The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-12-16
THE END OF DWELLING.
How Wisconsin Congressman
!. Routed a Fire-Eater In the Days
+. Of Slavery Agitation.

.
Of Slavery Agitation.
On the 18th of next May, if he should
live (and all appearances favor the hope of
his survival long beyond that date, John
II. Potter will celebrate his S2d birthday,
probably with his family at home in the
town Of East Troy, Walworth county,
about fifteen miles south Of Waukesha.
first saw him in the fall Of 1860, when
was myself boy, in the village of
Delafield. Mr.. Potter was then making
his second congressional campaign in this
district, and was in the very prime of his
vigorous manhood; but my interest in
MIN centered in the fact that he was the
nero of the last attempt at great duel
based on politics, which had occurred in
American history. 1t also happens that
none has occurred since that time, and
| It Is reasonably certain that our Dationa
immunity from the crime of dueling
since the beginning of the Civil war has
been due in greater degree to the ex-
perlences developed in the Potter-Pryor
controversy than to any other cause
whatever.
For the radical cure of dueling in this
country 1t was necessary that it should
pe made ridiculous. Our people had been
An oA'eA eAousu DeIOre. When
aaron Burr, yice-president of the United
States, killed Alexander Hamilton in
1874, the act was characterized as moral
~ murder by the great bulk of the
Northern people. When Representative
w. j.: Graves of Kentucky slew the ac-
eomplished Jonathan Cilley of Maine -(his
| teiioW representative, in 1888, it was
held by very many of the best classes of
citizens that the slaughter was not only
n
spiracy to murder; and the same verdict
| was given in the Northern states on the
| shooting of Senator David C. Broderick
| OF California on September p, 1859. BY
Judge David G. Terry of the same state.
! But notwithstanding opposing sentiment.
dueling was still a dominant feature in
| all politics in which the Southern section
| OF the Union believed itself to he inter-
| ested.
On April S, 1860, Owen Loyeioy of H.
! linois delivered for the benefit of lis
Southern hearers in the national House of
Representatives his most exasperating
speech on ''The Twin Relics of Barbar-
ISM" In the course of that speech Mr..
Loyejoy said that the argument in favor
| OF American slavery "would transform
! Jehoyah into an infinite Juggernaut, roll
| ing the huge wheels of His olnnipotence
axle deep amid the crushed and bleeding
| CooASS VI AuuAdA U6luSS, OIL the GROUND
! that He was infinitely superior and thai
! they were an inferior race" While deliv-
erlng this sentiment Mr.. Lovejoy ad-
| vanced towards the Democratic side of
| the House, when Roger A. Pryor of Wiz
| GINA rose to meet him, and according to
official report, the following collouuy en-
| sued:
| MI Pryor-The gentleman from Illinois
shall 81 a'lI not approach this side Of the House,
mas talked. 1t is bad enough to be com
PEELED to sit here and hear him utter his
s tfeasonaele and insulting language; but he
| House, shaking his fist in our faces.
Mr.. Farnsworth-It is not for the gentle
| man to say what is treason and what is not.
Mr. Potter-We listened to the gentlemen
upon the other side for eight weeks, when
| they denounced the members upon this side
! with violent and offensive language. We
| istened to them quietly and heard them
| LnrOlgh; AND now, sir, this side shall be
| heard, let the consequences be what they
may.
Mr.. Pryor-The point make is this
| The Chairman-The chair will receive no
| motion and hear no gentleman until men,
! bers resume their seats and order is restored
| in the hail.
Mr.: Cox-I rise to point of order. in
sist that the gentleman from Illinois shall
| Mr. Pryor-That is the point make Let
the gentleman speak from his seat and say
| all under the rules he is entitled to say; but,
sir, he shall not come upon this side, shaking
his fist in our faces, and talking in the style
| he has talked. He shall not come here ges-
| ticulating in menacing and rufiianly man
ner.
Mr.. Potter-You are doing the same thing.
Mr.. Pryor had this report read from the
| clerks desk, and charged Mr.. Potter
| with having interpolated the clause, BE
| the consequences what they may" and the
reply, You are doing the same thing
Mr.. Potter insisted that the report was
correct in the respects mentioned, and
Pryor then wanted to know specifically
| whether he had thereby been charged
| with acting in a "ruftianly and violent
| manner" to which the answer was made
shaking his fists, he very naturally
| claimed that Pryor had been doing the
same thing, and that he himself did not
| like to see such ebullitions on either side.
Then Pryor made some remarks, conclud.
! ing as follows: "The gentleman stands
by his language. l understand him to
| give. me the liberty Of constituting his re-
marks as l choose. Whether or no he
will stand by it. the sequel will prove"
| Thereupon the Republican members
| laughed uproariously. A day or two
afterwards Pryor sent Potter note ask
! ing him to designate a place outside the
| District of Columbia for further CORE
| spondence between them. This, with the
| remaining correspondence, was published
a few days later by Pryor's friends, and
as the letters explain themselves fully.
and as they are worth preserving for their
illustration of our dueling manners of a
generation back, they are here repro
duced in full:
The Correspondence.
Sir-4our note of this date received by the
hands of Thomas 9. Hindman, invites a
CORRESPONDENCE" to be hereafter conducted
outside of the District Of Columbia, evident
~ to avoid, OH your part, certain penalties
imposed by law: reply that the constitu-
the consequences of such a correspondence
as you seem to contemplate, wherever it
may be conducted 1 therefore inform you
may wish to make, my be delivered to my my
friend, Col. +. w. Lander. / have the
honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient
| servant, JOHN f. POTTER
Virginia, April r. 1S6O.-Sir: In order to be
assured that do not misapprehend the pre-
else import Of your note by Mr.. Lander, 1
from me- in the district Of coiumS ,its 1
have the honor to be- very rrespectfmlly, etc,
! Hon. John +. Potter ~
April -, 1S6O-Sir: If there he any am
biguity in my note Of last evening, after the
explanation Of my friend, Col. Lander, to
your friend, Col. Keitt, last night, and Mr..
Ghisman today; which HI, understan d he made,
contained in your note. when a challenge
shall reach me. 1 have the honor to be. very
respectfully, ETC., JOHN f. POTTER.
Hon. Roger A. Pryor.
te-Immediately on receipt of the above
| delivered the following note, which had
! been furnished by Mr.. Pryor i'll advance.
| r. p. CHISMAN.
Virginia. April II, 1S6O.-Sir: I demand
| the satisfaction usual among gentlemen for
the personal affront you offered me in de-
| bate, and for which you were pleased to
| avow your responsibility. have the honor
| to be, very respectfully.
| ROGER A. PRYOR
Hon. John +. Potter.
| P. s.-My friend, Mr.. Chisman, will deliv-
| er this note. X. A. +.
April II. ~ p. m.-The Hon. Mr.. Chisman
Sir: Owing to my not being able to find
| Mr. Potter-an article in the Star causing
| him to change his place of meeting-I am
compelled to request you to await a reply to
the note you have favored me with, for a
respectfully, ETC., f. w. LANDER.