Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-04-25
WHOLE NO. 92O:
Poffer and Pryor.

tumtHSus so far as Mr. Pryor IS concerned
and short, pointed and decided on part ol
Mr.. Potter.
1t begins by Pryor sending note to Pot.
ter asking him to have the kindness to
designate place outside the District Of
Columbia where further correspondence
between them may be had" Mr.. Potter
answers, that any correspondence that Mr..
Pryor "may wish to make. may be deliver
Ell to his (Potter's) friend Col. F. W. Lam
der" Pryor replies to this and asks Mr.
Potter elf he will accept a challenge from
him." Poster returns note saying tha
he will "answer the inquiry when chal'
ienge reaches him."
Pryor then demands the satisfaction
usual among gentlemen" and Mr.. Potter
refers Mr.. Pryor to his "friend F. W Ian
der to make the necessary arrangements. :.
The challenge being thus accepted, the
following are the weapons and the manner
ofthe fight as communicated to Mr.. CHS
man. the friend Of Mr.. Pryor. by Col. Ian
der tne irlenu Oi 1T Il OllcI
WASHINGTON. April l2. 1860. ia P. M.
Hoy. It. p. CHisMAN-Sir: have to state
that my principal, Hon. John Potter, dis
claiming the particular rules Of the code.
will fight Hon. Roger A. Pryor with the
common Bowie knife. at such place, pri-
vate room or open air, in this District, as
we may agree upon, at time TO be fixed
within the next twelve hours by you and
fao af
ment of engagement. Two seconds to be
present 10 each principal. Seconds restric
ted to one navy revolver each. Knives OF
principals of equal weight and length of
blade. Fight to commence at the word
Three" The calling Of the tally and
word, as between principal seconds, to be
decided by turning piece of money.
have the honor to be, most respectfully,
F. w. LANDER.
To this note Mr.. Chisman returns an an
swer, that he does Rot recognize this vul-
gar, barbarous and inhuman mode of set
Ting difficulties as either usual among
gentlemen or consistent with the notions
of civilized society" aud emphatically refu-
ses to allow his principal TO engage in it.
Col. Lander then deeming that some rehec-
tion had been thrown at his friend Mr.. Pot
ter, sends note TO Mr.. Chisman in which he
reviews the correspondence up to that time,
and concludes by SAYING. that he Colonel
Lander) accepts the challenge of Mr. Pryor,
and "therefore presents himself in the place
of Mr.. Potter "cithOut restriction" Mr..
Chrisman in reply to this note returns the
following answer:
Col. F. W. LANDER-Sir: Neither my
friend Mr.. Pryor nor myself have any per
ssRal quarrel with you. | cannot, there
fore, permit him or myself TO take any adj
vantage of your courteous offer to substi-
tute yourselfin Mr. Potter's place.
Col. Lander then sends his final note, in
which he says, if Mr.. Pryor will not meet
his friend and fight with bowie knives,
then che has nothing further to say"
Mr.. Chisman then publishes two letters
that Mr.. Pryor wrote. but which never
were sent to Mr.. Potter or were never
seen by Colonel Lander. One is that
Pryor accepts the terms OF Mr.. Potter, and
will fight as proposed, and the other seems
TO have reference to personal collision
Both those notes, however, remained in
the hands Of Mr.. Pryor's friend and never
saw daylight until they found their way
into the public prints.
The above is correct outline Of this
pleasant little episode in the lives of these
distinguished Members of Congress. Pryor,
as every one will see, like all the heroes Of
his class, has no courage to face cold steel,
and will only fight when he would have
the decided advantage over his opponent.
But when brought on equal terms, this
chivalrous representative Of the chivalry
shows the white feather, and most inglo-
riously shuns the rencounter.
Who is Roger A. Prysr? Let US look
into the record of this distinguished trig-
ger puller. He brought with him into the
House of Representatives a reputation,
brilliant for skill in the daeiio. He was
the full embodiment OF all the chiyalry
South of Mason d Dixon's line on this
pheasant pastime." He was pushed for
ward by his friends as their peculiar cham.
pion, both in debate and on the field. He
seemed TO be their selected exponent
through all the turbulent times which pre- :
ceded the election Of Speaker. He was
thrust forward on every occasion, and wai
leader even among fire eaters. His first
combat was with Mr.. Nelson, Of Tennessee
how he came out of that controversy GOV
cred all over with shame, the whole coun-
try knows. He afterwards made an abusivs
assault on Mr.. Sherman when that gentle
man was in condition, that modesty fO
bade, from him, any reply. He next in
suited Mr.. Hickman-called him n liar
and referred him TO the code for redress
He then proved himself to be a vulga
blsckguard, by his attack upon the chsrac
ter Of Mrs. Gordon Bennett. And then, 4
crown all and anxious to become more nC
torious, his rufiianness boils over durini
the speech of Mr.. Lovejoy. and ends viii
the above difficulty with Mr.. Potter.
For fear the reader may not recollect th
character of the offence given by Mr.. Potte
TO Pryor, which led TO the challenge, W
will state il. While Mr.. Lovejoy was re
peling, in n most glorious and emPhsti
manner, the epithets that had been heaPe'
upon Northern men by the ehivalry
Pryor advanced toward him ia most in
soIent manner, aud told him he shoul'
not stand In the area. in front Of the chair
and shake bis fists in ruffianly manhe
at the members" Mr.. Potter simply said
"You are doing the same thing" "hs
Potter said was true. yet the blood wa
up. aud for this Pryor must challenge hin
II is said, however, Wat before Pyo
sent the challenge, in a consultation wit
his friends, in which some Democrats VII
pretended TO know Potter well, particiP'
ted; il was agreed that if Pryor sent tn
challenge, Potter would not fight. Nev'
were gentlemen more certainly deceived
Potter not only at once determined to hgh