Part 15 (1/2)

At the beginning of the great civil conflict, the fortunes of Senator Gere cast with the South, and at its close he became a citizen of Mexico Maximilian was then Emperor, and one of his last official acts was the creation of a Mexican Duke out of the so empire set up by Napoleon the Third and upheld for a ti to its fall

When receiving the Ducal coronet from the Iht well have inquired,

”But shall ear these glories for a day, Or shall they last, and we rejoice in them?”

A few months later, at the behest of our Government, the French arms ithdrawn, the bubble of Mexican Empire vanished, and the ill-fated Maxiic end Thenceforth, a resident but no longer a citizen of the land that had given hih sounding but empty title of ”Duke of Sonora”

Frequent as have been the instances in our own country where death has resulted fro, it is believed that in but one has the survivor incurred the extreme penalty of the law That one case occurred in 1820 in Illinois What was intended ht with rifles by William Bennett and Alphonso Stewart in Belleville It was privately agreed by the seconds of each that the rifles should be loaded with blank cartridges This arrangement was faithfully carried out so far as the seconds were concerned; but Bennett, the challenging party, un The result was the ionist Upon his return to Belleville a year or two later, Bennett was immediately arrested, placed upon trial, convicted, and executed

In more than one instance, at a later day, while well-known Illinoisans have been parties to actual or prospective duels, no instance has occurred of a hostileof that character within the limits of the State A late auditor of public account, but recently deceased, killed his antagonist in a duel with rifles nearly half a century ago in California

Williauson, one of the most brilliant orators Illinois has known, in early professional life the associate of men who have since achieved national distinction, fell in a duel while athe sitting of the Illinois Constitutional Convention of 1847, two of its proates from the northern tier of counties, became involved in a bitter personal controversy which resulted in a challenge by Pratt to e was accepted and the principals with their seconds repaired to the famous ”bloody Island” in the Mississippi, when by the interposition of friends a peaceable settlement was effected The sequel to this happily averted duel was the incorporation in the Constitution, then in process of for in the State, and attaching severe penalties to sending or accepting a challenge

The earliest hostileof Illinoisans was upon the island last anization had been effected The principals were young e and ability--one of whom, Shadrack Bond, upon the admission of Illinois was elected its Governor His adversary, John Rice Jones, was the first lawyer to locate in the Illinois country, and was the brother of the second of the unfortunate Cilley in the tragic encounter already related

The late Governor Bissell of Illinois was once challenged by Jefferson Davis Both were at the tie reflecting upon the conduct of soht battle of Buena Vista After the acceptance of the challenge, mutual friends of Davis and Bissell effected a reconciliation, just before the hour set for the hostile

So far as Illinois combatants are concerned, the historic island nation, inasmuch as the ”affairs” mentioned, and one much more famous, yet to be noted, were all honorably adjusted without physical harm to any of the participants

The ”affair of honor,” the mention of which will close this chapter, owes its chief importance to the prominence attained at a later day by its principals The challenger, James shi+elds, was at that tieneral in tars and a Senator froiven to the ages” Mr Lincoln was, at the ti lawyer, unnized leader of the Whig party, and an active participant in the fierce political conflicts of the day So the administration of the office of which shi+elds was the incue

That Mr Lincoln was upon principle opposed to duelling would be readily inferred from his characteristic kindness That ”we are time's subjects,” however, and that the public opinion of sixty-odd years ago is not that of to-day will readily appear from the published statement of his friend Dr Merry, and asked him what course he proposed to hi and would do anything to avoid it that rade hiradation, or a fight, were the only alternatives, he would fight”

It is stated by one of the biographers of Mr Lincoln that he was ever after averse to any allusion to the shi+elds affair From the terms of his acceptance, it is evident that he intended neither to injure his adversary seriously nor to receive injury at his hands In his lengthy letter of instruction to his second, he closed by saying:

”If nothing like this is done, the preliht are to be, first, weapons: cavalry broadswords of the largest size, precisely equal in all respects Second, position: a plank ten feet long and froe on the ground as the line between us which neither is to pass his foot over upon forfeit of his life Next, a line drawn on the ground on either side of said plank and parallel with it, each at the distance of the whole length of the sword, and three feet additional fro of his own line by either party during the fight shall be deemed a surrender of the contest Third, ti at five o'clock within three miles of Alton on the opposite side of the river, the particular spot to be agreed on by you Any preli 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”

The keen sense of the huifted, seems not to have wholly deserted hi an acceptance toindicated--which he as the challenged party had the right to dictate--lend color to the opinion that he regarded the affair in the light of a th of arm remembered, and the position of the less favored shi+elds, with broadsword in hand, at the opposite side of the board, and not permitted ”upon forfeit of his life” to advance an inch --the picture is indeed a ludicrous one

Out of the lengthy statements of the respective seconds--the publication of which ca themselves in personal altercation--it appears that all parties actually reached the appointed rendezvous on time

But it was not written in the book of fate that this duel was to take place So one of the actors in this dralish and John J Hardin, the friends respectively of shi+elds and Lincoln, crossing the Mississippi in a canoe close in the wake of the belligerents, reached the field just before the appointed hour

These gentle in concert with the seconds, Whiteside and Merryman, soon effected a reconciliation deemed honorable to all, and the shi+elds-Lincoln duel passed to the doht about was sincere was evidenced by the fact that one of the earliest acts of President Lincoln was the appointment of General shi+elds to an i of ties!” A few paces apart in the old Hall at the Capitol at Washi+ngton, stand two statues, the contribution of Illinois for enduring place in the ”Temple of the Immortals” One is the statue of Lincoln, the other that of shi+elds

XI A PRINCELY GIFT

DESCENT OF JAMES SMITHSON, FOUNDER OF THE SMITHSONIAN INStitUTION-- HIS EDUCATION AND HIS WRITINGS--HIS WILL--THE UNITED STATES HIS RESIDUARY LEGATEE--SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION OF THE CLAIM OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE LEGACY--PLANS SUGGESTED FOR THE DISPOSAL OF THE FUND --PROF JOSEPH HENRY APPOINTED SECRETARY--BENEFICENT WORK OF THE INStitUTION

Although a third of a century has passed since I reeting and the courteous ave me the information I requested for the use of one of the Committees of the House

The frosts of many winters were then on his brow, and he was near the close of an honorable career, one of measureless benefit to mankind