Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-04-17
The Pryor and Potter Difficulty,
COMMENTS OF THE PRESS.
From the New York PostI
The PRYOR AFFAIR.

ton of the affair of honor between Mr..
Pryor, of Virginia, and Mr.. Potter, of Wis
consin. Pryor is picker of quaTrels by
profession-the most abusive member of
House of Representatives remarkable for
containing more Iow-bred men than were
ever in it before. If you complain of his
abuse, he will fight you by way of satistac-
ton; if he thinks you will not fight, he will
interpret any words you may utter as AN
insult, and challenge you. He tried this
game with Mr.. Potter, who holds whit is
called the code of honor in the contempt
it deserves; by a forced construction he
made personal insult of some very proper
words uttered by Mr.. Potter, and sent him
challenge.
The challenge was unexpectedly accept
ed, but with conditions which Mr.. Potter
had right to prescribe. The challenged
party chooses the weapons with which the
combat is to be fought, and Mr.. Potter
chose the bowie-knfe-a weapon invented
at the South, and considerably used there
in dueIs, street fights and assassinations.
The offer to fight with bOwie-knives shock
ed Mr.. Pryor, for. though he processes to
be fond of fighting, he is somewhat
squeamish in the matter of weapons. Mr..
Chisman, Mr.. Pryor's second. was shocked
also at the bloody proposal; Mr.. Hindman,
another friend of Pryor, was no less horri-
fed; and, accordingly, Mr.. Potter and his
derstand that they could not think of
deciding the quarrel in manner which
they said was ''barbarous, inhumnn and
not usual among gentlemen"
Mr.. Pryor sees no objection to shooting
fellow creature through the head who
never did him any mischief, and on whom
he wantonly sought to fix causeless
QUARREL but he has decided objection to
doing anything barbarous. He would take
the life of the father of family without
scruple, and plunge those to whom that
life was dear and necessary into the deep
est sorrow, but he cannot think of doing
anything inhumnn. He showers vitupera-
ton to the right and left, in terms worthy
of the pot-house, but he cannot consent to
do what is not ''usual among gentlemen.
Colonel Lander very properly replied
that the practice of dueling is in itselfba
barous, and therefore adhered to the con-
ditions at first required. Most certainly if
two men go into n combat, each seeking
the others life, it matters little with what
weapons they effect their purposes; the bar
barity consists in the deadly intent, far
more than in the instrument with which
the intent is executed. Mr.. Pryor and his
friends are bad logicians.
But by what right do Mr.. Pryor and his
friends set themselves up as the special
Judges of what is oarbarous and inhumaH
in manner of fighting duels? If they can
slip out of duel, after having sent a chal-
lenge, on the ground that the weapons are
not snch as they approve, they must see
that they give the same opportunity to
anybody else who chooses. People have
different tastes in regard to the manner in
,,,b; Oh Nl,nir IN
Some prefer dry knocks; some would rHth-
er go to law; some have partially for n
contest of words. A pistol bullet is
horrid thing; when discharged from the
weapon it has no respect of persons; it
smashes the bones that come in its way: it
tears q passage through the muscles; 1t
penctratcs the brain; it pierces the heart;
it cuts off an ear finger; it mains
man for life; it is utterly remorseless and
careless of consequences. SIR. Pryor's
way of making his escape from duel of
his own getting up, by pretending dislike
of bowie-knivcs, would answer just as
we'll for one who happened to have no
liking for fight with pistols.
The conclusion is that, with all his hlus-
ter, Mr.. Pryor is unwilling TO expose his
person. His life is precious to him; he
has limbs which he desires to save from
lnutilation, a throat which he would be
sorry to have cut, blood which, if he can
help it, he will not allow to be shed by
any rude process of vcnescction. He is
anxious to get the credit of being fond of
| fight, without any real stomach for it.
And thus ends this shameful affair, which
covers the practice of duelIng with new
ridicule, and will probable have the effect
ofpreventing any more challenges being
sent in the course of the present session.