ireland,
Botany Bay, and still later in this country.
They have undoubtedly wondered that gen.
teman of such talents, and once SO enthusiastic
soldier of Freedom, should come to this coun-
try to join the ranks of the Slavery Propagand-
lists. Such is the fact, however, and the recent
movements of the "Irish patriot" are suffi-
GENTLY unique to be worth recording.
Mr.. Mitchell, a few weeks ago, passed through
Washington, on his way to New York, to pur-
chase the materials necessary for. the publica-
ton of newspaper which he is about to start
in Tennessee. This journal, according to Mr..
MitchePs prospectus, is to be an advocate of
the most ultra form of Slavery Propagandisn.
1t will go so far as to demand the re-opening of
the African slave trade. A New York journal
proposes that Mr.. Mitcheps countrymen in
Ireland be the subjects of this trade as well as
Africans. Why not? The Irish work more
and harder than the negroes. What shall hin.
der the State of Tennessee from legisIating all
the Irish within her borders into chattels !?
But our purpose was to chronicle one of Mr..
MitchePs singular movements in New York.
We quote from the New York Times:
"On Tuesday morning of last week, this
Irish patriot and volunteer Apostle of the
South was ignominiously rescued by the city
police from the clutches of an indignant Ten
nesseesn, at the Lamar House. corner of two
streets, in Knoxville The facts were these :
Mr.. John Mitchell had disliked an article pub
Rod hx,M M in ha
ter. ibis was natural enough, for the article
contained not little truth. Disliking this ar.
ticle, Mr.. Mitchell also disliked the supposed
writer thereof, and, imagining himself to be in
all respects 'pre,lr cheUalier' of the Southern
Order OF Gutta Percha, he proceeded, in &C.
cordsnce with The presidents, to waylay Mr..
Fleming under cover of courteous SMILE and
thereupon to assault him. But where Brooks
had prospered, Mitchell came to grief. Mr..
Jennings friends were on the alert, and, the
balance of fair play being re-established, the
native Anglo-Ssxon forthwith began to batter
the imported Celt. The police supervened, and
the affair was adjourned till noon, when the
parties again met near the same spot, aud Mr..
Fleming addressed the Southern citizen in
these hsttering terms:
John Mitchell, you made most cowardly
though impotent assault upon me this morn
lDS. GU apprOacneO me Win the smile OF
friendship upoa your lips, but with the purpose
of a murderer in your heart. You approached
me armed, presuming correctly upon my being
unarmed. Your purposes failed you, and l
have stopped you to inform you that l am now
prepared to meet you upon an equal footing,
and to denounce you as rufisn, a scoundrel,
highway assassin, and murderer at heart and
an infamous coward, if you do not resent this
denuuciation like man, in an equal and hon
cradle encounter
Having the welfare of the South too much
at heart to risk her fortune in his life, Mr..
Mitchell, it appears, declined this proposition,
and melted gradually away from the scene,
amid the jeers, hiases, and shouts, Of the by.
standers.'
We fear that Mr.. Mitchell will not relish life
- 9Th - - I-----r~-t~ls- soon
quarrelling with Southernerl This does not
augur well for the future. We presume that
Mr.. Mitchell will find, notwithstanding his Pro
Slavery professions, that his Southern friends
will speak Of him in their own free fashion, or
cane, kick, or shoot him, should the case de-
mand it, in their estimation-especially if he
begins the quarrel.