Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-09-29
from the New Orleans Picayune, Sept IA.
GOVERNOR YARMOUTH CHALLENGED
TO FIGHT a DUEL


For several days East the abao~h;-c
topic of conversation in private and nnI,e9
lie circles has been correspondence of q
hostile character between Mr.. Holm A
Walsh and Governor Yarmouth. AS the
facts i'll the case are of general interest.
and many distorted versions Of the affair
have been given, it is deemed advisable to
state precisely what it is about and the
present attitude Of the parties ia reference
to it.
The cause of offence appears to have
originated In the speech of Governor War
mouth at Turner's Hall. the OH of Au-
gust. In commenting upon the political
hostility of individual Repub,icans to
himself and his administration. he 8 ,Iuded
to the fact that MIR. John A. Walsh had
offered him a brite of $50, COO to sion The
Nicholson Pavement bill; that he lad de
cllned to receive such q consideration, and
stated TO MIR. Walsh that nothing could in
duce him to sign the bill.
| Mr. Walsh, in q published card in refer
! ence TO this charge, admitted the fact that
he had offered the Governor the sum in
question. but that the Executive thought
that his slgDator6 was worth S75, coo and
| Two and nan per cent. Of the capital
stock. He did not charge that the Gov
error had demanded this, but left the in.
ference that he had. This vas reiterated
in the card Pr oished by George W. Car
ter, and subsequently in the letter OF Lieu.
tenant Governor Dunn. Going to the
community under these three successive
Endorsements, Governor Warnouth feI,
called upon to deny If, and did 50, charac.
| terlzln5 the statement and It's inueudo as
point blank false.
1t is this denial-this epitho5 Of falso
| hood, which he employed in reference &c
Mr.. Walsh, for which he is sought to De
held accountable.
Monday morning the porter Of Governor
Yarmouth handed lin % sealed envelope
| containing q com rnunicati0a signed b.
Mr.. Walsh, and conveying hostile mes
sGge.
Ii appears shat AR. Peppe Lula, the
fLiand of Mr.. Wash, had gone to the State
House with the message, and arrived there
| just as the Governor was descending from
his carriage. He spoke to him, saying, 81
wish to see you privately" These words
escaped the attention of the Governor, and
he entered his Office. not aware that Mr..
Lula wished TO see him, and with no idea
of the character Of bis communication
Failing to obtain an interview with the
| Governor, the message was left with the
porter, and subsequently handed to the
Executive. The letter alluded to the point
of veraclty in question, and suggested the
reference Of it to friends, two Of whom
each would select. The Governor in his
reply agreed to this saying that whoever
those friends concluded to be wong, that
party will acknowledge it. But this in
depreciation was different from what MIR.
Walsh designed should be put on bis
meaning. He declined the arbitrament
IN subsequent communication, and avow-
ed his right to that satisfaction usual in
such cases with gentlemen.
The Governor has raplio1 IN thia Loot
message, declining the interview.
His reasons for it consist in the fact that
the Governor Of tho State has no right to
give or receive challenge. That the cir
cnmstances Of this case do not warrant
Mr.. Walsh in sending him one, that in adj
hitting that he offered The Governor a
bribe, he confesses TO a wrongful! act, that
puts himself out of the pale Of that social
position which entities him to the privi-
leges OF the code. He who seeks to vindi-
cate insulted honor must show that honor
withour blemiah, and that the code rec
ognizes the right of no one to assume it's
protection in revenge of defeated crimi-
nal purpose.
In this attitude tho correspondence at
present rests.