The Butler weekly times., 1883-05-30

alexander II. stephens Terrible
R4counter with Judge Cone
IN 1846.

During Mr.. Stephens congress
ional service, and pending the cam
paign OF IS4S, he returned from
Washington to Georgia. He was
fresh from the great debates on the
acquisition of California and New
Mexico as United States territories.
and for having taken, against the
wishes of a majority of the southern
members, a 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 particularly severe in
his comments on MIR. Stephens ac-
ton, and was reported as having
publicly denounced him as traitor
to the South.
Hardly had MIR. Stephens reached
his home when these and similar re-
ports were conveyed to him. AT first
he did not credit them, but as one
kind friend after another informed
him tina: Cone had called him trait
or and advised, in the true southern
spirit, that he owed it 20 himself to
demand what is called satisfaction,
the fires of pugnacity III his nature,
which were always smouldering,
Kissed up. and he declared that II
Judge Cone would admit having
called him traitor to the South he
would ''slap his face" Not long
after this he met the Judge at num-
erously attended Wing gathering,
and going up to him quietly said.
''(udge Cone, l have been told
that you, for reasons of your own,
have denounced me as a traitor to the
South. and / take this opportunity OF
asking you If such reports are true. "
"No, SIR" was Cone sreply, ''they
are not true
81 am very glad to hear you say
So" said Mr.. Stephens, cordially
and in the same friendly tone con-
t,nued: "Of course do not desire
to be in any way offensive to you,
Judge Cone, but in order that we
NAV have no further misunderstand'
! ing through the misrepresentation ol
others, l think it right to tell you thai
| I have said would slap your face il
you admitted having used the Ian
| guage attributed to you."
| Upon this the Judge again disswn
I'd having spoken disrespecttully .
Mr.. Stephens, and SO for this time th'
affair ended. 1t was the subject o
discussion all over the State, how
ever. and the general verdict was tha
Judge Cone, a very powerful man b
the way, had shown the white feathe
to ''Little Aleck Stephens. In sucl
community on public man restln;
under such charge could hope eithe
for political preferment or popula
respect. Cone, OF course, knew thl
and. very much heated and anoye
by the comments which were bein
made upon him. wrote to MIR. Step
hens demanded an immediate an
public retraction of the threat. l
reply Mr.. Stephens wrote that tn
threat OF slapping the judges fac
had been made contingent upon tn
truth of reports regarding which h
(Mr. Cone) had pronounced to b
untrue. and that such being the Cas-
there could be no cause for offens
or angry feeling on either side. u
fortunately this letter was never r
ceived by Judge Cone. Three
four DAYS after 1t was written, hoy
ever. he met MIR. Stephens on Il
piazza of a hotet IN Atlanta, and, dl
regarding the sentlenan's friend
greeting, said in very offensive ton
e "Mr. Stephens, l demand that "
make an immediate retraction
/, your threats regarding me-"
n Sick and weak though he W.
r Alexander H. Stephens could alls