The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-05-19
Alex. H. Stephens Terrible R5nCountdI
with Judge Cone in l843.

Alex, IL, SJtpGelS leIIlDIt heuCuuuooi
with Judge Gone in l843.
During Mr.. Stephens Congressional
service. and pending the campaign Of
1913, he returned from Washington TO
Georgia. He was fresh from the great
debates on the acquisition of California
and New Mexico as United States Ter
ritories, and for having taken, against
the wishes of majority of the South
crn members, Il most prominent part in
opposition to such acquisition, he was
met with much adverse criticism. judge
Cone, who was at the time one of the
leading politicians of Georgia, was par
ticularlv severe in his comments upon
Mr.. Stephens action, and was reported
as having publicly denounced him as
/ traitor to the South.
Hardly had Mr. Stephens reached his
home when these and similar reports
were conveyed to him. At first he did
not credit them, but rs one kind friend
after another informed him that Cone
had called him a traitor, and advised, in
the true Southern spirit, that he owed
it to himself TO demand what is called
satisfaction, the fires of pugnacity in
| his nature, Kissed up. and he declared
that if Judge Cone would admit having
called him Il traitor TO the South he
would ''slap his face. Not long after
this he met the Judge at n numerously
attended Wing gathering, and going up
to him quietly said
Judge Cone, have been told that
YOU, for reasons of your own, have de-
{ ,,,,,n,,I n,, d, t,aitnr n tIn &ntItl
and | take this opportunity of asking
you if such reports are true?'
"No, sir" was Cones reply, they
are not true"
81 am very glad to hear you say so, y
said Mr.. Stephens, cordially, and in the
same friendly tone continued: "Of
course do not desire in any way to be
offensive to you, Judge Cone, but in
order that we may have no further mis-
understanding through the misreprc-
sentation of others, think it right to
tell YOU that have said | would slap
your face if you admitted having used
the language attributed to YOU
Upon this, the Judge again disowncd
! having spoken disrespectfully of Mr..
Stephens, and so for n time the affair
ended. 1t was the subject of discussion
! all over the State, however, and the
general verdict was that Judge Cone, a
very powerful man, by the way, had
shown the white feather to Little Aleck
Stephens In such community no
public man resting upon such Il charge
( could hope either for political prefer
ment or popular respect. Cone, of
course. knew this, and, very much
/ heated and ANNOYED by the comments
which were made upon him, wrote to
Mr.. Stephens demanding an immediate
and public rctraction Of the threat. In
reply, Mr. Stephens wrote that the
threat of slapping the Judges face had
been made contingent upon the truth of
reports regarding which he (Mr Gomez
| had pronounced to be untrue, and that
such being the case, there could be no
cause for oflense or angry feeling on
either side. Unfortunately, this letter
was never received by Judge. Cone.
Three or four days after it was written,
however, he met Mr.. Stephens on
the piazza of an hotel in Atlanta, and,
disregarding that gentleman's friendly
greeting, said in very offensive tone:
MIR Stephens, l demand that you
make an immediate retraction of your
threats regarding me-"
Sick and weak though he was, Alex
ander II. Stephens could allow no one
to speak to him in the fashion de-
scribed Judge Cone was n very giant
in size and muscular development, yet
the frail man whom he addressed, with
aggrayating politencss, and without
hcsitating n moment, replied: Pardon,
me, sir, | have already written You on
that subject; must decline to discuss
il further
"Am | to take this as your answer?'
asked Cone, eXcitedly.
at is the only answer have to give
YOU, was the calm reply.
Then | denounce YOU rs a miserable
little traitor cried Cone, mad with
excitement. The last words had hardly
left his lips. when "A light cane welded
bv the quick hand of the man he had
insultcd left scar across his cheek.
Wild with pain and passion. without
utterng word, he drcwa keen-pointed
dirk knife and made one furious thrust
at his weak little advcrsary's heart. In
stantly rs he did SO, however. Stephens,
seizing stout umbrella which he held
in his left hand, interposed il rs u de-
Tense, and was able for u moment to
hold him at arms length. The knife fell
short of its mark. Once more it was
thrust at Stephens, cutting deep cash
in his arm, but reaching no vital point;