Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

G-EOBGIA AND GEORGIANS 511
wont to exhibit when addressing a jury in Oglethorpe. His left arm
was forgotten and heedlessly held unprotected by his body in a way to
catch the ball of the rawest duellist. At the. first fire, Clark was un
touched and Crawford's left wrist was shattered and the bones crushed
in a way to cause him many weeks of excruciating pain. Clark was not
satisfied and insisted that the shots be continued; but George Moore
declined to allow his principal to proceed further, the terms of the
agreement having been fully met.'' *
With this decision the affair ended. But General Clark was not
appeased. He still hungered for satisfaction; and no sooner was Mr.
Crawford well enough to resume professional activities than he received
from General Clark a second challenge to mortal combat, without any
fresh grievance to warrant a renewal of hostilities. Mr. Crawford could
now decline to meet him, without incurring adverse criticism or hazard
ing his reputation as a man of courage.
But the partisan warfare still continued between the loyal followers
of the two men and, as time went on, the feudal inheritance was trans
mitted from sire to son, with solemn abjuration. Georgia was divided
into two hostile camps; and even churches, while preaching a gospel of
forgiveness, insisted upon a sharp line of division. Perhaps an amusing
anecdote will illustrate the temper of the times •.
"To introduce the subject of politics in any promiscuous gathering
was to promote a quarrel. A son of Erin, lately from Limerick, opened
a bar-room in a village in Greene County, Ga. He endeavored by strenu
ous neutrality, to catch the trade of both parties. After a week's trial,
he gave it up in disgust. When describing this experience he said: ' As
soon as a Crawford man would come in, he would at once inquire if
this was a Crawford bar; and, faith, when I told him it was naither, he
cursed me for a Clarkite and refused to drink. When a Clark man came
in and I told him I was naither, he cursed me for a Crawfordite,
and I sold not a gill to anyone. Faith, it pays to be a politician in
Georgia.' " t
Though General Clark did not call Judge Tait to the field of honor,
as a result of the alleged conspiracy for which he sought his impeach
ment by the Legislature he did visit him in a most spectacular manner
and in a most literal sense, with the marks of his displeasure. The
story is thus told:
One day, in the summer of 1807, when Judge Tait, then an occupant
of the Superior Court bench, was driving along Jefferson Street, in
Milledgeville, General Clark came up, gracefully cantering on a hand
some sorrel. The general always rode a fine horse, with best accoutre
ments, and rarely failed to make .an impression. Whatever else might
be said of him, John Clark was a born soldier, and he appeared to special
advantage on horseback. Eiding up to Judge Tait, he engaged him in a
brief conversation:
"This is the first time I have seen you, sir," began General Clark,
'' at least since your hasty departure from Louisville.''
"Yes," replied the judge, "I have not seen you since then."
* Shipp: "Life of Crawford," p. 73.
t Shipp: "Life of Crawford," p. 67.