Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-06-15

WASHINGTON, June ii, 1858.
SIR: Your note ot this morning, requesting
70 be Informed at what hour it will be con-
senient for me to receive communication
from you, outside of the District of Columbia,
has been placed in my hands by your friend.
the Hon. Mr.. Fitch.
| cannot mistake the intention and purport
of your note, and reply to 1t as replied to
a similar one Oh a similar occasion TWO years
sgo--,hat have always regarded duelling
as the lingering relic Of barbarous ciVillza-
ton, which the law OF the country has bran
ded as Il crime. While, therefore, religious
/ ly believe 10 the right OF sell-detence 10 Its
broadest sense, the law Of my country and
the matured convictions OF my whole lie,
alike forbid NE to meet you for the purpose
indicated 10 your letter. Your obedient SER
want, lEHRf lLSoN'
Hon. WV. NJ. GwlN,
l.. 5. Senator from the State OF California.
Tits having closed the correspondence on
the part of MIR. Gwin, be received on the
18th, the following communication
WASHINGTON, June Il, 1858.
SIR: Having declined 10 accept your hos
tile note on the ground that I do not re-
coguise that mode Of ad justing personal diff
culties, although | hold myself entitled al
ways to the right Of self-defeDce,) am
nevertheless unwilling TO stand in the attitude
/ Of refusing to make such other arrangement
of the matter as shall be Just and honorable.
| submit to you, therefore, that we refer
/ the whole matter to the consideration OF MIR.
/ Davis, MIR Seward, and Mr.. Crttenden, and
abide their decision thereon. Your obedient
! servant, HENRY WILSON.
Hon. WM. NJ. GwIN.
| GENTLEMEN: We have made ourselves &C.
quaiutcd with the circumstances and facts
involved n the case submitted to US.
The remarks of Mr.. Gwin, imputing IN
worthy motives, namely, those of demagog-
ism, to Mr.. Wilson, though general, certain
" were Objectionable and supplementary !;
ind yet they by no means justified or war
ranted Mr.. Wilson in using the very oppro.
brious eplthets with which he retaliated. MIR.
OWNS rejOlnder IN contumeliOus terms is to
be regarded as q passionate expression,
naturally provoked by the offensive language
Of Mr.. Wilson. We think, therefore, that
Mr.. Wilson ought to regard himself in fact
as having committed the fret real personal
offence, and therefore he should make such
repa7ation as is now in his power. We are
possessed Of the fact, which indeed is ap-
parent on the face Of the reported debate,
that Mr.. Wilson, in using the epithet en-
pIoyed, did not impute any want of personal
integrity or honor to Mr. Gwin but merely
reflected upon his course in legislation in re-
gard to California, which Mr.. Wilson deemed
extravagant and wasteful, although the ex.
preston is obviously liable to an offensive
and dishonorng construction. With this
disclaimer, adopted by Mr.. Wilson, We hold
that Dir. Gwin is bound to withdraw the re-
prOachfui language in which be replied to
Mr.. Wilson.
The disavowal required of Mr.. Wilson,
and the withdrawal demanded from Mr..
Gwin, shall be deemed to have been made by
them respectively, when they shall have ex
pressed in writing their assent to this report.
| j. J. CRITTENDES,
WV. Ii. SEWARD,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
| To Messrs. WILSON and GwIN.
assent to the above. HENRY WILSON.
| assent to the above. WM. VI. GwIN.
WASHINGTON, June II, 1858.