Year: 1874

by tho Avenger himself, that without
waiting to learn whether he was called
"pumpkn-head" pure and simple in
an uncomplimentary sense, or pumpkin
"headr in comparison with some of his
fellow members, which might be taken, upon
tho whole, as compliment, the Honorable
Mr.. Mckee rose up in his dignity, and with
the remark, "Then, Sir, since you allowed 1t
"to go in, you are responsible for it; take
"thatw smote him across the face with his
rattan, And then the Honorable Mr. Mckee
shouldered his rattan and went away with
the statesmanlke observation that ne con-
sidered the account squared.


Mr.. John j. Piatt however, disputes the ac-
curacy of the statement. lie explains in a
published card that in the first place he has
no connection with The Capital and only read
the proof at the request of his cousin, the
editor. who was absent. He says that be was
lying back in his chair quite ill when the
Avenging Angel from Mississippi entered, and
that the Avenging Angel, though he hourlshed
"a stick large enough to fell an OK aud ex-
hibted " the handle OF pistol" did not strike
him with the stick or fire off the pistol at him.
Mr.. Piatts impression seems to be that tho
Avenging Angel only flourished the stick by
way of gesticulatOry ornament to his high-fa-
vored remarks, and that he went away Without
striking anybody. But we have no doubt that
the Honorable Mr.. Mckee sincerely believes
that he did smite Mr.. Piatt and square the
account. He would not have so reported
the transaction to the local press had
it been otherwise. 1t may be that he
was hasty. Possibly he misunderstood the
drift of the article in which he was casually
referred to as pumpkin head" But con-
slider the excellent judgment he exhibited in
selecting his victim, and the reasOnableness or
his satisfaction. He could not afford to go
about Washington all Summer looking for
somebody to cane. His time was too valuable,
and his temper might cool. He was losing the
interest, so to speak, on his rattan. And so
in the most natural way in the world he found
q gentleman in feeble health who had
read tho article in the proof, and had
not thrown himself into the breach to
prevent its publication, and on him he
squared his account Doubtless there Will
be persons among his nstituency-cOnstitu-
encies are so uDreasonable-whO will jeer at
him for the discretion with which he selected
mis- adversary and the very commonplace way
in which he smOte him once and called
the account square. There be those who
will say he is but q pewter imita-
ton of pinchbeck original. But we
maintain that the Honorable Mr.. Mckee
has exhibited in this transaction great natural
parts, and considerable capacity for growth.
lie has been only three terms in Congress; ;
give him three terms more and the chances
are that if anybody calls him pumpkin
"headn he will demand an investigation.


1t occurs to us, however, that the pumpkin
has some rights which white men are bound
to respect. Mckee has avenged himself and
squared his account. but how about the
pumpkin Is it pot possible-nay, highly
probable-that with the growth of the Grange
movement and the increase of interest in agrl-
culture on the part Of our leading statesmen,
the friends of the pumpkin-who are not a
few-will rise up In Congress on behalf of that
maligned vegetable, and demand not merely
investigation, but dissection, TO get at the
facts.


Meantime, Mckee is ahead. And Motive
take leave to say-a pumpkin-head either.
He has vindcated himself with rattan. He
resents the agricultural comparison. No mat
ter if on the wrong man: he resents it. He
has shown the spirit of chivalry. The friends
of the pumpkin are yet to be heard from.