The Placer herald., 1858-07-24
The Blackguard from sachusetts.

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A friend in Washington gives us the fol.
lowing account of the cowardly course pursued
by Wilson, of Massachusetts, in his scurrous
attack upon Senator Gwin. The only loss
our Senator sustained in the matter was, a
small sum expended for a cowhide, which
the second letter from Wilson prevented him
from using. We understand that the friend
ly offices of Messrs. Jefferson Davis and Sew
ard were cheerfuly rendered to Wilson, on
the ground that if he received personal chas-
t;sement it would be made second Sumner
affair, and perhaps infict his presence upon
the Senate another term. Our correspon,
dent says: s. +. Globe.
The pertinacious attacks of Mr. Broderick
upon California's claims and appropriations,
and his constant declarations that living was
as cheap there as on the Atlantic coast, pro-
cured for our State the honor of being sin.
gled out as the object of Mr.. Wilson's asper-
slons.
1t was between 10 and IL o'clock, p. NJ,
on the 10th instant, that Mr. Wilson began
the attack in question. DR.. Gwn rose seve-
raj times to explain, and displayed great
good temper and patience. But Wilson was
charged, and the load had to make its exit,
and he wound up by saying that California
had been steadily plrngng both hands into
the Ireasu y, and her greed was never salts
fed.
DR.. Gwn said that, as the Senator had
himself voted for every one of the allow
ances and appropriations of which he now
complained, he could cny ascribe his pres
ent trade to II spirit Of demagogueism.-
Then followed the offensive language from
Wilson.
The first intention of DR.. Gwin was per-
sonal chastisement, but as Wilson had rather
set himself up for fighting man in the
Brooks controversy, he decided to send him
challenge, and selected as his friend the
Hon. G. N. Fitch, Northern Senator, with a
view to take every possible shade of .Atricon
color out of the quarrel
Wilson referred to Senator Seward, who
called on DR.. G., and begged him to draw
up an omende honorable. An apology was
prepared, and deemed ample and saiisfac-
tory by the friends Of DR.. c., including Mr..
Maynard, Capt. J. II. Baird, Capt. Wallace,
and others; but upon Wilson's exhibiting it to
his friends they persuaded him that such an
apology would disgrace him at home--,hese
friends were generally understood to have
been Messrs. Broderick, of California, and
Wade, of Ohio.
Gov. Seward, in despair, called in Colonel
Jefferson Davis, who called upon DR.. Gwin
and begged he would entr,lst the matter to
him for few hours, to which he Welded a
re euctant assent, which was due, however, to
the character of Col. Davis. At the
same time several influential Southern Sena.
tors interceded with Dr. Gwin against any
act of violence which might, as in the case
Of Sumner, lead to Il reelection of The of
fender.
On the evening of the l1lh, the challenge
was delivered at 10, A. NJ, the same day)
Col. Davis pledged himself to a satisfactory
settlement on the morrow, when DIR. GwI
received from Wilson his second letter, and
assented to its proposal by handing it to Col
Davis.
The award puts Wilson in the wrong, and
his two letters show that he both refused tc
fight, and deprecated an encounter of any
description. You will bear in mind that the
attack in its inception, was not upon Dr.
Gwin, but upon California.