the crowd upon the street.

Governor Poindexter found at Natchez, and a few other localities,
strong opposition from the Federal party, then constituted almost
entirely of emigrants from Western Pennsylvania, with a sprinkling from
the more Eastern States. The party was small, but made up for this
deficiency in numbers with zeal and violence. As with all heated and
hating partisans, their malevolence was principally directed toward the
leaders of the opposing party.

Poindexter was the acknowledged leader of the Republican or
Jeffersonian party, and concentrated on himself the hatred of one and
the adoration of the other party. His triumphs were complete and
overwhelming in every election. He was not scrupulous in the use of
terms when speaking of his enemies. These anathemas, darting in the
caustic wit and voluble sarcasm so peculiarly his, went to the mark,
and kindled hatred into fury. It was determined to get rid of him. His
denunciations of Abijah Hunt, a prominent merchant and leading
Federalist, being more pointed and personal than toward any other, it
seemed incumbent on him to challenge Poindexter to mortal combat--an
arbitrament for the settlement of personal difficulties more frequently
resorted to at that period than at the present time. They met, and Hunt
was killed. But such was the violence of feeling with his party
friends, that they were determined Poindexter should not escape
unscathed, and he was denounced as having fired before the word agreed
upon in the terms of the conflict were fully enunciated. This, however,
effected but little, and he continued the idol of his party.

Unfortunately, that bane of genius, dissipation, was poisoning his
habits and undermining his reputation. It seems that exalted genius
feeds upon excitement, and in some shape must have it. The excitement
of active business at the Bar or in the halls of legislation must of
necessity be temporary, and the relaxation which follows this is
terrible to the excitable temperament of ardent genius. It craves
restlessly its natural food, and in the absence of all others, it seeks
for this in the intoxicating bowl or the gaming-table. How many
brilliant examples of this fatal fact does memory call up from the
untimely grave? These, culled from my seniors when I was a youth, from
my compeers in early manhood, from the youth I have seen grow up about
me, make a host whose usefulness has been lost to the world. Well may
the poet sing in m