White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-05-24
JsR. pavis, Pryor and he nod"

Sen' DAVIS, Pryor and the ''Code."
Public sentiment proclaims that the
most arrogant man in the United State
Senate is Jefferson Davis. Nor does
there seem to be much doubt that in de-
bate ne is the most insolent and insuder-
able. The offence consists not 90 much
in the words used, as in the air and mien
which he assumes toward opponents.-
He was never thoroughly backed down.
and backed out from any position he
had assumed (so far as publicly known
except once, and that was when he ehal-
lenged the late Gov. Bissell, Of Illinois.
for words spoken in debate in the House
of Representatives. some years ago, they
being members Of that body, and then
refused to meet him, Gnst as Pryor has
now refused to meet Potter, under the
allegation that the weapons selected BY
him-muskets-were unusual and not
within the purview Of the Code"
The fact that he needlessly fastened
this quarrel upon Bissell, and the belief
that he being a Northern man. he would
decline to acknowledge himself, within
the jurisdiction Of the code, and so would
refuse to go upon the field ; and finally,
Davis's refusal to meet him when mex
pectsdly, his hostile message was prompt
y entertained, led rejecting minds to the
conclusion that, at bottom. he was a
coward. Though this opinion was very
generally adopted at the time, injustic
may have been done to his bravery
However, it will doubtless turn out to
be true, that no really courageous man,
who deliberately pushes a quarrel with
another to the extreme point of a chal-
lenge. will ever retreat under the pretense
that the weapons selected are unnsual. i.
e., so long rs they are of so common a
description as muskets, rides, or bowie
knives.
No article OF the Code is better recog-
nizsd than that the challenged party shall
have the selection of weapons. This
right becomes nugstory, and practically.
no power Of selection at all, if the choice
il limited to one kind Of weapon. viz !:
pistols. So long. then. as the challenged
party keeps within the range Of ordinary
weapons. it is pretty clear proof that the
challenger is q poltroOn AID . coward.
and lacks the nerve and the pluck to
meet the crisis which he has voluntarily
invoked, if he declines to fight with any
of the weapons which are commonly car
ried by sportsmen and soldiers. II was
probably reasons akin to those we have
stated, which led the Congressional ssso-
ciates of Bissell and Davis, and the coun-
try generally, to the adoption Of the opin
ion that. in that controversy, Davis show
cd the white feather.
In another article the same paper says:
Unable to meet his arguments, and
grooming under the ponderoRs blows
which be levelsd at their peculiar insti-
tuition, some of the Southern members
attempted to interrupt Mr. Lovejoy's
speech. and to shift the issue by objec-
ting his style of gesticulation. They sf-
fected to regard his appraised arm and
clenehed 6st as intended to insult and
menace them. and in this way to substi-
tute for Mr.. Lovejoy's disquisition on the
nIO.its or rather dement's os Slavery, q
discussion as to the properties of Con-
gressional debate. Mr.. Pryor of Virgin
ia, acting a. the mouihpiece of his fel-
lows. accused Mr.. Lovejoy o! "gesticulA-
ting in a menacing and ruffianly man
ner," at the same time. by way Of enfor-
cling his accusation, shaking his own fist
at Dir. Lovejoy. Whereupon. Mr. Pot
ter, Of Wisconsin. exclaims, "You are
doing the same thing"
This remark of Mr.. Potter's exposing.
as it did. by an irresistible Grgumsntum
ad hominem. the groundlessness of this
criticism upon Mr.. Lovejoy. at least in
the mouth of Mr.. Pryor, Mr. Pryor az
fected to consider as q personal insult,
and made the occasion Of q challenge.
Mr.. Potter accepts the challenge, and in
the exercise of his prerogative, as the
challenged party, selects as the weapon |
to be used the southern bowie knife-a
selection made. We apprehend, in the
very spirit of the original observation
which provoked the ire Of Mr. Pryor, in
tended, in fact. to show up Mr.. Pryor as
a fire eater. much as the original remark
had shown him up as a lecturer on Con-
greSsional properties. Mr.. Pryor objects
to this weapon. on the ground that 1t il
savage and barbarous." an odd objec-
ton. indeed. on the part Of this self.
pointed bully of slavery, considering
that the bowie knife is almost as mnch
peculiar institution of the South As slave
ry itself.
The challenge sent BY Pryor was a
mere attempt to intimidAie. in which he
has had just about as much success as he
did in his attempt to stop Mr.. Lovejoy.
Ii any duels are to be fought on the qnes-
ton of slavery. the bowie knife wonld
seem to be the very weapon most snits-
BILE to the subject matter.-Nev York
Tribune.