there were
no men better fitted than they to speak for Missouri on that momentous
occasion.

"But despite the modesty of his opening, Lyon was too much in earnest,
too zealous, too well informed on the subject, too aggressive, and too
fond of disputation to let Blair conduct the discussion on the part of
his Government. In half an hour it was he who was conducting it, holding
his own at every point against Jackson and Price, masters though they
were of Missouri politics, whose course they had been directing and
controlling for years, while he was only the Captain of an infantry
regiment on the Plains. He had not, however, been a mere soldier in
those days, but had been an earnest student of the very questions that
he was now discussing, and he comprehended the matter as well as any
man, and handled it in the soldierly way to which he had been bred,
using the sword to cut knots that he could not untie."

111

Really the interview soon became a parley between the two strong men who
were quickly to draw their swords upon one another. The talking men, the
men of discussion and appeal passed out, and the issue was in the hands
of the men who were soon to hurl the mighty weapons of war.

Jackson, who was a light, facile politician, used to moving public
assemblies which were already of his mind, had but little to say in
the hours of intense parley, but interjected from time to time with
parrot-like reiteration, that the United States troops must leave the
State and not enter it. "I will then disband my own troops and we shall
certainly have peace."

Blair, an incomparably stronger man, but still a politician and rather
accustomed to accomplishing results by speeches and arguments, soon felt
himself obscured by the mightier grasp and earnestness of Lyon, and took
little further part. There remained, then, the stern, portentous parley
between Lyon and Price, who weighed their words, intending to make every
one of them good by deadly blows. They looked into one another's eyes
with set wills, between which were the awful consequences of unsheathed
swords.

Gen. Price stated at some length his proposals, and claimed that he
had carried out his understanding with Gen. Harney in good faith, not
violating it one iota.

112

Gen. Lyon asked him sharply how that could be, according to Gen.
Harney's second proclamation in which he denounced the Military Bill as
unconstitutional and treasonable?

Gen. Price replied that