, 1860-04-24

[Fron tie 30. Dsmoeratl
The sequel Of the Potter and Pryor affair has
demonstrated more than has been noticed By
the press. 1t has demonstrated that the prnc-
Washington at least Nc session OF Congress
passes without giving rise to altercations, to
challenges, and acceptance Of challenges; but
the whole sequel Tor years hrs been the publ
cation Of the Correspondence in the newspapers
farce. The truth is. the spirit Of the age is
against due!lng. We bellere that no public
man in England has sent a hostile message 10
another since Roebuc1, who Was challenged By
an Irish member, brought the subject before the
House Of Commons. On that occasion the
Peel, who in his day had given and receired
invitations to mortal combat, applauded the
conduct of Mr.. Roebuck, and denounced the
practice Of dueling. This WAS its death blow
in that country. Even in the English army the
accepting or the sending Of q challenge works
IN immediate forfeiture Of the officers COM
mission, which to him is very serious misfor-
tune, for it is the sacrifice both Of money md
position. The refusal of Gen. Harney to
| fight Col. Sumner shows that the higher law Of
| the duelling code is not universally recognized
as obligatory in the United States army. Daels
are still fought in Paris with small swords, but
| they seldom hare fatal termination. The
! Soules fought in Madrid, but this only proves
that the thing is not entirely extinct. Some
people say that it requires more courage to re-
fuse to fight duel, than to fight one, but ne
are rather dubious on this point. II it we're
true, 4 reputation for courage could be very
easily acquired, by individuals who would find
it difficult to acquire that reputation in any 9TH
er way. The decline Of the duello in this State
is shcwn By the sequel OF the quarre1s in JEFF
ftrson City last winter. Railroad Presidents,
Representatives and Senators insulted aud
mauled each other all around. Challenges even
/ y,aasc3 h,fi If 1,nty1ar ut hnFrnH the RI
has escaped our recollection. Whether this is
TO be attributed to the decline of chiyary or the
prevalence Of common sense, OF to drunkenness
At night md blue sobriety in the morning,
we do not venture to say. One thing, however,
is certain, there arc fifty Pickwickian
and consequently, Of those who engage in
the business, one hundred make themselves
ridiculous for the two who shoot ut each other.
But we question whether any professed duelist
| ever found himself in such miserable plight
as Pryor. Without any sufficient cause he i'll
| yokcd the nrbitrament Of arms. lie gave No
chance either fo1 an explanation, D retractiou
or IN apology. His challenge was peremptory
| and unconditional When the weapons are
named, his. second refuses his assent to the
terms until he consults his principal. -Four
hours pass, and the second definitely refuses tc
meet Potter with the weapons named. Potter's
second, in this delicate situation Of affairs offers
himself as substitute for his principal, but the
proposition is rejected.
So fur we have the genuine Tecord-the cor
respondence US written by either and rcad b5
bath parties; but the friends Of Pryor, ,conscoa:
Of the position in which that parsonage stood
produce tso supplementary letters written b,
him but never seen by Potter or Lander. Nha
had these letters to do with the affair? Ifpry
or was justified By the1 Code 10 refusing Il
fight with bowie knives, why publish apochry
phal notes? Surely duel with bowie. knive
is not worse than street 6ght-pryor's las
proposition with the same Weapons couple'
With dragon, revolvers rs au1ilarie5: Whn
Pryor should hare done, in the terrible diletn
ma into which lle had fallen, was to stand o,
! his original ground, and pledge himself public
! | ~, to bold any gentleman to accountability VII
should breathe a word in disparagenent Of hi
valor, or in justification Of pottcrs action. Thi
, however, would have brought him tonce int
: collision With Lander, who would have been
: more formidable antagonist even than Potter
/ lie was thus overwhelmed on flank as well a
: front, and accordingly returned from the field
, convicted but irrcsolute bully, his honor losI
, | while Potter and Lander arc universally recog
! nized Us the hrayest Of the brave.