New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-18
THE FIGHTING FE4THERHEI US.

IL II difference i'm climate or difference in So
cial and political conditions that makes this
Hearsey -Boatner affair Of honor'-now de-
clared Off-which so stirred up the whole State
OF Louisiana and perhaps the whole of the Oid
South for several days seem so ridiculous and
nonsensical TO all Northern people! Now that
II has been so solemny declared Off by Major
Hearsey's withdrawal " his mpulsive state
ment that Congressman Boatner was liar.
coward and q scoundrel, and Congressman Boat
ners reciprocal disavowal Of anything that the
newspaper he owned and controlled had ever
said In derogatior Of the Majors moral char
acter, we do not mind saying that If the deadly
business which gentlemen Of the highest char-
acter and social position in Louisiana were so
carefully arranging had been actually consum-
mated and the two statesmen had plunked each
other with guns to their utter extinction. there
would have been no universal mourning ana
probably no general complaint. The two states
men were seeking what they called "satisfac-
ton" The theory upon which they were pro
cooling was that neither one could be really
satisfied" without killing the other. III, tnen'
each had killed tie other both would have been
satisfied Why. then. If both these eminent
men were satisfied" should anybody else
prieve? There would have been two fools less
in the world, and the Lord knows, enough LETT
for all practical purposes
Is II difference Of climate or what that makes
this sort Of thing seem momentous In Louisi-
ana and so ridiculous in New-York? Had Major
Hearsey been resident Of this city ana IN
public print called political or fractional oppo-
nent n liar. coward and n scoundrel the reader
Of If would have simply sad This man Is an
unadulterated ass and in five minutes forgot
ten his existence His opponent, If he had the
cold common-sense of the average politician or
This meridian would have read it with chuckle
and said: That's the end Of this fellow. No
need of answering him or paying any further
attention to him. He has confessed himself a
.biackguard: and in this climate backguards
"get no hearing and have no standing in public
discussion" Or If he We're disposed to take the
Major seriously; If he understood that beneath
the circutous phraseOlogy with which that per-
son had conveyed his willingness to meet him
"as a gentleman" the invitation and provocation
70 violate a wellknown statute law lay only
halfconcealed. he would doubtless have turned
him over to the police. He might have done th.s
and everybody would have given him credit Tor
acting like an honest man Instead OF liar.
courageous man instead Of coward. and law
abiding citizen instead Of scoundrel. The cpl
thets would have rebounded upon his accllser
who would have been laughed at and despsed
Mr.. Boatncr could not do this because, As his
"close friend" said he could not sustain his
rcputation among gentlemen in the South with
ont killing his traducer What ineffable rot!
II must be climate. For look We, there are
several eminent persons living and doing bust
ness in this goodly city Of New-lork who were
born and brought up IN warmer chimes, ana
who in their early manhood were accustomed
10 carry political or other disputes to the point
Of bandying epithets. after which nothing re-
manned but manslaughter to conclude the debate
with any sort OF satisfaction. Yet they never
think of doing any thing Of that kind here. These
gentlemen have fought duels to end debates, to
resent epthets or maintain their personal honor
They no more think of doing such thing now
than they would Of jumping off the Brooklyn
Bridge if challenged by Steve Brode. 1t must
be climate And yet. Is the difference entirely
climatic? It's a delicate thing TO hint at. but
NAV there not be something in social surround
ings that are independent Of climatic cOndl-
lions? Climates are not changing. but isn't the
domination Of this barbarous well as ridicu-
Iouslors code moving further South and South
west? They are not killing each other very
much nowadays in Virginia: they talk about II,
but stop lust short of it. occasionally in Georgia,
and even in Louisiana they are apparently be-
ginning TO see that it is better. Oh the whole. to
let backguardism end dispute. if it must III
stead Of closing it with cold-booded murder.
The two featherheaded fools who have attract
cd so much attention of late through their con-
tpmplated killing Of each other have done bet
ter: instead Of dying as the fool dieth they nave
given themselves time and opportunity to repent
their folly.