Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-10-06
From the Knoxville Register.


John miLcheI-The Irish POItrOOn.
For the first time, believe, since I announced
myself as Editor of this paper address myself to
its readers this week, in the first person. singular
My text is the name that heads this article and nv
purpose is to make the article so clearly and de-
signedly personal, that there can be no mistakiBg
its application have essayed the unpleasant
task of unmasking white-liVered wretch, and if
my readers will follow to the end will exhibit
him. in the light of truth, knave coward, scoun-
drel, assassin.
On Tuesday morning, while returning from the
Postofhce with my mall bad stopped at the cor
ner OF Gay and Cumberland streets, the Lamar
House corner) aud entered into conversation with
q small company of friends who were there. While
standing there, with my newspaper mailin my arm,
and an open paper in my hand John A1tcheE 1.-THE
SOt-dtsdnt Irish Patriot, bat whom choose TO
CALL the "Irish Poltroon ," without having attract
ed the notice either of myself, or any member of
the company, approached and addressed himself TO
me- | turned Immediately toward him, and not
Anticipating an attack from him. and recognizing
what / conceived to be his Wonted SMILE when sa-
luting me, my first impulse to extend to him
the usual courteous salutiOD. he remarked to me
Immediately that during his absence a scurrlOus ar
ticle had appeared in the Register in relation to
himself His manner impressed me, as it did those
standing with me, that he had called upon the like
gentleman to call my attention to some Injustice
that had been done him, and, still standing with
my bundle OF papers IN my hands, replied to him
scurrilous article had appeared in my paper con-
corning him. He simply remarked that he design
ed answering that article and instantly proceeded
to make an assault upUn with his cane, which,
mad it proceeded from one of the intimate friends
with whom had been cOnveFsing, would not have
taken me by more complete surprise. Instructive
ly, threw up my left arm, dropping my papers,
and received his blow upon the feshy part of the
forearm. His stick having easily broken, without
inhicting any perceptible injury upon me- the con-
faak gEafa nd hill yE ~ IN
which no one, presume, who saw it, will dispute
that / would have thrashed him most soUndly, but
for the Intervention Of the police; for repealed his
assault go promptly and in such a way, that be
found it impossible to use Z arm with which he
was evidently provided. About the time we were
separated, believe, Mitchell made a thrust at my
face with the broken end of his stick which pene-
trated the flesh, near the inner corner of my left
eye, nhicting an nconside rable wound constitu-
ting the amount of injury sustained. For the truth
Of this statement of facts, refer to Messrs. CHAs.
s. WILLIAMS, STEPHEN l.. COSBY and JNO. +. GIL
LIS who were standing with me at the time Mitch
ell approached, and who need no corrobOratiVe ties
tmOny in this community to establish their credi-
bility.
This encounter took place at about IL o'clock
was totally unarmed, having not much a
pen-knife in my pocket and this the bastard from
my appearance, had every reason to know, for had
] had with me even the waking-cane which usu
ally carry, he would not dared TO attempt assault
upon me. l have several times written severely of
Mitchel-hs writings and lectures. His lecture in
this place last winter, criticised with unusual Sc
verify, and, then, when had reason to look for
hostile approach from him, be harmless as
lamb, met me with friendly sautations and nantes
ted no disposition, whatever, to take Ofense at my
comments. 1t was by approaching me in the same
manner, on Tuesday, that he blinded me to his
purposes, and attempted, though unnecessarily, to
take such advantage of me, as would render me an
easy victim to his sssassin-like designs; for the
character of the article which he took eXceD-
tions, had, for the time, escaped my mind.
After we had been separated by the police Off
GERS, proceeded at once TO arm myself, and again
made my appearance on Gay street. About half
past twelve o'clock, while I standing few
steps down Cumberland street, Mitchell walked
down Gay street, in company with friend. At
Kings corner, just in front OF the Lamar House,
accOsted him, advanced to within six eight pa
of him, and then and there, in the presence,
and in the hearing Of a hundred or more citizens
and strangers, addressed and denounced him, sub
stantially, follows:
"John Mitchell, you made q most cOwardly,
though inpotent, assault upon me, this morning.
You approached me with the smile of friendship
upon your lips, but with the purpose of murder
or in your heart. You approached me armed, pre-
Stunning correctly upon my being unarmed Your
purposes failed you, and have stopped you to in
form you that am now prepared TO meet you up
on an equal footing, and to denOunce you as ruff
fan, scoundrel, highway assassin and murderer
at heart, and an Infamous coward, if you do not re-
sent this denunciation, like man, in equal and
honorable encounter"
Such, and much more, were the denunciations
pronounced, while he stood at the distance OF six
or eight PAGES, with his hand upon the cock of
partially revealed pistol. Yet he ingorous-
ly withdrew from my presence, while shouts of
'co,OdId I" ''SneGk /" bastard" coOdTd p broke
forth spontaneously from the crowd, apon his das-
tardy exit.
And now JOHN Mitchell having assaulted mein
the cowardly manner above stated-having narrow
ly escaped street-drubbing by the intervention of
municipal oficers-having been afterwards con-
fronted by me and notified that armed-hav-
ing been denounced by me in the presence, and
within the hearing OF a hundred or more persons
in all the terms of denunciatiOn could devise
having bssely submitted to all and skulked away
amid the jeers and Kisses and shouts Of the bysand
ers, hesitate not to repeat my denunciation and
brand him a miserable ScOt1ldTek and Wjite-tUer
ed eoto0rd; and In doing So fear only that he may
shoot me through window at night, or stab me-
covertly in the dark.
In shaping my course, have been guided by my
own of honor and the cOunsels OF friends, and
have but to regret first, that l uuarmed at the
outset, and secondly, that was not permitted TO
conclude the first engagement, which should most
certainly have done TO my entire satisfaction.
can but DO grati6ed ut the general approval with
which my position and course have received in this
community, and at the equally general feeling of
mingled Indignation and contempt, which the con-
duct OF the Irish bastard has excited. To the judg
ment of an unpreJudicel public cheerfully submit
the case. JOHN NJ. FLEMING,
Editor RnOzUiHe Register.