, 1874-07-19
THE FIELD OF HONOR.
,,oo,11ections Of Killing q la
Code.
4oa nne1s in the United States
and Great Britain.

~" .,,i,zetion has not 1esseped war among
y h,s unquestionably 1essened combat!
eaa'. :,ac;duals. We hear OF an occasiona
sa1.s tha south. OF on the frontiers, andamop1
oas' ~ ~ md silver mines, but gentlemen haT'
lie .,,r e ,Yed it out OF their books. aud lett il
ea.,.xs eFaau ,nd bulles. Nothing has done 81
Sn.b " to bring the practice into disrepnte a. pub
nD$s ssnt;nept. 1t has been fairly laughed out d
~ .l.s;on md it requires very severe provoca.
'. 49, n institv reeor to arms for the adjust
''01 = ,ersona1 differences. In France alone
n1- |.;.,s;ns its influence; but even there many
y Luz I,. Affairs arc good deal less uagical
a. ~. ..r,;cal. It is nevertheless worth recalling
thsa ~ =; the numerous instances in history to
.isz hox many due1s we're fought for the
feos f!os,sst cause. 1t WAS in Washington in 1841
stsb 1t.n The difficulty took place between Henry
TnsA Tnsd ~ William r. Ring, OF Alabama, who was
th. nv vv;ra.presjdent in 1852. and took the oath
ees.ea axe .hs American Consul at Havana, where he
ps:we SHs.a for his health and came home to die
a4u E. su -1ant.tou 1T Cahawba, Ala, April IT.,
oa esa p4' ri Ring, Of Alabama, WAS as courtlv q
s,;,,san 1oss as ever breathed, but be would have
Esanh. Nr. Clay without hesitation If the atfair
io1sn, .oana, heeu compromised. The cause Of the
41 -nr;s P. Blair, editor of the Democratic organ
- Washington. the Globe. which Cot King re-
ss,+ad C1sy hated Blair bitterly at the time.
T.sr xere both kentuckians, and Blair was the
friend Of Jackson, ana, OF course, tue censor OF
clss. The only snfFlsor Oh tne uspute oet"eeh
Eng and C1av is the cause eau OF II, ar. hlal5, no"
l71ng IN Washington Ivy, IL nouo1ea o'a age
grounded bE an lntenlgent and al1ecslohate
fs.!l!. HIS recoNect'ons Vi .nv sAchson era. ana
Ct The old party years, ara stu1 1sesn, anu Ho1n~
H. naxse6 him more than to recall them in COZ
~srssron With his friends.
Twas also IN washington. and Cle1k OF the
House Of Representatives,, when tue challenge
PISSED between John Y. Brecklntldse. OF hen
t7ci., and Francis g. Cutting, OF New York, IN
ecassquepce OF angry words IN debate, Narch
~. 1854, and shared in the solicitude Of their
friends for = peaceful settlement They we're
Ezh-strupg pair, the Northman not whi. be-
lid the Southron, and sectional pride made
ttsn obstinate. Tney were wei matched. Cut
sg, like Breckenridge. WAS splendid speaker,
I'D o1s Of the first lawyers Of the New York bar,
taso Of society, culture, and wealth; AID the
Esntuckiau came of . gallant; and elfted race.
ttnew them well, and remember as Of yester-
lsy how glad We all we're when the sensible
trim we're reconclled on the 9lst of March. Mr.
Getting has been dead several years. Mr.. Breck-
nacse is living At Lexington, KY, IN his 54th
,.s,
Jobn F. Potter, OF Wisconsin. and Roger 4
r!or, Of Virginia, both members Of the House,
Qsit sE1t AEAl AGAtAdS A4 -Aei4A ~ AoOOa AaA
j:a been reelected Clerk OF the House by the
ii-.i-4layery Democrats aud Republicans, The
r-eonscious cause OF this fracas was Owen
lo7eiov, Of Illinois (he died March 25. 1861,
sieso brother Was killed at Alton in that State,
IaF1bllshing Ill anti-slayory paper. His terri
!: speech on the 5th Of April, 1860, was one
Il tie most thrilling appeals ever heard in Con-
f-s:s. It WAS toe outbu1st Of heart agoniZed
ly yundying grief over a brothers assassination.
1lere had been equal violence on the part OF the
sor,h beforehand, and Loveioy's speech was the
orershelming response. Out Of lis wonderful
dsnunciation grew the angry discussion batween
pryc. and Potter, and challenge from the one
accepted by the other. Potter, being the chal-
lenged party, chose bowie-knives as the
weapons, to which the other side objected. In
the Press Of April Is, 1860, I commented On
this affair in IN Il Occasional" as follows:
"The dlscusslon in reference to the Pryor and
Potter dhcaty is kept up in ali circles with un-
common animation. The gteat question Of the |
hour is whether the bowie-knife ls auy more I
vulgar nnchsistiau, or savage than the
pistol, the double-barrnled gun, the small sword,
a the rsper. The friends Of Potter are multi
plying data and strengthening themselves by
;o!nS bsck to the code Of houor in the days Of
:al'alry. and coming down TO the present era-
faey ailese that the battle-a1 WAS tho fayorite
Eeapon IN the tournaments OF old, and Was
l:eo oy tue bravest and most polished Knights
"a 49, AAAGeAo @bC9' AAc3 coAtSAo tA1tL LIZ
nsu-s"oEd exercise continues to be used in
rance aud the broad d-sword in Germany, and
" the p1elimirarles OF these contests are duly
~ caretaliy arranged They argue further
LII ne bo"1e-knlte, being Southern produc-
lon, nus been for long years regarded as an 1in-
soSenens upon Ill that It IL used by Southern
and that to this Gay the Arkansas
%':nplck 10 regarded as au important part OF
- Domestic economy OF many Of the most ar
sa1 Ao'ocates OF the SoutneIn cooe OF honof.
aoo9 arge number OF southefn men THIS
IN u ine po"ae~ knl1e Ii nea1I1ly sustained
=, sEas = tne use OF names, ou1 nave neafo sew
~ ulsanso1sheo anthorlues quoted III PROOF OF
had B1oae1ick accepted the knife in place Of
: = Es'ot he would have haa an even chance Tor
.n pot, oSlne opposeu p5 gu e1pe!.' W
XIV * .ao 10 use toi. bakeTs language IN MS e'o-
y ssas ea3ogs' nhoerssooa tho 1rtcs OF tue pls-
- 49,, suo pe1ae himself no'1ce u me use OF tue
-.:s s.:oa ne went 10 tuo ue'a rs no ie1s Inc At
r1S oa;d taotes. N pIo,ounaly eonFmeea thae ne
$500 saa 70 eompeneu TO ,le!o up MS Me 1oE hls
h. ts.g" sans me "hole cooe, as IL 1s npneld ~
ot a bssn ~ ~ patoa,ous .a ~ plne.lc ano nave
h.. hnT,n;4 sve " ata" t1e us.ncuon pesMeen
5jntea scd ns.,. nn..u nsuoe ;. uuuan sou uuan
knd ,f,t o4sae l % AIo SIe,uts ~ ooues,
an ondin,rs S; y a'em "n'M III ues1lo5s Me Will
c,;ons ~ ! oon'e-hntle: 4ne ploooest ttans-
rtipc from $780,. ano ~ lJceu. ~ aae, s9mg %
.elr nra.rsorad eaoa7n 4uaifst ano s9Iue aenper-
onibar1 c.sasa nave lAhen pace IN the I
Isasanta ~ nait S.. 1ne terrible due1 ne'"een
ssrs sco 49, 49, asssme, nea1 1acnmono, not many
I'd H. e1e.t @I ~ 11osnt WIN plstos anu gMofds
rair wa fan.,. ~asA Acoa1,s uue', also tng1nla
have hesrJ : uPon paels u tIls enaiacteI.
,;-n, -. ~ etateu tnat 1oImal due1 Will |