The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-02-18
LawmAkerI


author or said article or amy other owe.
, same signature which has appeared
u! n of the late numbers of that paper.
.1flso, u repeat my request of ~anSnbsolute
retraetion of all offensive ailision con-
thif1ed therein In relation TO my private
character and standing. II YOU are no,
the author Of any OF the articles. yorf
denial will be suficisnt. / VIII say fur,
ther II 10 not my intentionsto menace, but
10 do myself Justice. Your ob't Eerv.t.
-JAR. SHIEItDS..
b Mr.. Lincoln pertised and returned
TO General whiteaIde, telling him verbally
7 q he aid not think 4 eonsistent with
MS honor TO negotiate for pence with Mr..
Shields unless Mr.. Shields would with
draw his former offensive letter.
In q very short time General whitestLe
called withta note from Mr.: Shields desIg-
mating General whiteside as his friend. to
which Mr.. Lincoln Instantly replied desig-
mating me us his. On meeting General
WhIteside he proposed that we should
pledge u honor to each other that we
would endeavor to settle the matter
nmicnbIy, to which ] agreed and stated
TO him the only conditions on which Il
could be SO settled-vix. the withdrawal
of MIR. Shields first note. which he up
Spenred to think reasonable and regretted
that the note had been written, saying,
however. that he had endeavored to pre-
val on Mr.. Shields to write n milder one.
but a not succeeded. He added. too,
that l must promise not to mention II. a.
he would not dare let Mr.. Shields know
that he was negotiating for peace. for.
said he, "He would Challenge me next
and as soon cut my throat as not.s Not
willing that he should suppose my prIn-
cipnl less dangerous than his own. !
promised not to mention our pacific In.
tentions to Mr.. Lincoln or any other per-
with.
We all. except Mr.. Shields. arrived In
Springfield late Mt night on Monday. We
discovered that the affair had somehow
got great publicity. in Springfield and TINT
an arrest was probable. To prevent this.
Il was agreed by Mr.. Lincoln and myself
that he should leave early on Tuesday
morning. Accordingly he prepared tho
following instructions for my guide. on n
suggestion from Mr.. Butler that he had
reason to believe that an attanspt would
be made by tho opposite party to have
the matter accommodated:
IN case Whiteside shall signify a wish
TO. adjust this nffnfr without further diff
ttculty. lot him know that " the present
papers be withdrawn and n note from
Mr. Shields. asking to know II 1 am the
author of the articles of which he COM
plains and asking that I shall make him
gontlemanly satisfaction if I am the
author and this without menace or die
tation us to what that satisfaction shall
be. a pledge is made that the following
answer shall be given:
II did write the Lost Township let
ter which appeared In the Journal OF the
ID inst, but had no participation In any
other article abiding to you. Il wrot.
that wholly for political effect. I had
no intention OF injurins your personal or
private character or standing as n man
or q gentleman. md ! did not then think
and do not now think that thatiarticle
could u or has produced that effect
against You and. had I anticipated such
mn effect. would have fofborne to write
IT, And I Will add that you conduct
toward me, 30 fur as I knew. had always
been sentiemanly and that I had no per-
sonai piaue against you and no cause for
any,
III this should be done. I leave It with
you to mannCe what ahalI and shall not
be published.
"lt nothing like this Is done, the pre-
limlnnries OF the fight nre to be:
First. ,weapous.-cayafry b~roadswords
OF the largest size. precisely equal In NIL
respects and such rs nov used by the
cavalry company at Jacksonville. ~
Second. Position. "A plank ten feet
long n from nine to twelve inches
broad to DO firmly fixed on edge on the
ground ms b line between us. which
neither Is to pass his foot over upon for:
felt OF his lie. Next, a line drawn on
the ground on either side of said plank
and parallel with Il, each at the distance
OF the whole length OF tho sword and
three feet additional from the plank. and
the passing OF his own such line by either
party during the fight shall be deemed o
surrender OF the contest.
Third. Tlme.-on Thursday evening at
D o'clock IL you can get It 10, but in no
case to be at a greater distance OF time
than Friday evening at 8 o'clock.
Fourth. Place.-within three miles OF
Alton. on the opposite side OF The river.
the particular spot to be agreed on by
you.
ANY preliminary details coming within
the above rules you are at liberty to
make at your discretion. but you are In
no case to swerve from these rules or to
pass beyond their limits"
In the course OF the forenoon I met
General Whiteside. and ne again init
mated a wish to adjust the matter nmIca-
blS. ] then read TO him Mr.. LIaceln'8 In
structlons to an adjustment and the
terms Of the hostile meeting. if there
must be one. both at the same time.
He replied that Il was useless to talk
OF an adjustment IL II could only be ef-
fected by the withdrawal OF Mr.. Shields
paper. Tor such withdrawal Mr. Shields
would never consent to. adding that he
would US soon thInk of asking Mr.. Shields
t' III .tdt hAtth a bElEh
wall ms to Withdraw that paper" He
then proceeded: II see but one course.
That Is u desperate remedy. Ills to tell
them IL they will not make the matter up
they must fight u.s." 7 replied tha II he
chose to fight Mr.. Shields to compel him
to do right no might do 50. but us for
Mr.. Lincoln. he was on the defensive and
l believed In the right, and I should do
nothing to compel him to do wrong. such.
withdrawal having been made lndIspens-
able by Nj. Lincoln. I cut tho matter
short as to an adjustment and proposed
TO General whiteslde to accept the terms
OF the fight, which he refused to 10 until
MI. Shields arrival In town, but agreed
verbally that Mr.. Lincoln,s friends should
procure the broadswosds and take them
to the ground. In the afternoon he came
TO mo, saying that some persons were
swearing out nfldavits to have US ar
rested and that he intended to meet Nj,
Shields Immediately and proceed to tho
place designated. 1amenting, however.
that L would not delay the time that he
might procure the Interference OF Gov
ernor Ford and General Ewing TO nsolIify
MI. Shields. I told him that an accommo-
dalton. except upon the terms I mention
cd, was out OF h question; that to
delay the meeting was to facilitate our