The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-05-31
THE FIELD OF BLOOD.
Political and Editorial Dueis-some Ceie-
brated Meetings of -Beilum Days.


ATLANTA Cor. Philadelphia Times.l
It may be safely said that eight duels
out of ten are caused by political diff
ferences or by insults given in tho heat
Of debate. AS matter of course the
provocation is often trivial. Curran
once challenged the Attorney General
because he said, in debate, that " Ire
land was nation easily aroused and
easily appeased." The duel that they
fought was remarkable because OF its
terms. 1t was provided that the parties
should fire when they pleased. Cur
ran, after taking direct aim, blazed
away. His opponent, however, raised
his pistol deliberately and took dead
aim. Being apparently dissatisfied, he
lowered, rubbed his eyes, and tried it
again. "Did you ever zee such malig-
nifty ?" called Curran to his second, as
his opponent adjusted his pistol for a
third aim. The Attorney General, I'M
used to the pistol, could not get it right,
and was still endeavoring to "draw a
bead" when Curran burst into laugh.
This laugh saved him. The Attorney
General, thrown of his guard, fred at
once and missed him. You cannot re-
proach yourself for missing me" said
Curran you certainly did the best you
could"
Duels are often fought for the pur-
pose of getting political adversary out
of the way, or of settling up some old
political feud. The famous fight be-
tween Mason and McCarty, of Virginia,
in case in point. A feud had long ex-
listed between these men. They were
cousins. Mason was a United States
Senator. He was anxious to fight Nc
Carly, and resigned his position as Sen
ator that he might challenge him. He
wrote:
"MY DEAR SIR: I have resigned my
commission for the sole and special pur
pose of being at liberty to fight you
duel. I have effected such arrange
ment of my fairs as duty to my family
required, and 1 am now anxious to set
tie the quarrel between us, once and for
ever"
He instructed his friends in regard to
McCarty:
"Agree to any terms and any distance
he may propose; to three feet, his pre-
tended favorite distance, or to three
inches, should his rash and impetuous
courage prefer it. To any species of
firearms, pistols, muskets, or rifles,
agree at once.
McCarty accepted the challenge. He
wrote 81 will fight your friend to-
morrow evening at o'clock. AS to the
weapons, beg to suggest muskets,
loaded with buck-shot, at a distance of
ten feet" These murderous terms of
,~w0I,,naI fatal
Mason fell at the first fire, dead. Nc
Carly was wounded in the left arm. 1t
is fact that may as well be noted here
that the man who provokes duel is al
most always the sufferer. 1t appears
that there is sort of justice even in
these "impious appeals to Heaven.
The mutual explanation of it all may be
found in the fact that the hate or re-
venge which impels man to provoke
and insist upon a duel disturbs his
nerves and renders him unfit for the
cool work before him. On the other
hand, the challenged party, conscious
that he fights In self-defense, and with
out any turbulent emotions, is tranquil
and collected. This, or something else,
overbalances the presumption that the
provoking party is often practiced shot,
while the reverse is true OF his opponent.
A hasty resume of the affairs noted in
these sketches will show that the result
of hostile meeting is in most cases
different from what is expected.
BULLET THROUGH THE HEART.
A corroborative instance of this state
ment is furnished in the meeting be-
tween Conway and Crittenden, in Ar
kansas. These gentlemen were political
opponents of long standing. They were
engaged in canvass of the State during
a very heated campaign. BY sort of
mutual consent they kept apart during
the first of the struggle. While one
was in the North of the State, the other
would stump the South. AT last. how
ever, the people insisted that they should
4" stump" the circuit in company. They
met for the first time at Little Rock. 1t
was an intensely exciting occasion. Men
had ridden hundreds of miles to hear
the debate. There being no house large
enough to hold the people the crowd was
adjourned to an open field, where
stand was erected. Crittenden was
gentle, soft-spoken man, but thoroughly
brave. A contemporary says of him:
"He had inherited the noblest of human
forms, with fair hair, blue eyes, and a
lofty countenance, frank and open, and
wearing the seal of death -defying BRAY
cry" Conway was imperious and king
ly in his manner, brooking no opposi-
ton, and as brave as lion. At the
opening of the debate, Crittenden, as if
half dreading the fatal Issue, closed his
speech with hoping "that no gentleman
would utter words in the heat of debate
toward him such as could not be toler-
ated by the code of honor" Conway
took this as covert threat, and, bound
ing to his feet, poured fearful invective
upon Crittenden, who had takan his seat.
Crittenden waited calmly until the storm
had subsidized. and then, without chang
ing color, arose and said: Your lam
puage. Gen. Conway, admits of but one
answer; and that you may be sure you
will receive right speedily" The debate
was continued to its close, Crittenden
preserving his equanimity. During the
afternoon he challenged Conway, and a
meeting was arranged for next morning.
A vast crowd assembled to see that
fobt The difference between the two
men was marked. Several points of
difference arose between the seconds,
,a1 t,,o a&kl.,.