Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-04-15
THE CODE &c

The latest Southern ducl ala uoI ma
terialize. This was not. il seems be-
cause of a lack of courage in either one
OF the parties to the quarrel but be-
cause OF am AN around misuuderstand-
ing. The parties. it will be remembered
were Congressman PuELAN and Editor
FLEMING. both of Tennessee.
The facts in the case, in a nutshell,
are these: Editor FLEMING very sharp
ly criticised PHELAN'> History Of Ten
ncssec. PuErAN wrote a card ia reply.
FIE,uNc followed with another card,
and PmIAN wrote am apology for GER
tain statements he had made. Suisse
oucnt proceedings are explained as fol-
lows by Mr.. PHELAN:
1T struck me when l read Colonel Elem
iuc's letter 10 the Memphis paper that he
said one of the two ideas i'm his mind
either that my INSCRIPTIONS pollteness was
founded upon fear of him or that he was
determined to force "a difficulty. lie spoke
of INV apology as having all the outward
seeming of a manly apology lie says
however that read according 20 ITS true
iuwarducss 10 is quite as insulting ana as
honest AS the one FOR which 10 is offered as
an apology He says You must p1rdon
me for saving that / regard this latter note
as but "a crafty device etc j am not So
stupid ., to Doe led by So shallow an artitice
into the acceptance Oi any such ptcJehueu
occurrence.
Thi, made Congressman PHELAN mad
and. as hc thought the editor wanted To
fight. hc decided To give him glorious
opportunity by sending him "a note in
which he designated him as ~ liar,
coward and scouudrcl." stating that
hc would await reply before arrang-
ing prclimiuaric>. Editor FLEMING
published the card with remarks. sarcaS-
Observation-Disclosures. regarding "the code.
Congressman PUELAN now replies in
tine following frank manner. His zee
mark, on duciliug are interesting:
Vow do NOT undertake. 20 defend the SO
called code It's barbarity is still AN issue
between England and the entire continent
of Europe ] frankly confess ] can nnd no
more use for 'the code than for anything
else which leads tO violence on personal M
Jury. But have newer been able 90 see the
moral distinction between doing another an
a malicious mischief forbidden by the laws
of God and Offering an eXpiatiOn forbidden
bv the laws of man. But ! do regard its
laws as purely conventional. and only bind
iue ON those who voluntarily assume them
81 have the highest admiration Tor the
moral courage of man whose whole lie
of iustice 10 others and upright inter
course with his fellOw-men justify himm
regulating "a resort % violence. But when
Reputation of the code is used as shield
to protect one who is anything but just 20
others. and when the overbcariug. the
malicious and dOmineeriug cry out against
ID. naturally imagine that the fear of lu-
nlrv to the person and the impulse of cow
ardicc invest the sO-callcd code with dc
gree of barharity which is convenient, n
not admirable
THAT I acted hastily in sending mes
sage desigucd % Illicit "a challenge to man
who ignores the code ] readily admit But
having been warmed 90 handle him care
fully. / assume that the bullying tome oI
his refusal 90 accept hearty apology was
the result. among other contingencies, OF
Oycrwccuiug personal courage duc tel1a1i
20 accept ms apology ou the part of man
who I supposed 20 bc brave filled me with
inexpressihlc humiliation az which l now
smile. Colonel Fleming. In his answer
saws have made myself ridiculous. This
is true But then didu know Fleming
as know him now. He refers 90 the fact
that Remuneration follows the refusal 10
accept "a challenge did not challenge
him III / had. and he had entered his plea
of contempt for the code. ! should have ac-
cepted his estimate of the code ln the pend
ing issue.
AS for posting him. | think even "A
desire to press this ridiculous affair would
now not have Justified this. He has posted
himself ann ready Co accept the verdict
of those who reject the code that l acted
Inn "a manner that was uuIust.iiable. But,
in view of the abuse To- which ] was sub
iected. and iu view of tine scouiul and
Insulting refusal to accept am mequivocal
aud frank apology. ] think ] can safely
leave &; tO that portion of the world which
is brave. just and generous tu -aN whether
what did was without p0liatlun.
By the way. would not 10 have been
better Tor these gentlemen To- have set
tied their difficulty according 60 the
Wheeling code-bauged away az each
other with blank cartridges until their
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