The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-20

'bomb-proofs' during the war, have been of
late getting up some gunpowder exoitements
in Memphis, Vioksburg, and elsewhere, and
generally they are furious and fiery, as noisy
fellows are apt to be when fighting is over.
A South Carolina correspondent, for example,
informs us that among the combustibles of
that thoroughly subjugated State there are
some half dozen duels on the carpet on points
of honor and ancient chivalry. This, too,
while the real fighting leaders of the Rebel
| lion, such as Lee Longstreet Hampton, Beau
! regard, and all others, are all for peace, sub
mission, and reconstruction.
Under this state of things we are not sur
prised that Mr. John Minor Bolts, of Virginia,
should turn up in a somewhat belligerent atti-
tude. The record Of Mr.. Bolts during the war,
though not that of a fighting man, is the
record OF aSouthen Unionist who could not
be shaken from his faith, even in Castle Thun-
der. 1t is natural, perhaps, that from his treat
ment under the Government of JEFF Davis he
should come out of the war flaming radical {;
but for all that he should not permit his zeal to
Outrun his discretion. He ecomplains to us of a
certain letter from Richmond correspondent
which, through an oversight, was admitted into
our columns. Mr.. Bolts, touching this objection
able letter, opens correspondence with Gen
eral Schotied which settles the case ompletely
IN favor of the complainant. Thus amply vim
dicated, the submission of General SchOfeld S
testimony to this journal, in behalf of the COM
plainant would have been enough. But Mr..
Bolts goes out of his way to inform General
Schoied that "as the systematic effort at
defamation and detraction seems about to be
resumed by the Herdid whose editor | had
the misfortune, some twelve or fifteen years
ago. unwittingly to offend, have determined
to try conclusions with him ''by resort to
legal remedies"
Having resolved upon this mode of redress,
Mr.. Bolts should have stopped just there;
but he spoils his case as complainant and
lawyer, not in saying, "Now, Mr.. Bennett,
there is no necessity for any words between
us for we agree in that, but in adding these
words of bad temper and bad taste, to wit
| 'Your paper has been at the service of every
| blackguard, of high or low degree, whO from
| motives of personal or political malighity
| desired to defame me for the last eighteen
| years" and then, in a towering passion, he
| talks of "the licentiousness of the press, y
! defamation and detraction, - shameless
mendacity," and "mendacity and malignity'
terms unworthy a schoolboy in such case
| but wholly inexcusable and Incompetent
sible in a man of the age and experience of Mr.
| Bolts.
! Let him be assured that we have no rec6l-
! lection of any oflense committed by hiu
! against US, except his ofense of making wal
upon John Tyler and resolving to "head hin
or die" after having been his travelling com
panion on the same journey, after having
shared with him the same supper of corr
bread and bacon, and after having, like a
brother, slept with him under the same blan
J ket. There has been no wicked design in AM
of our subsequent collisions with Mr.. Bott
from time to time. They have been only thu
accidents of the whirligig of politics. Unde
the rule of John Randolph, of Roanoke, t.
''pay as we 60" we have no outstanding
balance against Mr.. Bolts, nothing against hin
of 'mendacity, malignity,'' or any such non
sense. Cheerfully placing him right upon tn
record in regard to his conference with Genera
Schoield, we leave it to Mr.. Bolts himself t
determine whether the tone and temper of hi
letter in the premises are entitled to or uI
worthy the consideration we have given it,