The Nevada journal., 1858-09-17
THE JOURNAL.
Death of the Hon. w. l. Ferguson.

expired on Tuesday at his lodgings,
San Francisco, from the effects of a
wound received ina duel with Geo. Pen
johnson, editor of the National and Fed
cral Office holder.
The "affair of honor" which has ter
minated in the death of one of the par.
Elephants grew out of an allusion made
by Ferguson in the presence of johnson,
to the family of Senator Gwin. John
son considered the remark disparaging
and insulting, few words passed and a
challenge followed The public have
the curiosity to inquire, how came John
son the defender of the name and char
acter of the Gwin family ? The ques-
tion may be satisfactorily answered.
The principals were both "half seas
over when the affair originated. This
of itself is enough to cause almost any
act of foolishness or indiscretion. But
there are other agents which had hand
in TIE bloody business. johnson was
and is feeding on public pap procured
for his hungry stomach by Gwin. He
was under peculiar obligations to the
ovor-puffed Senator, Perhaps he may
owe his life to that august individual, as
"otice or starve" is the destiny of most
of the pap-suckers of the State. And,
yet, rumor has it, johnson INDUCES in
sneaking notion after one of the Gwin
family. If so he ought to be forgiven,
especially when drowning his disappoint-
ments in the bowl.
In connection with this affair certain
circumstances occur to uswhich seem to
be pertinent at this time. During the
session of the Legislature of 1855, Jona-
than Phelps of this county, brought for
ward bill in the Assembly the more
efectually to punish duelling in this
State. George Pen johnson objected
to the measures proposed by Mr.. Phelps
on account ofthcir want of stringency,
and advocated in a speech full of con-
demnation against ducllists and the bar
barous practice, and with eloquence too
which seemed at the time to be frc m the
heart, the passage of an act of the most
penal character. A provision of that
act, we well remember, compelled the
killer to pay the debts of his fallen an
tagonist, and we recollect the energy
Pvt forth by johnson to retain that pro-
vision in the bill. The speech of j ohm
Son on that occasion was much praised,
and we know cf nothing in his public or
private career rejecting more credit
upon him than the effort on that occa-
sion. By his own mouth he is pronounc-
6! q murde: CT and coward-a murder
e; in the eyes of the law, and coward
ny the spirit of every righteous code of
ethics human or divine. He went out
with the intent to take the life of a
fellow being who had done him no harm
"a thing he knew before he came to his
present years cf experience, to be a
crime of the darkest dye, and against
which ne could find no language suf-
ficlently strong to condemn,
But, perhaps, we do johnson injustice
He may have been drawn into the bloody
part of this honorable" affair by mis-
take. He may have only designed
reaping a cheap reputation for courage,
and gaining little eclat by sending a
hostile card to one he supposed would
not fight, and found too late he had mis-
taken his man. Such accidents fire
quently occur. johnson had promi
nent example before him, which would
Just befit him to initiate. Gwin, "the
indeiatigable Senator" Johnson's god
and savior, had just discovered a mar
who had respect enough for his own con
science and the laws of his country, no
to engage in what is pronounced by al
civilized mankind to be a deliberate
murder, in the person of Senator from
Massachusetts,, and thoroughly knowing
the sentiments Of Senator Wilson con
cerning the bloody code, he sent him ;
sanguinary card. How could the un
derstrapper of the chivalric Doctor fai
, to attempt an imitation ofso glorious al
example! 1t was too good an opportu
nifty to try an experiment for fame t.
escape. But, like the crow in -Esop tha
tried to initiate the descent of a large
bird upon lamb, but unluckily droppe'
upon and entangled himselfin the feec
of ram, johnson found himself caueh
in an inextricable difficulty - he ha'
walked up fighting man contrary to hi
calculations.
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