Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-02-12


(Drinks) aside to the bar-keeper, "Put
that down to me-! .-
The BALL OF THE SEASON - SOMETHING
BRILLlANT.-We announce that the Pioneer
Guards, our crack volunteer corps, have re-
solved to have the grandest kind of BALL
on the Birthday Of Washington on the 22d
inst. We understand it is to come off at the
Winslow House; and that the supper, music,
and all the ct ceteras are to be got up and
arranged in Mr.. Deuel's best and most bril-
liant style. a
How Not to DO It--The DOuglas.Fitch
Correspondence.
From the Washington Union, JAN rs. g..
WASHINGTON, Jan. 81. .
SIR: To-day, in secret session of the Sem
ate, you offered me an afront so wanton, un-
provoked and unjustifable that 1 am obliged
to infer it must have been the impulse of mo-
mentary passion, and not Of deliberate pre-
meditation. This note is written for the pur-
pose of affording you an opportunity of say
ing whether or not my conclusion is correct;
and, further, of affording you an opportunity
of retracting the offensive language which you
thus gratuitously and fundamentally applied
to me. ....-- ...-. ..-s-
Respectfully, etc., S. A. DoUGLAs.
Hon. Graham N. Fitch.
. ..s,s,. z...sl WASHINGTON, Jan. %.
SIR: Your note of yesterday was handed
me this morning. In reply, have to say
that you yesterday made charge that the
lately appointed federal officers in Illinois
were corrupt, dishonest men-or words to
that effect. You knew my son to be one of
those officers, and you could not expect me
to hear such charge without prompt denial
of it's truth. I pronounced it to be, to your
knowledge, untrue. You subsequently so
modified it as to satisfy me that you excepted
my son from the general charge, although you
did not name him, and made no further is
sue with you on that subject. When, at a
subsequent period of your remarks, you at
tributed to me statements which had not
made, requested that in quoting me you
would do so truthfully. These remarks were
certainly not deliberately premeditated,"
but they cannot be qualified correctly as the
impulse of momentary passion. The first
was prompted by q determination to dofend
the honor and character of my son, as dear to
me as my own, against an attack so general
in it's terms as necessarily to include him; and
the second was the exercise of my right to
rectify Misrepresentation of my own re-
marks.
Respectfully etc., G. N. FITCH.
Hon. S. A. Douglas.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1924 Pm.
SIR: Your note Of this date has been
placed in my hands. admit, without hest
tation, your right and duty to do justice to
the reputation of your son. At the same
time / maintain my right, in the discharge of
my duty as Senator, to comment freely and
fully on the character of executive appoint
ments, especially in my own State. deny,
however, that my general remarks in relation
to the list of Illinois appointees, confirmed by
the Senate during my absence, could be fairly
to embrace your son. When you
seemed so to construe them, promptly re-
piled that what had said of the Illinois ap-
pointments was true as general rule, but
that there were exceptions, among whom l
recognized some of my own friends.
Abiding particularly to your son, l added
that had nothing to say IN regard TO Tie nler-
its of his appointment, choosing to leave that
question where placed it by remarks to the
Senate during the last session, in your pres
ence, at the time of his confirmation. You
now admit that you understood this explana-
ton of my general remarks; and yet, you have
failed to withdraw the offensive language, but,
on the contrary, at subsequent stage of the
debate, when apologizing for breach of Sen
atorial decorum, you expressly declared that
you had nothing to retract- appearing,
in my apprehension, to reaffirm the objection
able words.
As to the other ground of offence admitted
in your reply to my note, l have to say that l
did not understand you to assume to correct
me in quotation of your language, as was
unconscious of making any such citation, but
to repeat the original offence in another form;
otherwise, would have made proper res
ponse on the instant.
This explanation, which is due alike to us
both, on the points presented in your reply,
affords you another opportunity Of withdraw
ing the offensive words which you admit you
applied to me in yesterdays debate.
Respectfully, &C., S. A. DOUGLAS.
Hon. Graham N. Fitch.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 1852
SIR: Your note of last evening was hand
ed me at ~ NJ. to-day. Your explanation in
regard to my son being now explicit, 1 have no
hesitation in saying that if you had excepted
him from your charge, or not made it general,
would not have deemed myself warranted in
repelling it in the aoords of which you complain
as offensive, and which, in consequence Of your
explanation, l now withdraw.
am also informed by your note that, if
you had not been mistaken in relation to my
remarks on the subject of your misrepresenta-
ton of my sentiments, you would at the in
slant have made proper response. This like
wise enables me to say that, in my closing re-
marks explanatory to the Senate, of my share
of an exciting debate upon subject not rele-
want to anything before that body, and the re-
sponsibility for the introduction of which rest
ed solely with you, should have withdrawn,
as now do, the second offensive remarks, if
you had made the same satisfactory explana-
ton then you have noao made
Respectfully, &C., G. N. FITcu.
Hon. S. A. Douglas.
WASHINGTON, Jan. "a, 1859.
SIR: Your note of yesterday has been re-
ceived and while I accept your withdrawal
of the words to which have taken exception,
1 owe it to myself to protest against the idea
you seem to entertain, that my note of Satur-
day was intended as precedent and inducing
condition of the redress which I solicited, in
stead of being, as 1 certainly designed it merely
responsive to the specifications in reply to
your first communication.
In regard to the introduction and relevancy
of the matter in the debate out of which this
difficulty arose, cannot think that proper
subject of discussion in the present correspon-
dence. Respectfully, &C.,
S. A. DOUGLAS.
Hon. Graham N Fitch.