The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-04-27

without referring your communication to
my principal or even seeing him, emphati-
cally refuse to allow him to engage in it,
Whenever your principal will reply to Mr..
Pryor's demand in such q way as may seem
to me consistent with any fair and even
most liberal construction of the rules of the
code, whether particular or general, shall
be most happy to communicate to my prin-
cipal such response.
have the honor to be, most respectfully,
T. P. CHISMAN.
COL. LANDER TO MR.. CHIsMAN.
WASHINGTON, April 10, 8 Am.
Hon. T. P. Chisman:
SIR: Your note is just received. With
out replying to the terms of Indignation
which seem to pervade it, l will SIM
ply say that my principal detests and
abhors the barbarous and inhuman mode of
settling difficulties usual among gentlemen,
termed duelling. He represents his con-
stituents in the following manner He
asserts and maintains his right to present on
the floor of Congress, within parliamentary
rules, any matter which he believes to be
correct. Called upon by note to reply to
your principal, be has made his statement.
AS his friend, l have presented it. You
object to the terms. They were such as
would alone enable my principal, who was
duelists, to meet your friend on equal terms.
He will not 60 out of the District to fight
a duel. He valves the usual last resort of
the non-duelist, the assertion that he will
defend himself whenever assailed. He even
goes so far as to name time, place and wea>
pom. When at this stage OF the affair you
appeal to the strict terms of the code, and
express yourself dissatisfied, there is but
one result. l disclaim any of the scruples
which have actuated my friend, MIR. Potter.
Differing with him as much as man can
in politics, l believe with him that every
American citizen is entitled to the full ex-
preston Of his opinions. l therefore pre-
sent myself in bis place without restric-
lions.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
F. w. LANDER.
MR.. CHIsMAN TO COL. LANDER.
WASHINGTON: Friday, April 49,
Col. F. W. Lander:
Sir: Neither my friend Mr.. Pryor nor
myself have any personal quarrel with you.
l cannot therefore permit him or myself
to take any advantage of your courteous
offer to substitute yourself in Mr.. Potter's
place. AS Mr.. Potter, "who u.s." as you
state, "unacquainted with the usual weapons
of dueists," cannot meet my friend son equal
terms" in the District of Columbia, except
with the common bowie knife" which mode
of fighting have refused to accede to, and
as he "will not go out of this district to fight
duel and, moreover, "waives the usual
just resort of the non-duelist," the assertion
that he will defend himself whenever assaied,
l must terminate this correspondence with
the expression of my regret that we have
been unable to adjust the matter between
our principals in the manner "usual among
gentlemen" which manner, though your
principal detests and abhors it as barbarous
and inhuman, would seem to men of plain
sense not more so than fight with bowie
knives. 1 have the honor to be,
Most respectfully, T. P. CHISMAN.
COL. LANDER TO MR.. CHIsMAN.
WASHINGTON, D. c., A. NJ, April Is, 1860.
Hon. 1. P. Chisman:
Sir: | received your last note at ~
O'Clock this morning. In it you reiterate
your assertion that your principal shall not
meet Mr.. Potter with bowie knives, making
assurance doubly sure. l have to correct
an impression 1 have apparently conveyed
in my last letter-an expression also referred
to in your note. 1t appears that my state
ment that "Mr. Potter valves the usual last
resort of the non-duelist, the assertion that
he will defend himself whenever assailed,"
has led you to believe that he will not de-
fend himself if assaulted. This is a mis-
take. If for the time be waived the mere
assertion, and placed himself so far as he
could at the disposal of Mr.. Pryor in regard
to personal combat, by no means believe
that he will not defend himself. I beg to
assure you, without consulting my principal,
that he will protect himself with honor
wherever assailed. 1t also becomes my duty
to inform you that Hon. John Potter did
not know of my offer to appear for him.
The further remarks of your letter being
mere expressions of opinion, upon mode of
adjusting difficulties, the propriety of which
we are not discussing, have nothing to
offer in reply. l have the honor to be,
Most respectfully, F. W. LANDER.
CAhD FROM NIX. CHlSMAN.
In further explanation of Mr.. PRYoR's
position in the controversy with Mr. Por-
TER, I deem it proper to make public the
following notes, which, though never deliv-
cred, have an essential bearing on the trans.
action. The first note was handed to me
by Mr.. PRYOR, in Alexandria, and, at his
urgent entreaty, l agreed, against my own
judgment, to deliver it to Mr.. POTTER; but
on reaching Washington, in Difference to the
earnest and unanimous remonstrance of Hon.
Messrs. LAMAR, KEITT, and MILES, ! deter-
mined to take the responsibility Of with
holding it. 1t reads as follows: . r.,
VIRGINIA, IL o'clock, April II, 1860.
SIR: avail myself of the earliest mo-
ment after a report from my friend, Mr..
Chisman, to send you this note. In con-
sequence of the impossibility of communica-
ting with me, my friend has been compelled
to proceed without conference in the several
stages Of this controversy. He has acted in
my behalf from the highest impulses of
honor, and in obedience to the rules which
govern the conduct of gentlmen in the settle
ment of personal difficulties. Nevertheless,
| cannot abide his decision. Before formal
ly accepting your terms of combat, must
repel the intimation conveyed in the note Of
your friend, Mr.. Lander, to the effect that /
am seeking 10 some way to restrict your
liberty Of speech as Representative. 1 do