Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-17
lanrastcr ft,tcl[tQencer.
MONDAY EVENING, OCT. II, 1881.
A Mise Decision.


A Wise Decision.
Senator Malone having been insulted
by General Early comes to decision,
that he has "arrived at advisedly and
maturely,'" that the rank of General
Early, which is his sole claim to recog-
milton, does not outweigh the other con-
siderations which forbid such recogni-
tion," and that, therefore, General Early
"may proceed with his falsehoods and
would-be insults, assured of immunity
SO far as 1 am concerned" None will
lie inclined to dispute Senator Mahone's
declaration that this decision has been
maturely reached and it is very wise
decision. We commend it for its good
sense. We are not sure that its manifest
wisdom will obtain much applause for
it in the Virginia community to which
it is addressed, for they do not seem
to hold down there that wisdom
has much to do with the consideration of
a challenge to mortal combat. There is
slim chance for pondering the advis-
ability of a challenge permitted to the
unlucky object of abuse about the only
question he can ask himself, being, "am
insulted by my social peer 2" AsGen.
Malone does not dispute his having
been insulted, and as the position of him
self and Gen. Early, as major-generals
in the Confederate service, would seem
to put them on the levelest sort of
platform with one another, it appears
as though Mahone's mature decision
would be unpopular in Virginia, its clear
wisdom to the contrary nOtwitEstand-
ing. The senator does seem to make
some sort of shadOwy suggestion that
he won't challenge Early because Of his
bad character a; although rs he previous
ly declares that Early's charge would
be neither met nor evaded by recrimina-
tion,'' we may not be justified in sup
posing that he means to intimate any
evil of his antagonist when he says that
g the public of Virginia need no specili-
cation of the facts concerning General
Early on which rely for this action"
The public of Virginia are better posted
than the public of the nation generally
who will be puzzled to determine how
exMajor-General Early is not fit meat
for the pistol of x-Major-General Ma
hone. 70 tell the truth We fear that
General Early bears the better character
of the two !; but it may he because he is
not SO well known. We know him as
the general whom Sheridan whipped, and
as the fellow commissioner of General
Beaulrsard in drawing lottery we have
also heard of him rs an old man with
very sharp tongue. All of which may be
things not to be proud of, but still they
don't unfit him to be shot at by Malone.
Percbance Malone may mean to intimate
that Early is crazy but he don't show it
in mani'esting a low opinion of Malone.
We greatly fear that the senator Will
have to rely upon the indisputable wis
dom of his course for his justification.
1t Was wise because dueling is foolish,
and especially wise because Gen. Early
is All old man of nearly eighty years who
is soon to step out of 4 world in which
he has no particular cause to linger.
Whereas Gen. Malone, with score less
of years marked against him, has the
very nice office of United States senator,
and duties beside as the leader of a party
in Virginia, to wei him to earth. 1t is
man!iestIy L very unequal combat, TO
which Gen. Early would provoke him
and rs both the combatants have we'll
earned regulations as tire-eaterS, and |
hate each other il tensely, it is certain |
conclusion that if they met one or both |
would die before they separated. Ma
hone cannot afford to die therefore
Malone will not give his life into Early s |
keeping; and would lie fool if he did. |
Can it be that Virginia will condemn
him for not being such a fool 1t is most |
likely. They have strange ideas down |
there of what constitutes folly. They \
get angry and call one another evil /
names and shoot and don t hit and shake |
hands. Congressman Wise and State
Senator Riddleberger shot three times at |
each other L day or two ago and then
RMdleberger approached Wise with ex-
tended hand and smiling face and de-
clared that he had always loved Wise as
a brother, or words TO that effect, though
he had challenged him for calling him a
liar and thief, OF something of that
kind and they clasped hands; and are
supposed to have done the very clean
thing no doubt.