Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-05-08
From the Boston Post.
A Carpet-Bag DueI.

Washington is, or ought to be, somewhat
apathetic in regard to shootings, hanging
and assassinations. In each and every
method of taking human life it has been
supplied with sensation after sensation, so
| that it is not strange If 1t apprOximates the
sublimest point of Indifference at the de
population of the republic by individual
slaughter. Of all the terrible rencontres,
however, of which it has been the scene,
whether with the convenient bowie-knife,
the loaded cane, the supple raw-lide or
the aristocratic and mahogany stocked pis-
toll, nothing, it was supposed, would equal
the exploits of Senator Abbott in his on
slaught upon Senator Sprague. The resin
Gus and chivalrous State which limits his
mileage regarded his conduct with a crit
cal and remorseless eye, and he was re-
solved to preserve his honor or become
defunctand unpleasant carpet-bagger with
out any further foll-loll whatever. So men
held their breath in suspense women
tainted in an ecstacy of alarm; only the
two gladiators remained calm and self-pos.
sessed.
Meanwhile Rhode Island waited grimly
at home, and so did the fierce aggressOr
from North Carolina. Perhaps there were
papers to be destroyed, wills to be made,
prospective widows and orphans to be ten
derly consoled, and multitude of affairs to
be closed preparatory to final leave-taking
of this world and all its belongings This
same world outside continued in fever q
expectancy reporters had sharpened their
pencils for the gathering of an item which
should relieve the stagnant interval occa-
stoned by the filling of all the foreign ap
pointnents, and the confirmation by the
Senate of the last of Grants relatives By
~ oil 1v
One Two ! Three ! Stop - occurred to
every mind pistols and bullets filled the
air the pitch of excitement Was more in
tense than oil the pitch ever exported from
Wilmington. But the finale reduced the
mental temperature to correspondingly
low degree. The city laughed the whole
width of it's face at the epistolary work OF
the Senatorial pacifcators, the country
responded with huge guffaw and the
merriment is not less egregious than uni
versal Such conclusion was like thun'
der shower on Fourth of July afternoon
it dampened the fireworks and the pleas.
ure of the populace.
But of the two there is no doubt that
Sprague possesses the larger share of fight
ing material He had not demanded salts
faction, nor did he decline rendering 1t
outside of any chamber. He had not re-
pudiated his Yankee instincts OF sell
respect or disavowed peace principles,
He desired to slap nobody's 'chops, " AM
did not pretend to be spelling for a fight,
though ready with his friend-a New Jer-
sey, not Banbury "Pet"-snd his ozark.
ers" if pushed to the wall. He could
evidently, like Napoleon, fight for an idea
though, possibly, unable to express it quiie
as pedantically as Sumner, or as classicaLl
as the late Senator from California, who's,
rhetorical pyrotechnics upon the sale o.
liquor in the Capitol are yet vivid IN Con.
gressional remembrance. But the NORM
Carolina Bombastes is entitled to no slcH
qualifications Rampant and snorting h[t
and powder smoke at first, he at IasI
skulked out of hole just large enough loI
a pismire whose offensiveness is unlimited
but contemplate. New Hampshire may
congratulate herself upon his loss, ne
turned tail upon Yankeedom ana Tue
staunch old granite hills that are not pro,
life in towards, and he goes out III pau
odor of buster. froth and absurdlty;
Sprague need not throw up the sponge Iol
1.-THE likes of him."