Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-01-10
AN AFFAIRE D'HONNEUR.
Prospective Duel between Don Piatt
and Count COrti, the Italian
Minister.

Special to the -. Louis Republican.
WASHINGTON, January "a sensa-
ton in the shape Of an affair of honor
is on the taps, and is expected to trans
piTe directly. The cause Of the threat
ened difficulty is an article published in
the Sunday Capital of this city, yester-
day, and the parties to it are Count
COrti, the Italian Minister, and Colonel
Don Piatt, editor and proprietor of the
newspaper mentioned. This paper was
quite cutting in it, irOnical allusiOns to
members Of the Diplomatic Corps gen.
orally, and particularly so toward the
Italian Minister. The offensive article
Is as follows: "Count Corti-speaking
OF the learned, not Govt, but the Diplo-
matte Corps, we may as well give an
item Of news that has been
Of considerable interest to the
fashionable and political world
Of Washington. Word got out that
the Count was about to be recalled, and
no language can tell the CONSERVATION
that spread through all circles at the
news. What the devil one can do with
out his Count COrti cannot be answered.
He's such a winning, handsome little
fellow that all the bellies are in despair,
while Secretary Fish sends for C. rti
every fifteen minutes 10 advise with
him on the knotted questions of inter
national law. When the complicated
matters Of the Alabama were agitating
the giant intellect Of Fish he would look
around at intervals and say, Where is
nay COrti? Aud finding him, would
say with great earnestness, q feel so
safe On the contrary, when the Rus
sian Minister, who secretly opposed the
negotiations, saw COrti coming down
the street, he would say, Here's
hell, and Immediately call for all the
works on international law and xix bot
ties OF brandy. There are only few
instances illustrative Of the Count Cor
tits influence in Washington. They are
rough. The way this thing got out was,
we learn, through Assistant Secretary Of
State Hunter, or somebody else. 1t seems
that there are certain Italians, very
nice people, but not diplomats, who
object strenuously to Count Corti. They
say in the firstplace that ne is a monk,
and in the second place that be is as
ugly as Satan; in the third place that
he has no sense, and in the fourth place
that be is not nice. Now we hold
these TO be vile ISLANDERS. as We said in
the beginning of our article, put the
count mas saved Us the tfoNDie aDg cOn-
tradicting all and singular the above
allegations, except the one charging
him with being a monk. We under
stand that he admires being a monk
and wants 10 know what of that, so you
don't put the 'ey' to IT, All this we
understand has been discussed in the
Italian papers, and the conclusion al
home is generally that all of the Count
Corti that is not Apollo Belvidere i
Talleyrand, 50 that he is precisely the
sort Of man to represent sunny
Italy in fog-mystical America
SO that the Count will moi
be recalled, ana we are glad of 1t; for il
the Count were recalled we don't know
what in the Old Scratch would become
of u.s." Yesterday and to-day the Count
eXcitedly discussed the contents of the
aFtiele, and this evening relieved his
wrath somewhat by dashing Off chal.
lenge 10 mortal combat, which was
handed TO a friend for delivery 10 Colo
mel Piatt; but up TO midnight il had not
been received by the latter. The Count.
friends say he is fighting man and al
excellent duellist. Colonel Piatt is alsC
pugnacious person, and should the
challenge be delivered il will certainly
be accepted.