The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-10-24
selftt Stasuy
DAGUERREOTYPE OF THE z
r. a rs STATE T + HOUSE. USE.
THE DUEL.

The Legislature otaArkansas heid
session shortly after the organization of
the State Government. Everything, OF
course, was in d condition of halt cha
otic transition. The ..loaves and fishes,
Of office had not yet been fully divided,
and monopoly was knocking noisily at
the door Of the "public crib" clamorous
to be admitted. Intense was the fury of
partisans within. the House, and as fierce
the excitement raging in the community
without. The members mostly went to
their places armed to the teeth, and, be-.
side the choice weapons worn in their
bosoms or protruding from their pock-
ets,s each kept an ample supply of re-
volving pistols in the writing-desk be-
fore him io There were munitions of war
enough in the hall to have answered the
purposes OF q small army.FE saaseG3
Every evening after adjournment,t there
was a general firing eff and reloading in
order to have their stools" of death in
prime condition for the emergencies of
the morrow. ! was frequently startled
from sleep at the hour Of midnight by
the roar OF. incessant explosions, heard
at different points in the city. Many
legislators also during the day, would be
out practicing to learn the difficult art of
cutting lape.string at ten PAGES, or of
driving the center out of silver quarter
at, twelve. They used as their pistol
gallery atlittle grove of pine trees, i,nme-
diately on the south bank OF the Arkan.
sas River, and not than City yards
from the State House, where every re-
port was fearfully audible, "aud admon.
ished certain Independent members Of
the doom they might expect, pro vided
their votes were not cast in favor of the
banks! The Derringer pistol and the
bowie knife governed. Power resided
in gunpowder, and popularity hovered
around the points Of naked daggers.r n
Among the most agitating measures
calling into exercise the wisdom Of the
western sages, was the institution of the
Real Estate Bank It's establishment
was strongly and steadily, but inefec,u
ally, opposed by slender minority All
the wealthiest men in the State, all the
leading legislators, took shares Of its
capital stock; and John Wilson, Speaker
OF the Lower House, was elected Presi-
dent AS this person was one of the
chief actors in the tragedy soon to be
recorded, brief designation OF his ap.
pearance and character becomes heces-
sary. 'e.ls fH
Every public man in the backwoods
had a so5riquet, bestowed on account OF
some real or fancied popularity by the
whimsical humors of his constituents
Speaker Wilson was called Horse Ears,
from his possessing an accident never
before heard of in the natural history OF
the species. When excited by any vic.
lent emotion his ears worked up and
down flexibly, like those of horse A
man of ordinary looks, nothing in his
features or countenance denoted the des.
perado, save strange, wild, twiuklmg
expression of his infantile gray eyes, al
ways In motion with cold keen chances,
as il watching out for some enemy. HE
had fought half q dozen duels with uni
form success, and had engaged in seve
raj more off.hand ARRAYS in none o1
which he had received even the honor ol
scar. Hence, as may well be suppos
ed, his prowess inspired almost univer
sal fear, and few we're the dead shots tC
be found in Arkansas who would volun
tarily seek quarrel with old "Horst
Ears" As to the rest, he was the owner
of large cotton farm, rich and infuen
tial, honest, liberal, and courteous in hi.
manners; exceedingly amiable in hi.
domestic relations, beloved by his family
and adored by his slaves. Such are Of
ten the Inconsistencies ofhuman nature
which seems utterly incapable of produ
cling unalloyed types of either good o.
evil-angels or devils. = i-a3
During the session, previously speci
fed, there was member Of the lowe
House by the name of Abel Anthony, il
no way remarkable except for his oppo
lsitionlto the banks and his sly, quiet wit
addicted to practical jokes. In the par
lance of frontier technics, be belonged