The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-06-28
The Elam- Beirne Difficulty.
TORS OF TIE RICHMOND WING AND
STATE.

For the past week the whole State has
been excited over an impending duel be-
tween w. G. Elan, editor of the Wing,
and r. f. Beirne, editor of the State The
difficulty was caused by the publication Of
articles in their respective journals.
The articles out of which the difficulty
grew were rs follows:
lFrom the State of Wednesday, June ,29Oth.l
WHO ARE THE . NIGGERS p?
The IVhiq, which is the organ of Boss
Malone and his hail -fellows-well-met from
among negro politicians and white rene
gades Of the same order, is forever accusing
the Democrats of raising the cry of $ mig
ger" That the Democrats have never
done, and the Wing knows it
The word ''nigger is very offensive
one alike to respectable whites and re-
spectacle colored men. 1t is used among
low and abusive white men and black men
as the most offensive OF epithets. 1t is
not surprising, therefore, to see the Boss.
through his organ, and others whom he
may allow to speak for him, talking much
about niger" and accusing Democrats
Of using that word which only fits the
mouth of degraded Mahoneite. Nobody
who knows anything of the character of
the two corruptionists who misrepresent
Virginia in the United States Senate,
would ever think of their calling the word
negro anything else than niger" But
the peculiar device of the Boss-his ac-
cusing others of what he does himself in
order to hide his own guilt--was never
more plainly exposed than in his charge
that Democrats call his hypocriticaliy-
named 9 faithful allies "'' niger "a vul-
gar name that might seem to have been
framed by his own mind.
In making this comment upon Boss Ma
hone we wish it to be distinctly understood
by all his corrupt henchmen that what we
say and have said of him we mean and
have meant of them, personally, individ-
| ually, collectively, OF in any other sense
| they may choose to feel. A more vicious,
corrupt and degraded gang never followed
any adventurer than those who hang about
the petty Boss. These fellows it is, who
having never a scruple in promoting mixed
marriages and mixed schools, and in op.
posing honest white men-honest colored
men. we trust-in the strong desire to turn
| aside so dire al evil, accuse their OppO-
| nentS OF using their own offensive word
niger! !"
/ The honest, reputable white people OF
Virginia, against whom the unfortunate
colored man has long been pitted by Rsdi.
cal Administrations and their supple white
tools in this State, have never befouled
their lips with the word ''nigger,' SC
characteristic in it's vulgar expression of
the Mahoneites themselves. That word
however, might still serve another purpose
than that OF opprobrium to the negro OF
c0lored man. For long time petty Boss
Malone has striven through his organ to
| find.a name for himself and his followers.
Liberal :" and Administration 4" have
been tried without success. Let the Ma
honeites seize at once their favorite and
characteristic name" Niger"
| From the Wing of Thursday June 2Istl
| a FEW NECESSARY REMARKS.
The Wing, which is the organ of Boss Malone
| and his -fellows-well-metf from among negro
politicians and white renegades of the same
| order, is forever accusing the Democrats OF
raising the cry of ''nigger." That the Democrats
| have never done, and the Wing knows it State
We have never accused the Democrats
Of saying anything of the kind, and the
State knows it. We have repeatedly &C
cused, and do now accuse, the Bourbons
niger !" and we say that they are now
using that cry with all their might-the
State itself, while affecting to repel the
charge, demonstrating it's own completely
in it by the following:
"That word, however, might still serve an
| other purpose than that of opprobrium to the
| negro or colored man. For u long time petty
Boss Malone has Striven through his organ to
| find name for himself and his followers.
| Liberal and administration have been tried
without success. Let the Mahoneites seize at
| once their favorite and characteristic name
| Niger"
We have indicated the offensive pro-
nunciati0n Of the word rather than it's
| spelling in using ''nigger'' instead of s'ne-
gro''-the latter, as the State knows, being
| the form we invariably use in our own
references to the colored man; and every
| body knows that that pronunciation OF the
word generally with some adjective still
| more harsh preliXed) is the one employed
usually by the Bourbon Funders. not so
| much in denunciation of the colored peo-
| pie as of the Readjusters, the latter being
the principal purpose of its use ever since
the conflict began, in 1879.
| But the State further says:
In making this comment upon Boss Malone,
we wish 1T to be distinctly understood by all his
| corrupt henchmen that what we say and have
said OF him, we mean and have meant of them,
personally, individually, collectively, or in any
other sense they may choose to feel. more
vicious, corrupt and degraded gang never fol-
| lowed any adventurer than those who hang
about the petty boss These fellows it is who
| having never q scruple in promoting mixed
marriages and mixed schools, and in opposing
| honest white men-honest colored men, we
trust.in the strong desire to turn aside so dire
| :t1 evil accuse Une1r opponents OF using their
| own offensive word, 'nigger!'"
Now, We might be content with simply
giving the lie to all this, as we do general
| ly. for the Readjuster party, and specially
| in so far as its charges are meant to apply
to the Wing, OF anybody connected with
the Wing in a responsible way; but we
| wish further to say that the whole article
| from which we make these extracts is a
| tissue of general denunciation which would
| humiliate us if it were not accompanied
| by lofty pretensions of superiority in man.
| nerS, morals, and letters that are laughably
| ridiculous coming from source so pitiable
| in all moral and intellectual resources: and
we wish further to say that this denuncia-
| ton is made with an air of such utter
ferocity that it might alarm us but for our
recollection OF the fact that the hero (the
Bombastes Furioso) of the State has the
| singular reputation of having illustrated
his untamed valor only by going upon the
| field-tcitllOat caps! while, on the other
hand, the humble parsonage who now, on
| this occasion, has the honor to represent
the Wing, its editorial corps, and the Re-
adjuster party, is at least reported to have
been SO rash, once upon time, as not to
have forgotten the caps-falling before a
shot which he met i'll full face.
Consequently-un and not ut
terly crushed-We laugh at the States vi
tuperation and Vaporing, and beg to re-
mark that not only does the St1te lie, but
its editor and owner" lies, and the poor
| creature who may have actually written
the article in question also lies-all, Jointly
and severally - deliberately, knowingly.
mallciously, and with the inevitable cow
ardice that is always yoked with insolent
bravado.
THE CHALLENGE.
Thursday morning, sitting at his break
fast table at his home, i'll Ashland, Mr..
Beirne saw the Whig.
1t was big day at Randolph Macon Col
lege, and he had several visitors in his
house. From these he excused himself as
quick as possible. and left Ashland.
AS soon as he could find safe retreat,
he communicated with friends and sent a
challenge.
MI. ELAN had anticipated the message,
and also the probability that the police
would, upon seeing his article, seek to pre-
vent meeting, and he had therefore
abandoned his office, but left gentleman
to receive all letters for him.
The challenge was expected. and was
promptly accepted.
THE CARTEL.
Two friends representing each side, met
Thursday. at 2. M, and after dis
cussion and such deliberation as the occa-
sion allowed, agreed to the following car
tel:
Weapons: Colts navy revolvers (six
barrelS).
Distance: Eight PAGES.