Jefferson Davis - Hothead

From a letter in 1856 Davis recounts a December 1847 "dispute" with Henry Foote. Davis at that time a Congressman - while Foote was the US Senator from Mississippi. Per Davis:

" In this City (Washington DC) I had a dispute with Foote over squatter sovereignty and for offensive language I crossed the room to where he was, and whipped him until I was pulled off. He started to leave the room, and stated he struck first. I went after him, called him a liar, and shaking my fist in his face, told him if he dared to say that again I would beat him to death. He was silent, and though a Cripple (with a war wound) I felt so superior to him, I turned around to leave him. At that time he struck me, whereupon I knocked him down, jumped on him, and commenced beating him when the Gentlemen pulled me off.

I then proposed to him to go to my room and lock the door. He asked me if I had coffee and pistols for two. I told him I had no coffee, but pistols. He said it was an unfair proposal. I thought he implied I would not give him a fair chance, and was about to jump him again, when he denied any such supposition. The friends present urged the matter to be dropped as a Christmas Frolic, and the matter was I supposed at an end.