Peter Gautier was another prominent preacher-politician, and exercised his talents in the service of Clarke.  He was by birth an American, but his parents were French.  He was a bad man, but of eminent abilities, and exercised great influence in the western portion of the State.  After Pierce, he was the superior of all of his denomination as a pulpit orator; and in will and energy unequalled by any other.  Bold, unscrupulous, and passionate, he, regardless of his profession, mingled freely, at county musters and political barbecues, with the lowest and vilest of the community, using every art his genius suggested to inflame the mad passions of men already excited to frenzy.  In after life the viciousness and unscrupulousness of his nature overmastered his hypocrisy and burst out in acts of dishonesty and profanity, which disgraced and drove him from the State.  He sought security from public scorn in the wilds of Florida; but all restraint had given way, and very soon the innate perfidy of his nature manifested itself in all his conduct, and he was obliged to retire from Florida.  At that time Texas was the outlet for all such characters, and thither went Gautier, where he died.

Every means which talent and ingenuity could devise was put into requisition by both parties to secure their ascendency.  The men of abilities greatly preponderated in the Troup faction; and the pens of Cobb, Gumming, Wild, Grantland, Gilmer, and Foster were active in promoting the election of Troup, and thereby regaining the lost power of the old Crawford or Republican party.  Many young men of talent had espoused the Clarke faction, and, under the guidance of Dooly, Campbell, and Clarke, were doing yeomen’s work for the cause.  Among these was Charles J. McDonald, whose fine character and family influence rendered him conspicuously popular.  This popularity he retained to the end of his life.  It elevated him to the Gubernatorial chair, after serving in the United States Congress and for years upon the bench of the Superior Court.  His talents were not of the first order, but his honesty, sincerity, and goodness made him beloved.

Bartlett was struggling with all his energies to write up the administration and to defend the Governor against the fierce and reiterated attacks of the opposition.  About this period there appeared some articles in a paper in Augusta, Georgia, reflecting upon Mr. Crawford, in reply to several papers signed “C.,” which were written by Richard H. Wild, then a member of Congress from Georgia.  These articles were attributed to Colonel William Gumming, of Augusta, and “C.,” in reply, attacked him severely.  He was not a man to be badgered by an anonymous writer in a newspaper.  He demanded immediately of the editor the name of his correspondent, and that of George McDuffie, of South Carolina, was given.  A challenge ensued—­a meeting followed, in which McDuffie was seriously wounded, and which ultimately caused his death.  This affair increased the hatred