The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-28
THE FIGHT AND SOME COMMENTS.

Congress il. becoming disorderdly.
The senate Is the scene OF personal
tiles. But 1t is no new thing under
the sun. Personalities have been often
| INDUCED in that once august body"
| the lie" has been hurled about afore-
| time, and even pugilistic encounters
have occurred. After a combat or a
| war of words the parties usually ad-
journed to the duelling ground hardly
and tried the virtue OF powder and
ball. Many duels were fought. Among
the specially notable ones, were Clay
n Randolph, Cilley and Graves,
Clingman and Yancey-but their name
is legion. We remember to have read
a volume forty or fifty years ago en-
titled Sabine on Duels and Duelling."
1t was interesting and overlooking
with correspondence and shooting.
Some of the parties engaged were act
ually killed. The barbarism has gone
by, but men today are not SO careful
in hurting epithets as they used to be
when it was to be shot at or apol-
ogize. Germany is the only great
civilized country tina perpetuates
the medieval ways of settling feuds.
But Tillman or Wellington could not
have don much less than they did while
disregardirg the express teachings of
the Prince of Peace. The action OF the
president as to Senator Tillnlan can
mot surprise n attentive observer
After his Booker Washington and
Schley demonstration it would be diff
cult to forecast what he would do
with reference to any emergency or
supposed duty. Whether Tillman is
brave or otherwise we can not under
teeth at General Miles and told him
in the White mouse that Il am the
Government and 1 can bite" A
schoolmaster to teach manners is prob
ably needed in both the congress and
the White house.
Since writing the above We notice
that the Charleston News and Courier
is very severe on Senator TiIlman. We
copy a significant part:
Senate Tillman's apology to the
senate on Saturday for his disgraceful
ID was even worse than his Of
fence aginst all decency and good
order Had he knocked Nc
Laurin down, that would not have
proved that McLaurin's charge of
~falsehood against hin was untrue; and
If he felt that McLaurin's insult was
so gross that it could only be wiped
out by a personal encounter, it would
nave been more dignified lac he sought
satisfaction for the affront after the
senate had adjourned. If he meant
anything more by his attack upon Nc
Laurin than to show that he was not
afraid to hit him, it is not too late, for
him to renew the controversy outside
of the senate; and if McLaurin's apol-
ogy, which was nearly as bad as his
offence, was sincere, there might not
be much difficulty in bringing the bel
ligerents together.
THE conduct of Senate McLaurin
was utterly without excuse. His Ian
guage in the senate was an insult to
that body and ~disgraceful to himself.
He must have known that it would
make n sensation No punishment
that the senate could infiict upon the
South Carolina senators would be too
severe for their outrageous conduct"
This is a harsh view possibly, but
neither of the senators are favorites.
we believe. with cur respected contem-
porary.
The Columbia State is very hostile
TO Tfllman. and therefore, does not
withhold it's hand now. We give a
short extract from a nearly two
column editorial on the subject of the
fight. 1t will be read with particular
interest coming from an able daily
published at South Cardinals capital.
"All of which teaches us that when
fistiC cham oiors desire to settle the
question which is the better man
physically-not TO say morally they
should exercise some Judgment III
choosing their ground and their audi
ence There are two things about
this senate scrap that we do not I'M
derstand: The first is why Senator
McLaurin should turn pale to the lips
n 'tremble with emotion and de-
nounca on the floor of al ugust sem
ate as q wilful AMI deliberate lie a
charge which has been made against
hun so often on the free forum of his
own state and among a somewhat pug
nacious populace without his receiving
If IL any S!Ick manner. The scyond
is WAY Senator Tillman shouid develop
a 'tigar-lISe' fsr ~ y in the SaH'eJ eI
being called d liar wnen in time past