Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-02-17
Douglas and Fitch.

Itmay have been noticed that ut various and
sundry times since last Winter sstruggle respect
ing Kansas, the present somewhat respectable
Chief Magistrate at Washington has pitched
into Stephen A. Douglas and the friends Of
said Stephen, and quite unrelcntingly taken
from the " friends +" any little choice plum of
public pudding with which they were RECALLING
their cultivated paates. This, without the re.
hottest doubt, was unkind, in. fact, the g un-
kindest cut " imaginable, it is barely
possible, was slightly revcngoful But old Blu
chanan, however in his affections he may EMU
late the virtues of that country where they are
neither married nor given in marriage, in the
matter of revenge, is suspected of taking an cx
ample from quite another region. He hasn't
been known to feed any hungry enemies Of his
Administration, unless by mistake, and, we be-
lieve, no mention has been made of his sending
any of his favorite q Old Rye to thirsty anti
Lecompton Democrats.
In the U. S. Senate-historically dignifed
body--while some presidential nominations
were under discussion few days since, and the
doors and catholics were supposed to be all
closed, S. A. D., with slight tincture of po-
litcal acidty, called the Federal oficc-hoders
in Illinois set of dishonest, incapable, theying
rascals One Fitch--a member of this Senate
whom it will be remembered his Democratic
brethren elected to a seat in that body, entirely
in opposition to the wishes of the State OF In
diana-had young Fitch who was enjoying the
sweets of Office in Illinois, and being struck
with the correctness of this little certificate of
character, volunteered by the g little giant,
told S. A. d. that he lied. After this " lie
Direct s. A. D.. included DR.. Fitch in his
certificate. The Douglas blood was up, and he
slashed right and left, until that mild, amiable
Senator, j. Davis, called him IS. A. d. ga
hlghwayman and bravo and after that the
giant subsidized. Here was an excellent chance
for pistols and cold coffee and mourning coaches
and one or two funerals, to say nothing of
trials for murder outright, and for being ac-
cessorics before the fact, &C.. With valiant
men nothing short of shot at ten PAGES would
have settled the difficulty. But Douglas and
Fitch, not having stomach for fighting, open
ed a correspondence, instead of opening bat
terry. They preferred steel in its most harmless
shape, and go took the pen instead of tho
sword
Now is to be seen the virtue of "your if''
even after the " lie direct"
Hon. Stephen A. Douglas addresses note to
Hon. Graham N. Fitch, in which he informs
G. N. f. that he (D) thinks that Fitch took fire
on the spur of the moment, instead of coming
to the Senate ready mad" Stephen also in
forms Graham, that, if he is anxious about it,
he may take back, withdraw" the g oden-
sivc language. This is not superlatively san
guineous 1t is hardly bellcose. 1t is ex
pressed more in sorrow than in anger. 1t is
considerate to a degree. 1t is an intimation
that mercy has got the better of justice in the
Douglas. 1t is very decided hint that if the
Doctor had rather live and be forgiven than
d" die and be shot," the " giant " had rather he
would This letter, 80 clemently expressed
reached and moved Mr.. Fitch DR.. Graham
mildly explains. He has had, no doubt, suff-
Gent experience of the dangers of phlebotomy
in his medical practice to have Wholesome fear
of it when he is to be the patient. lie writes
a pacific, if not specific reply. He has no dis
position to further exacerbate the Douglas
He don't take back anything, but is quite
careful not to make matters more warlike. And
the Doctor makes very fine point in this let
ter; almost microscopic. He says that his re-
marks were neither premeditated," nor yet
made on the spur of the moment Thisis an inter-
csting fact in mental philosophy. Thespeech, we
suppose, should be called a kind of literary or
intellectual 'alf and 'alf. BY this letter Fitch
softens and mitigates the " lie Direct" and
leaves.it nothing more than the &C lie circum-
stantial."
The " Big Giant" rejoined, and here the diff
ference you see 'twjxt tweedle dun and tweedle.
dee. He admits that he said the Federal office
holders were no better than rascals and thieves,
but at that moment he didn't think of little
Fitch. OF that youngster's merits he had no
opinion to express certainly not in the pres
ence of old Fitch. He recognizes father s
right to get mad and call Douglas names, when
Douglas calls the son a rascally thief. But he
: adds, that he understood the Doctor to give him
the lie on his own, and not ON Fitch JUNIORS ac-
count, and he pertinently asks how Fitch senior
will justify that. AT this point of the CORES
pondence, the friends" of the belligerents
lay aside the pistols and stir the coffee. The
saltpetre, and charcoal, and birthstone are set
away. The sanguineous color of the affair is
rapidly changing to q pale, milk-and waterish
hue.
Hon. G. N. F. SURGEONS. that if s. A. D.
had said in the Senate, what the " little giant y
) now says Douglas said, Fitch would not have
made use of the offensive remarks which he die
make use of. Hon. Graham N. Fitch, U. s
Senator, accordingly is glad of this opportunit,
to reduce his Senatorial thunder.shower to ,
, mere mizzle lie withdraws. He progresse
in a retrograde direction. He backs down.
Here, Mr. Douglas, having fortunately avert
ed the necessity of bloodshed, and removed from
himself the disagreeable apprehension of col,
lead in the neighborhood of his vtals, become
suddenly smart again, and writes another note
The astute Senator, however, takes the precau
ton In the outset Of his epistle to pin G. N.
to his withdrawal Of the casus belk, and thel
politely informs the Doctor that the " giant -
Of the opinion that Stephen has maintained hi
honor unsullied in this matter, but that Graham
has been reduced to very poor diet,--in short