Year: 1879

Southern Insslence In Congress
The quarrel that sprang up 80 sud
denly between Senators Lamar OF
Mississippi, and ConkliDg Of New YORK;
on Wednesday night, is to be regretted'
as it ouly increases the ultra and venge-
full feelings which it is already too
evident exists between northern and
Southern members of Congress. There
is one thing however noticeable, in all
the acrim enious debates that now take
place in Congress. The north has
learned an important lesson by its four
years of conflict, and now knows that
there is as much if not more back down
| in a Southern member of Congress, as
| in one from the north. Away back in
the days of pro-slavery domination, the
defiant attitude of Lamar would have
cowed the New York Senator into a
res pectful silence, but now it only in
creases contempt, and the fierce flash
from Lamar's optics is met by one still
fiercer from Conkling. This is not the
first time that the fiery Southerner has
had to be reminded during the present
extra session that he was but an equal
in courage with his more hardy but less
impetuous brother from the north.
Even 80 rlild and amiable Senator as
Mr.. Hoar of Massachusetts,, has had to
remind ths fiery Beck of Kentucky that
he would not put up with his planta-
ton manners, and Senator Logan not
remarkable for refinement, but not lack
ing in bravery, when challenged by
Low of Alabama to step out OF the Dis
trict of Columbia, and settle the little
dispute between them. cut the matter
very short by sending his bothersome
opponent word that he might go to a
very warm country the name of which
the Senator pronounced quite -mphat-
ically.


Though it is to be regretted that such
feelings ar, engendered and that such
outbreaks occur, it is with pleasure
that we note the improved self-respect
of the Northern m-mbtrs and the re-
markable stiffening the war has given
| to the Northern backbone. In ante
bellum war times there were but few
Northern members of Congress but who
would bend the pregnant knee before
the then acknowledged superiority of
Southern spunk, but even then while
Sumner took his Gaming in silence, there
were here and there some who refused
to bow the knee in Difference to South
ern chivalry. Thus Burlingame of Mas
sachusetts when challenged to fight
duel by fiery Keitt, chose his trusty RI
fle, and namei Canada, ,ypere 10 United
States law cpuld be violated as the
place for the settling Of the dispute
but Keitt was not on hand. Another
Northern member who would not brook
Southern insolence was Potter, of Wis
consin, who summoned to mortal COM


bat by Brooks, acceptet the challenge
and chose the ten pound bowie knife as
the arbiter 20 settle fancied grievances,


but Brooks not liking the weapon,


backed down. We mention these not
as instances worthy Of commendatiOn
but to show that Northern pluck when
aroused always wins. The war has
happily chan led the Northern current
on this subject, and now, instead of
cringing before Southern arrogance or
accepting Southern challenges, all such
bluster is treated with the contempt it
merits. In the case of Senator'S Conk-
ling and Lamar it is not likely that any
thing serious will result from it, as the
days have passed away amoug civilized
beings when the code duello was con-
siderei honorable. Both the Senators,
however, owe an opology to the Senate
and to the nation at large, though
Lamar was clear y the aggrts ssor.