Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-06-17
AN OLD TINE DUEL.

HhooNtNh HHnGEnL tNOUNNOn--
Hot Times Among the Politicians
Fifty Years ago.
Mr.. G. II. White, who lives near
Pulaski, in this State, permits the
Nashville American to make the
following extract from letter
written by his father, General Will
liam White, giving an account of
his celebrated duel with General
Sam Houston, in 1926.
{" AT HOME, TENNESSEE, 21st
December, 1S2G.-My Dear Friend
Before your letter reached me, |
had addressed one to my dear old
mother, in order to dissipate the
apprehension of my friends and pre-.
vent the indulgence of those mel
ancholy iorebodings which the
newspaper accounts in relation to
my difference and combat with
General Houston would authorize.
AS it is not certain that you have
seen letter which | addressed to
the doctor on the subject, and as my
friends in your quarter may feel
anxious to know all the particulars,
l will proceed to give them to you
as much in detail as | can.
A vacancy having occurred in
the office OF postmaster at Nash
vile, last winter, several candidates
presented themselves for it, and
among the rest a Mr.. Erwin who
was lawyer, newspaper editor, etc,
and did not favor the pretensions
of General Jackson for the Presi-
dency. General jackson, with a
host Of adherents, and l among
others, recommended Mr.. Currey.
But Erwin, who was equally quail
fed, who was also well recommend
ed, and whose brother married Mr..
Clay's daughter, finally received the
appointment. General Houston,
who was in congress, not content
with making all the opposition he
could properly, seeing that Erwin
was to be appointed, assailed his
private character, charging him
with the "want Of integrity" etc.
Long before Houston returned from
Washington he had been notified
that Erwin would demand satisfac-
ton on his return to Tennessee,
whereupon he began to practice
shooting with pistols, and no one
ever supposed that he would refuse
to meet Erwin, if called out. On
account of Erwin being opposed to
General Jackson, it became some.
what difficult (although Erwin is a
man of good standing) for him to
procure a friend to carry his chal-
ienge. / was applied to first, but
not feeling any hostility toward
Houston, / declined doing So.
About that time Colonel Smith,
an old officer of the army who had
slain seven men in single combat,
arrived in Nashville. He presented
a challenge from Erwin to Hous-
ton. No direct answer was given
to Colonel Smith, but it was init
mated to him that, as he did not re,
side in the State, he was not a pro-
per person to be the bearer of such a
paper, and thatno reply would be
made to it through him. Happened
to be in Nashville on that day, and
having been previously acquainted
with Colonel Smith, he desired me
TO 90 and SEQ him tender the paper
to General Houston again Hous-
ton said he would not open the
paper, nor should he receive it, and
threw it on the pavement where he
was standing. Fearing that, from
The warmth manifested on both
sit,es, a combat might result from
a Continuance of the conversation,
| remarked: "Colonel Smith, you
have rendered him the paper, and
that is sufficient, | suppose; let Us
walk" Houston then addressed
me as follows: General White,
vii, receive one from you, with
pleasure" ! retorted in about th,
same terms, and this was followed
by a warm alteration between us
in which | left HIN nothing to boast
Of Erwin then ao|ertised Hous
ton as coward and camimniator.
Houston, in the next paper, pe-
nounoed Erwin as a rogue, and pro"
cured q certificate from Erwin's
rival candidates to prove that he
had taken u newspaper belonging
toanother person before Erwin be-
came postmaster 10 this publica
tion Houston attached the certif-
Gates of two persons, in which the
alteration betwixt him and myself
was very much misrepresented,
thereby placing himself in de-
lenslye, and me in an offensive, at.
titude. Houston, who was some
what popular, hoped, in this man
ner, to escape public censure him
self and at my expense, and that.
too, without subjectiug himself