In today’s society, disputes between neighbors, work associates, friends and even politicians, sometime take on an ugly tone. Drugs often play a part in it, and with the increase in gun ownership, these disputes can sometimes turn deadly.
Back in the day (we’re talking the 1830′s), when one man failed to apologize to another, or to give him the satisfaction which an honorable man was bound to give, he was called a Coward and a Scoundrel… and public notice of such was made for all the world to see.
This 1839 “duel placard”, posted on a tree in front of Florida’s first permanent capitol in Tallahassee, let all who passed by know that General Leigh Read, an officer in the Florida Militia during the Second Seminole Indian War (1835-1842), had declined to apologize to Mr. William Tradewell, the Whig Party Leader.
You can see an oil-on-linen painting by Christopher M. Still showing this scene by clicking here. On that page you will notice another link which allows you to see the mural without the reference points.
The world has changed a lot since the days of Tradewell and Read… unfortunately not always for the better.
I’m Tom Murphy and thanks for helping me give Ephemera the encore it deserves.
Tom
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Technorati tags: Bonanzle, Encore Ephemera, Ephemera, The Ephemera Network, Seminole War, General Leigh Read, Whig Party
About Tom Murphy
People were easily offended in those times. They’d have to turn the other cheek a little faster today or else they’d be dead way too soon. My wife and I was watching The Bette Davis movie, Jezebel, last week. One person challenged another to a duel. We had difficulty figuring out what the “offense” was it was so minor. The person who was supposed to win the duel lost.
That is a nice piece of ephemera.