The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-22

putattOn as IGlsenOOu, WHICH Ao AOp0AAou
with contempt.
Mr.. Conkling, thereupon, said that II he
understood the member from mississippi
Alright, he charged him with Intentional mis-
statement, and asked: What did the mem
Der from Mississippi say2"
Mr.. Lamar arose, and, addressing the Chair,
twice asked-Mr. Conkling still standing-if
The Senator from New York yielded the tloor2
70 this interrogatory Mr.. Conkling madeno
reply, but, turning bis back on Mr.. Lamar,
INDUCED In cheap bravado of what be might
do elsewhere, and retorted with the low cpl
thets Of blackguard and coward and liar. He
sat down, and Mr.. Lamar paused 9 moment,
and then, amid that profound stiffness which
always attends intense but repressed excite
ment he deliberately rejoined:
II have only to say to the Senator from
New York that he understood me most cor
rectly said precisely the words he under
stood me to say. My language was harsh and
unparliamentary, and beg pardon Oh the Sen
ate for It; but my language was such as no
rood man would deserve and no brave man
would wear"
a An answer, perfect In It's temper, tone and
tact. It was final, absolute, conclusive. The
preparation of lifetime could not improve
on 1t. It has all the Toledo's keen glitter and
elastic swiftness, with the ice-brook's temper.
Mr.. Conkling was silent-of course. The
thrust was through the heart. The only
sound heard was that Of the shell against his
heart, as the deadly blade was driven home.
And MI. Conkling and his friends nasci-
msy socWs-aver that the blow which has
- ALo HaJI ~ 10 d{ch
was avenged, II not parted, by his brutal
billingsgate.
Better and Drawer men than Mr.. Conkling
have borne as bitter insult without retalia-
tion. But they were gentlemen; men OF
charitable lives and gentle manners, with
peaceful thoughts In their hearts, and words
OF peace upon their lips. Not Of such is Mr..
Conkling. He Is q bold, violent, harsh, ag-
gressive man; prone to giving provocation,
imperious and overbearing- seeking quarrel,
not avoidingit. Moreover he prlces himself
On his thews and sinew. He, or his friends In
Id his name, make boast OF his skill with the
pistol. 1t IL notorious that he is
trained athlete, and 1t is rumored
that he is fond Of sparring exhibitions,
and Of displaying his prowess as boxer ct
bachelor dinners. By general consent he is
70 fighting man" When Gordon challenged
him be sought no shelter under the cloak Of
civilization superior to the code.' On the
contrary, he or his friends for him, sought
to impress on the gaping public that "Barkis
was willing" Even now there Is no talk about
his unwillingness on any moral grounds, to
slight duel" Mr.. Conkling, therefore, not
disavowing the CODE must be judged by the
code. What Is the verdict? That Conkling
Is cad!
No gentleman would have spoken Of q
great political party, his superiors ~ num-
Der, influence, as "sneaks and frauds" None
but a man Of low instincts and mean habits OF
thought would have charged upon rival adj
yocating cause Of transcendent Importance
to his people, that he was acting In bad faith.
III he did not lie when he asked what the
member said-implying that he did not hear
or understand him-his duty was to have
waited for Mr.. Lamar's answer. gentle
man. conscious Of his own dignity and moral
worth and desiring peace with all men, Ii pos
sible would have waited for the rejoinder.
How could he have forseen that Mr..
Lamar meant to cllnch the charge OF
falsehood? No! like the bully that he 10, he
turned his back on his man and broke out
into wild TRADE Of abuse, In language such
as only vile men use. From the safe security
OF his place In the Senate, he vapored about
what be would say or do II not restrained by
sense Of that decency which he utterly out
ragged. So Thersites rallied against the great
est of the Greeks until Ulysses cudgeled
him.
But he is not only cad, but o coward. He
has been given the lie and has not resented
It. For the mortal insult thus offered him
there could be but one satisfaction asked or
given. The cold, deliberate, aggravated
repetition OF 1t, left no possible appeal save
that Of arms. "You liew said Lamar, ''When
you charge bad faith upon me-" a7"5=
''What do you say, sir?"
81 say that you lie; that unless you were
a bad man you would not deserve the cpl
tibet, and except you are coward you will
not wear it:' And Mr.. Conkling contents
himself like Horace's bargemen, with tu
Quoque.
He has placed himself forever beyond the
pale Of honor. His passive acceptance OF q
deadly affront renders it impossible that any
gentleman should recognize him hence for
ward. 4 cartel from such q poltroon would
pc rejected with contempt He has eaten his
ieeK az the but Of the halberd, and his strut
ana sWaRger will hereafter provoke only de-
Iision. Win the hulk OF lifeguardsman, he
ias ehe neart 81 cur. He has masuueraded
long enough as the steel-clad knight, he is
only hog-in-armor. II the strong old
saxon phrase, he is nidering. On a. enuaI
Il neid, OF his own choosing, he has tnrnad
ID. without thrust Of lance or stroke ~
~ $500: let hts spurs be hacked from his
S,s and Yet bis glaiye be broken, and, With
~ sa''ela reversed, Yet him be kicked out q