rse-whipping, ducking
in a horse-pond, {67} fighting duels with him, or doing anything in an
honourable or even semi-honourable way to abate the nuisance. Nor did
they confine themselves to talk. On one occasion, before Howe became a
member of the House, a young fellow inflamed by drink mounted his horse
and rode down the street to the printing-office, with broadsword drawn,
declaring he would kill Howe. He rode up on the wooden sidewalk, and
commenced to smash the windows, at the same time calling on Howe to come
forth. Howe, hearing the clatter, rushed out. He had been working at
the case, and his trousers were bespattered with ink and his waistcoat
was only half buttoned. He appeared on the doorstep with bare head and
shirt-sleeves partly rolled up, just as he had been working, and took in
the situation at a glance. He did not delay a minute or say a word. His
big white face glowed with passion, and going up to the shouting creature
he caught him by the wrist, disarmed and unhorsed him, and threw him on
his back in a minute. Some years later another young man challenged Howe
to a duel. Howe went out, received his fire, and then fired in the air.
He was challenged afterwards by several others, but refused to go out
again. {68} And he was no coward. There was not a drop of coward's
blood in his body. Even a mob did not make him afraid. Once, when the
'young Ireland' party had inflamed the Halifax crowd against him, he
walked among them on election day as fearlessly as in the olden time when
they were all on his side. He knew that any moment a brickbat might
come, crushing in the back of his head, but his face was cheery as usual,
and his joke as ready. He fought as an Englishman fights: walking
straight up to his enemy, looking him full in the face, and keeping cool
as he hit from the shoulder with all his might. And when the fighting
was over, he wished it to be done with. 'And now, boys,' said he once to
a mob that had gathered at his door, 'if any of you has a stick, just
leave it in my porch for a keepsake.' With shouts of laughter the
shillelaghs came flying over the heads of the people in front till the
porch was filled. The pleasantry gave Howe a stock of fuel, and sent
away the mob disarmed and in good humour.

We can see the true resolve that was in such a man, but those who fought
hand to hand with him may be excused if they could not see it. He was
the enemy of their privileges, therefore