Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-31
TRUE STATEMENT.
The Facts ia Relation to the Proposed Duel
between Mr.. L. @ Washington
and Col. Hutehins.
,om the baltimore Gazette.1

From the Baltimore Gazette.1
WASHINGTON, May 26, 1870.-There
have been so many misstatements of
the late difficulty between Mr.. L. @.
Washington and Col. Benz. T. Hutch
ms, that L deem it proper briefly to
state the actual facts. The quarrel be-
gan by Col. Hutchins undertaking to
speak to Mr.. Washington, with whom
he had no acquaintance, and urging
the Acknowledgement and military en-
sIavement of the Southern people,
Mr.. Washington answered by saying
that if he had his way she would
hang him; that he did not know him,
and did not want to know him."
Hutchins seemed. DESTROYS to handy
words further, but as the affair occur
red in the Senate gallery Mr.. Wash
ington declined further conversation,
feeling also that he had said enough
To indicate his own position. Col.
Hutchins, a few moments after, laid
a pencil note upon Mr.. Washington's
table, informing him that he should
hear from him, and the next day adj
dressed a note requesting an explana-
ton of the remarks which, with
out specifying, he described gen
orally as personal" Mr.. WASH
ingtOn answered him, stating that he
did not recognize the right OF any one,
especially a stranger, to address re-
marks to him which necessarily re-
hected upon himself and the Southern
people, and that when Col. Hutehins
expressed regret for his own offensive
aggression his request for an "eXpia-
nation satisfactory to both" would
have a better basis than it then had.
At this stage of the business, Mr..
John +. Coyle, Wild bad been applied
to to act as a friend-ef Col. Hutchins,
but declined to act in that capacity,
undertook the office of mediator, and
saw Col. Wintersmith, a friend of Mr..
WashingtOn's, for this purpose. These
efforts failed, and Mr.. COyle then de
clined any further connection with
the affair. On Sunday last Colonel
Hutchins wrote a note, dated Mon
day, at Alexandria, Va, in which he
asked for a hostile meeting, but did
not name any friend as authorized, in
his behalf, to make arrangements for
the duel, Or give his own address;
but, on the contrary, stated in his
note that he had no friend by whom
to send his communication, and
therefore left it himself upon Mr..
Washington's table, in his alb
sence. Mr.. Washington handed this
paper to his friends, General A. G.
Jones and Mr.. j. ]. Bright, who are
acting for him, for such proceedings as
were proper under the circumstances.
These gentlemen were of opinion that
Colonel Hutchins' note required no
notice until he should name some
friend as authorized to make the nec
essary arrangements for the duel, and
that until he did 50 Mr.. Washington
could take no further step in the prem
Res. It will be seen, from this simple
statement, that the affair halted from
the fact that Colonel Hutchins sent no
friend to Mr.. Washington with his
challenge, and in his own note indi-
coted that he did not have any. Mr..
Washington had at his command the
services of gentlemen of proved cour-
age and honor, and has quietly wait
ed the action of his antagonist. The
statements that there was any discus
sion about, or allusion to Morton's
speech, or any profane language on
Mr.. Washington's part, or any diff
Guilty on his part in obtaining the SER
vices of seconds, are all unfounded.
Some days ago Mr.. Hutchins seems
to have ceased his eXerti0ns to procure
a second, and has furnished his ac-
count of. the quarrel to the Herald and
perhaps other papers.