Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-08-02
.DUELS THAT FAILED
Flash In the Pan Affairs That
Originated In Washington.
SOME FAMOUS MEN lNvOl- WE'D

SOME FAMOUS MEN INv0l- WE'D
The Challenge That Cutting Of New
York Sent to- Breckenridge of KEN
tueky The Brooks Sumner Quarrel
and the Pryor Potter Trouble
Could the details of the causes of nu
merous invitations to the field OF honor
in order to settle differences by a re-
sort to the code duelio and the nom
naturalization Of these expected hos,
tile meetings be brought to light they
would most assuredly prove to be in.-S1
teresting reading matter. Many Of |
these flashes in the pan affairs origiI
mated In Washington In the antebellum
days.
II In the early part Of 1854 a big sen,
satOn was caused because of diff
Guilty between John G. Breckenridge Of
Kentucky and r.. B. Cutting Of New
York, both members Of the national
house offrepresentatives Ut was at the
time when the Kansas-Nebraska bill
was under discussion. Cutting init
mated In speech that Mr.. Breckin-
ridge was partly responsible for an ar
ticle that was published In the Wash
ington Union, the Democratic organ In
the capital, which was offensive to
him, and the two gentlemen INDUCED
In colloquy that was very near bit
ter personal quarrel. In the course Of
1t Mr.. Cutting made remark, when
the Kentuckian arose and In quiet
but very firm manner asked the New
York man to withdraw the statement.
The house had been listening to the
remarks OF these gentlemen very ear
nestly all the while, and when CUT
ting said, In answer to Breckinridge's
request that he withdraw a specified
portion Of his remarks they were as.
sertions that Mr. Breckenridge had
been skulking, that he would with
draw nothing there came a sensation
which developed into great excitement
when Breckinridge said Cutting had
spoken falsely and that he knew he
had lied.
Now, when gentleman called an
other gentleman a liar In that period Of
| our history 1t generally meant q fight
OF some Kind, and SO 1t proved In this
case, for before the day was over Mr..
Cutting, through his friend, q Mr..
/ Maurice, sent. IA note to- Mr.. Breckin-
ridge calling upon him to retract "or
/ to make the explanation due from one
/ gentleman to another = ss,tsFs Il
ridge, through, his friend, Colonel
i Hawkins, accepted the challenge. Both
men were up to full measurement In
the quality Of pluck required for Q
sanguInary battle. An arrangement
j was made to meet at Silver Spring, in
the state Of Maryland, which was the
Il residence of Hon. Francis r. Blair
They were going to fight with the or
binary rifle, but they didn't get togeth-
er. Mutual friends were grieved at the
idea Of prospective tragedy which
might end the lives Of both of these
4 eminent men. Full details OF this
transaction In the interests Of peace
were not known, but the reconciliation
Il was effected, though not without ur'
4 gent reasonings, and the two became
ais friendly as ever. 8ss. sftl
s Every one knows Of the assault upon
4 Senator Sumner Of Massachusetts by
u Preston S. Brooks of South Carolina,
4 No one seemed to think that chal-
lenge to the South Carolina man would
come out OF this lamentable affair
Brooks, it is very well known, was in,
tensefy angered at remarks made by
Mr.. Sumner concerning Senator Butler
sof South Carolina, who was an uncle
\ Of Brooks. This was In May, 1856
Il The Massachusetts senator had said In
u speech the day before that Senator
Butler showed an incapacity for accu
4 racy, whether in stating the constitu'
ton or in stating the law. He also
said, He cannot open his mouth but
4 out there flies a blunder." The excite
4 ment over this affair was not confined
to Massachusetts and this country, but
i extended across the sea, part cularly te
u England. Massachusetts was stunned
II with horror Even Wendell Phillips
and William Lloyd Garrison were
i aroused to anger.
In the meantime Mr.. Brooks was
Il g
awaiting challenge from some one
Senator Wilson, Summers colleague
and later vice president Of the United
D States, made speech In which he said
the attack upon Mr. Sumner was "bar
barous and rufiaIly." Mr.. Brooks was
prompt to send him a challenge fol
& using these words. Senator Wilson
! was opposed TO the code and conse
quently declined the challenge. az
sent word to his challenger, however
that he was ready to defend himseli
whenever assailed. But some one had
to come to the front for the sake Of the
state that honored Summer Ansor
Burlingame was the man. He was aft
erward, as nearly every one knows
the American minister to China AMI
the author OF the agreement known q:
4 the Burlingame treaty He lSSs at thu