The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-12
The Tennessee Sensation.

| The newspaper publications relative to
l tho Fleming-Phelan matter Indicate that
the public doesn't care anything about the
merits Of the personal controversy between
those gentlemen. IL takes some interest,
however, in the fact that Congressman
Phelan mas invited Col Fleming to settle
their differences in accordance with a code
that has ceased to command the approval
of the maj 1rity OF the people in Tennessee,
the state in which tle two gentlemen re-
side, and of every other state ia the unioa.
Mr.. Phelan. who is the editor of the Mem
phis Aualdncie, and als0 a msmber of con
gress. will, in all probability, remain in
Washington and attend to his congressio nal
duties, and Col Fleming, without fear of
molestation, will 60 on editing his papsr,
the Sentinel, in Knoxville.
1t seems somewhat remarkable that peo-
pie will rush into print with their purely
personal matters when they know that peo-
pie viii not bother themselves to find out
which is IN the right, but will take an inter
est in the trouble just to the extent that it
promises TO furnish sensational incidents.
1t may be that Congressman Phelan was
unjus ly treated by Col. Fleming, but in
view OF the fact that he is only 81 years OF
age. while Col Fleming is 20. public sen,i-
ment would Condemn him if he were to re-
sort to personal violence for the purpose of
getting satisfaction.
OF course, the phase which the quarrel
had assumed when it got into thu public
prints precluded the possibility of hostile
meeting under the code, because neither
Congressman Pnelan nor Col. Fleming APP
pears to have pursued course of conduct
that would have permitted such meating.
The trouble between Col. Fleming and
Congressman Phelap. as has been stated in
our dispatches, grew out of the formers
criticism OF the latter's school-book history
of Tennessee. Col. Fleming insisted that the
history was not a meritorious work. aud
Congressman Pnelan wanted him to point
out its defects II thsy should meet with
shotguns or pistols in their hands, or shou Id
engage in street brawl, ths settlement of the
question whether or not the school history
possessed merit would not be advanced in
the least. If each is seeking the approval
of public sentiment would it not be- wiser
for them to submit their diffare ices to
committee of unbiased gentlemen. The
finding of the committee would do more to
direct public sentiment in the matter than
any act of violence could. The public
would certainly condemn the one who had
wilfully sought to do the other an injury,
and if it should appear that there had been
misunderstanding, and that neither had
been controlled by mean and malicious mo-
tives, both the principals would b, glad that
no violence had been committed
The fac. is mentioned that brother of
Congressman Phelan had an affair with an
Italian, and that the latter was wounde |.
1t is probable that there is no doubt in
Memphis or anywhere else that the Pnelans
are men of courage. Cultured and cour-
ageous men, particularly those occupying
high public positions, should set the ex-
ample of obsying the laws they help to
make. If those laws ara wise ones they
should show their courage in unfolding
them, even though in some quarters there
was sentiment ia favor of violating them
under certain circumstan ces.