The bee., 1883-07-14
THE RECENT DUEL IN NIR-
GINA.

Gen. Joseph E. Johnson, of Rich
self to Il correspondent of the Phila-
delphia Press, in relation to the duel
between Mr.. Elam and Mr.. Beirnc.
lie said : am glad, and | have no
doubt the people of Virginia are glad,
the outcome of this duel has been such
as not to make it Il subiect for ridicule
by the press of the country. One of
the participants was wounded. The
affair was not bloodless, as have been
the half dozen duels fought in Nir-
ginia in the last two or three years.
Mr.. Beirne is, | think, Il native of
Greenbriar County, in West Virginia,
but has lived in Richmond ever since
the war, having become the proprietor
of the State at the death of J. Hamp-
den Chamberlayne. Elam is Il native.
| think, of North Carolina. He is not
respected nor highly thought of among
the better classes of people in Viz
ginia. Indeed, there are very few
reputable white people in Mahone's
party.
Malone OWNS the Wing, and he owns
Elam, who edits the Wing. Mr.. Elan
says or writes anything Malone die
tates in the interest of Mahcneism.
The sympathies of the reputable
classes are entirely with Mr.. Beirne.
You know the laws of Virginia are
more severe against dueling than
assassination. They are too severe o
be enforced unless public opinion is in
support of it. Consequently, although
by the statute any one participating in
any way duel is disfranchised, you
see the Legislature passing bills re-
enfranchising every now and then
whole patches of men who have been
disfranchised in this way.
We repeat now, what we said some
time ago, namely, that it is matter of
impossibility for any new political
movement in the South to get foot
hold and have following, unless the
leaders thereof, who throw down the
gauge to the Bourbon Democracy, are
fully prepared to meet insult and
abuse, not with insult and abuse, but
by an invitation to the field Cf honor,
that resort that is looked upon by the
South, as the only legitimate way to
wipe out the the stain of dishonor, and
the stain of dishonor rest upon any
man who allows the word liar to rest
and abide with him. Just across the
river laws the wounded body of Capt.
Elan, the political mouthpieee of the
new political party in Virginia, known
us the Readjuster or Liberal party,
shot down on the field of honor
by the leading political writer of the
organ of the Bourbon Democratic
party. Mr.. Beirne said some things in
relation to General Malone and his
followers. Mr.. Elam resented the
assault in language that was both cut
ting and CALLING, and Mr.. Beirne,
according to the custom of the South,
especially of Virginia, was in duty
bound to demand an apology. This he
knew he would never get, SO he de-
manded that satisfaction that is due
from one gentleman to another. The
code was the only resort, and that was
appealed to. Public opinion in Vir-
ginia demanded just what happened,
blood: and Notwithstanding the fact
that Capt Elam cannot see a man ten
PAGES from him, he was bound to, and
public opinion demanded that he
should fight, even if he did labor under
the disadvantage of standing before a
hale, hearty, healthy, good-slghted j
man, we'll used to the pistol, the gun
and "sight shooting" Mr.. ELAN was
the mouthpiece of political senti-
ment that was but recently born.
Should he fail to father that child noW,
it would soon fade away and die. Had