The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-04-30
Not a Challenge.

The quarrel between Assistant
Secretary Porter and ex-Congress-
man Whitthorne is matter of much
discussion in Washington as well
as in Tennessee. Sundays New
York World had a column inter
view with Gen. Whitthorne in
which he denies that the "test"
mentioned in his special to the
American was a challenge. OF
Gov. Porter's letter to the Ava
lanche, he says:
sI carefully read it, and carefully
studied the motives and purposes OF the
extraordinary letter. l knew that Por-
ter had acquired the cheap reputation
of the bully in the contest with HOr-
ace Maynard and Dorsey B. Thomas, in
his canvasses for governor. saw that
Porter had, with malicious cunning,
written it so that if not resented it
would place me in false position and
add to his reputation as bully, but
that if it met with proper resentment
he had, with prudent caution, pre-
pared his works, behind which he
could retreat in safety. No gentle
man can read this card without taking
of the NAH, as well as the character
he would aspire to. L thereupon
promptly, and, as l believe, in duty to
myself, if not to others, determined to
ask him to designate time and place
when and where we could discuss and
reach a satisfactory explanation In re-
gard thereto"
The Unions Washington CORES
pendent continues his report of the
interview as follows:
Gen. Whitthorne then recounts the
return to Gen. Gordon of his note to
Gov. Porter, and his hitthorne's)
letter to the American, claiming to
have applied the test. He then pro-
ceeds: "My purpose in sending a mes
sage of any character to Gen. Porter
was to give him an opportunity of ex-
PLANTATION, or ifhe would not explain,
then for him to designate his willing
ness to allow me to seek in the manner
| saw proper any redress to which
felt myself entitled. Indeed, felt at
the time that if l had mistaken the role
that he was attempting to play, and if
he had the proper pride, he would
have suggested, Let US meet in some
Quiet room. | sought no friend, and
Contemplated no friend to be present
at the meeting, which 1 sought with
Porter alone. Possibly l shall feel it
20 be proper to make a fuller explana-
| ton to the people of Tennessee, where
we are both well known, and whose
confidence hitherto in life, am proud
to believe, have, to a very flatterin Q
extent possessed. Then 1 regarded
the whole matter, and do now, as an en-
tirely personal one between Porter and
| myself"
''Was there really anything in your
| article in the Post, in fact or language
calling for such letter as Porter's p
"No. You will observe that in his
! letter he does not take issue with any
facts stated, or complain OF any Ian
guage."
"What possible reason could there be
for such letter ?"
'tThe only reason that 1 can see is
that the facts, and gave them as they
are, demonstrated that the difference in
principle between the regular democ-
racy and himself is the difference be-
tween tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee."
Gen. Porter is reported to have
have had 'tnothing to furnish for
publication when SEEN" If both Of
these gentlemen had been in his
frame of mind constantly for the
last month they might have settled
their differences and the papers
would have been deprived of much
sensational reading matter, and
those desiring to hear of war and
rumors of war would have been
confined to the reading of the cable
reports o. the Afghanlstan troubles.