"_Second_. Position: A plank ten feet long, and from nine to twelve
inches broad, to be firmly fixed on edge, 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 from the plank, and the passing of his own
such line by either party during the fight shall be deemed a surrender
of the contest."
The two seconds met, and, with great unction, pledged "our honor to each
other that we would endeavor to settle the matter amicably," but
persistently higgled over points till publicity and arrests seemed
imminent. Procuring the necessary broadswords, all parties then hurried
away to an island in the Mississippi River opposite Alton, where, long
before the planks were set on edge or the swords drawn, mutual friends
took the case out of the hands of the seconds and declared an
adjustment. The terms of the fight as written by Mr. Lincoln show
plainly enough that in his judgment it was to be treated as a farce, and
would never proceed beyond "preliminaries." There, of course, ensued the
usual very bellicose after-discussion in the newspapers, with additional
challenges between the seconds about the proper etiquette of such
farces, all resulting only in the shedding of much ink and furnishing
Springfield with topics of lively conversation for a month.
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