The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-12-16

eral construction with the rules Of the code.
Whether particular or general, shall he
most happy to communicate to my principal
rsspeetf"i'y' = nave ''S "iG ch & II SG''
m Washington, April 13:-3 d. m.-The Hon.
T.. +. Chisman-Sir: Your note is Just re-
ceiyed. Without replying to the terms OF In
dignation which seem to peryade 1t, / will
hors the barbarous and inhuman mode Of
settling difficulties usual among gentlemen,
termed dnelilg; he represents his constitu-
e en1 IN the lol,SWlng manner: He asserts
moor OF Congress. within parliamentary
rules, any matter which he believes to be cor
rect. Called upon by note to reply to your
friend have presented 1t. You object to the
terms. They We're such as would enable
my principal, who was unacquainted with
me usual weapons of duelists, to meet your
Of the district to tight a duel. He Valves
the usual last resort Of the non-duelist, the
assertion that he will defend himself when
me ace he e Ear
stage of the affair you appeal to the strict
forms OF the code. and express yourself dis
satisfied, there IL but one result. ! disclaim
any OF the scrupfes which have actuated my
friend. Mr.. Potter. Differing with him as
much as man can in politics, believe with
him that every American citizen is entitled
" inc luii eApTesSlou Oh Ills OplulOuS. !
therefore present myself in his place with
out restrictions. l have the honor to be,
very respectfully, r. W. LANDER.
friend, Mr. Pryor, nor myself, have any per-
sonai quarrel with you. / cannot therefore
permit him or myself to take any advantage
Of your courteous offer to substitute your
''who Is. as you state, ''unacquainted with
the usual weapons Of duelists," cannot meet
my friend ION equal terms in the District
bowie-knife,'' which mode Of fighting I have
refused to accede to, and as he Twill not go
out of this district to fight a duel" and
moreover "Waives the usual last resort Of
the non,duelist, the assertion that he win
defend himself whenever assailed," l shall
terminate this correspondence with the ex-
preston Of my regret that we have been
principals in the manner usual among gen.
tlemen," which manner, though your prin-
cipal detests and abhors it, as barbarous and
would seem to Of
l have the honor to be, very respectfully,
L. +. CHIsMAN.
Washington, D. G.. a. M, April 10. 1860.
The Hon. T. p. Chis1nan-Sir: l received
your last note at ~ O'Clock this morning.
In it you reiterate your assertion that your
principal shall not meet Mr.. Potter with
bowie-knives, making assurance doubly sure.
l have to correct all impression l have ap-
parently conveyed in my last letter-an ex-
preston also referred to in your note. 1t
appears by my statement that ''Mr. Potter
valves the usual last resort Of the non
duelist, the assertion that he will defend him
self whenever assailed,' has led you to be-
lieve that he will not defend himself if as
sauted. This is a mistake. If for the time
he valves the mere assertion, and placed
himself so far as he could at the disposal of
Mr.. Pryor in regard to personal combat,
by no means believe that ne will not defend
IS rr~sf1 r
also becomes my duty to inform you that the
Hon. John F.. Potter did not know of my
offer to appear for him. The further, re-
marks of your letter being mere expressions
cultes, the propriety of which we are not
discussing. l have nothing to offer in reply.
have the honor to be, most respectfully,
F. w. LANDER.
Appended to the foregoing were a cou-
pie of notes claimed to have been written
by Mr.. Pryor to Mr.. Potter, but never
delivered, on account Of the repugnance
of Mr. Chisman, in which the bowie-knifc
proposition was accepted. The last Ct
these notes was dated April ii, and OH
that day Mr.. Potter was arrested and
placed under bonds to keep the peace, So
the whole transaction was concluded.
This was practically, the end Of respec-
table dueling in America. When Mr..
Chisman gave this correspondence to the
public, he did not guess that its effect at
the North would be what it actually was:
The production of a contempt for the
theory and practice Of dueling absolutely
ineradicable from that time onward; ana
along with that, feeling that the people
among whom such theory and practice
prevailed, must be mere vaporers and
braggarts. This last mentioned senti-
ment was not to our advantages; for it
tended to hasten some of the earlier bat
ties in the war for the Union, which,
might better have been delayed until
more effective preparation had been
made. However, the general effect has
been eminehtiy wholesome, as may b.
noted in the universal laughter with
which the Spanish officers challenge to
Senator Mason was greeted last spring
1t seems strange that the principal au-
thors of the foregoing correspondence,
active in the affairs of this world, but /
believe this to be the fact. Pryor be-
came a Confederate general in the war.
after which he removed to New York and
was elected judge in one of the courts of
the great metropolis. Though have not
observed his name in the newspapers for
some years, l suppose that he is still on
the bench. For the past thirty years
Judge Potter has enjoyed the life of a
gentleman of culture and refinement at
his country home. For some years lie
has not moved about much. but his opil-
ions on all current topics carry weight to
by more visitors than he is able. at his
great age, to rcceive.-Theron w. Haight
i'll the Evening Wisconsin.
Entertainments for Winter Evenings.
"New and original ways of entertain
ing small company of young people ex-
easy to discover, but perhaps you have
not heard of some of the many new lit
erary games that are at the present time
so very much in vogue; literary amuse-
mcnts. 1T seems to me, will be especial
suited to furnish diversion for your hus-
bands pupils whom he and you wish to
entertain on successive Friday evenings.
Throwing light is a good simple game
two officers are chosen who must be
quick and clever, after consultation
with each other they agree on word that
has several meanings. such rs box
shooting box. theater box, band box-they
then proceed to discourse on the word to
the general company. being careful not to
throw too mitch light" As soon as any
one guesses the word he consults with the
officers, and if correct in his surnlise he
too proceeds to throw light A time
limit is imposed, and forfeits are col
lected from those who-in, say. ten min
utcs-have not guessed the word; but. on
the other hand, if all have guessed it in
ten minutes, the officers must pay the for
feits. Another more complex game,
which requires some preparation, is one
where the hostess has ready numbered
cards with painted or pasted signs,
scenes, small articles, and clippings to
distribute among her guests: everyone is
allowed a few minutes to guess the mean
ing of each card, and to write the answer
on small score cards provided for the
purpose. A prize is given at the end of
the evening to the one who has the great
est number of correct answers. Here are
some suggestions for the cards: A large
bow of hay indicates Hayti, red C is
the Red sea, the names of two states
Joined together is the United States, and
an eye and a tally-card is Italy. Any
number of combinations will readily sug.
ueSt them selves md This game IS a1ua vS