Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-02-26

nication from Maj. Wicks. he requests
me to deliver it to you and telegraph him
that you had got it. 1 don't know what
its contents are" Thereupon he walked
quickly away. 1 Immediately opened the
envelope and found the following signifi-
cant communication
SAVINGS BANK or MEMPHIS,
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Feb. 10, 1878. !
| lIDt. Rulc, Esq, KnorUWe, Tenn!
SIR will be at the hotel opposite the
Depot at Dalton, Ga, at 10 o'clock, a. m,
on Wednesday, 10Th inst, when and
order that / may discuss with you the
matter about which we have heretofore
correspondent Respectfully,
NJ. J. WICKs.
The above was forwarded by messenger
to you at Knoxville; learning that you
J were in Nashville, have requested a friend
to hand you sealed envelope, without his
having any knowledge of contents.
Memphis, Feb 10, '73.
Yesterday addressed to Maj. Wicks
the following reply to the above commu-
nication and have mailed the,same to him
at Memphis:
KNOXVILLE, Feb. is, 1878.
SIR-Iou ask me to meet you at Dalton,
Georgia, on the 10Th inst, to "dscuss the
business about which we have heretofore
correspondent have 40 business to call
me to Dalton on that day and decline your
! invitation. My refusal to answer your
communications as above should have
satisfied you that, 50 far as was concern
ed, the time to "discuss" the matter
further, had passed.
| am not familiar with the so-called
'code of honor" but L suppose your COM
munication means and was intended to
lead to challenge to me to fight a duel
With such an affair refuse to have any
connection. l recognize no heathenish,
so.called 'code of honor" l am opposed
to duelng for the reason that it is contrary
to the spirit of the enlightened age in
which we live. l am opposed to it because
1t is contrary tothe laws Ofmy country, the
law of Humanity, and the laws of God. You
might take my life or might take yours,
and yet not a single feature of the publica-
ton complained of would be changed by
the result. If that publication were ia Sc it
would be false still. fit were true it would
remain true. Hence nothing can be gain
ed by either of us losing our lives in the
manner proposed.
My friends who have been approached
on this subject by your friends have uni
formly expressed it as their opinion that I
would not fight you in this way. l have
good reason to believe that you knew this
fact before you sent your challenge.
Since the publication was made. have
made inquiry as to the truth of the facts
contained therein. My Investigations have
confirmed me in the belief that the state
ments made are true. Hence / can not
make retraction. 1t is legitimately a
part of my duty as a journalist to make
public all such information, if fairly OBJ
tanned and given. I published the news af-
fecting you just as do every day news af-
fecting other officials or business men to
whom are confided important trusts in the
faithful discharge of which the public are
interested.
You may, and perhaps will, "post' me
as coward, because I refuse to murder
you or give you an opportunity to murder
me. For that l have the most supreme
contempt. Really, do not know wheth-
or am u coward in the sense you may
choose to apply the term or not. l have
never been tested in the way you propose.
L do not seek a reputation for courage
gained in that way. If you are more
anxious to investigate the matter of cow
ardice than L am, you are at liberty to
make the investigation in your own way
and until you are fully satisfied. I do not
propose to leave the country, but will con-
tinue to pursue my legitimate business,
going wherever and whenever that bust
ness calls me. While l do not recognize
the so-called "code of honor" I aUiSh
you distinctly TO understand that I f,iIly
recognize the right of SELF. defense. do not
court, but on the contrary, avoid personal
difficulties with my fellows, but when at
tackled, shall not hesitate to defend N.Y.
self promptly and efTectually as necessi-
ty may seem to require.
You ask me to fight you duel. And
for what? Because 1 have made state.
ments concerning you, line truth OF which
| can prove and the falsity of which you
do not offer to show. l do not propose to
pander to the barbarous prejudices of de-
PRAYED minds by setting myself up as a
target to give you the opportunity of So
called vindication of your honor. have no
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