.11211 i DIV% TOW ANDA: , • scautba2 m ot iunp, /nip 28, issq,, :BEICION'S HISTORY. , rRAcr IRON BENTON'S " THIRTY TEARS lIWM ro TED STATES SENATE : ”.--IN COURSE OF FUEILIoi. 11'04 a MESSRS APPLETON.] 1610.—John Quincy Adams, President. :rt o . e . between Mr. Clay and Mr. Randolph. Ras Saturday, the first day of April , towards 0 . the Senate not being that day-in session, that Randolph came to my room at Brown's Hotel, olothout explaining the reason of the question) ineif 1 was the blood-relation of Mrs. Clay? , s srered that 1 was, and he immediately replied put an end to a request that he had wished .tnake of me. and then went on to tell me that he received a challenge trom Mr. Clay—had was ready to go out—and would! apply Ta:nalt to be his second. Before leaving, me tie would make my bottom the deposi a secret which he should commit to no oth -500 I: was, that he did not intend to fire at Oat fie told it to me because he wanted a ass of his intention, and did not mean to tell it second, or anybody else; and enjoined in -ecrecy until the duel was over Ttils was Cott notice l had of the affair. The circum .e. of the delivery of the 'challenge I had from rat Jewp Mr Clay's second, arid they were iiectly cliwictettelie 01 Kr___Raildolpti that I them in detail, and in the Generals own tras unable (0 Fee Mr Randolph until the •mng of the 1,1 of April, when I r•alled on him purpo,e of delivering lhe note Prey ious to on,!l , .hrv , ver, f thon4ht it proper to ascer -vn Randolph himself, .rhether the tutor ,lach Mr Clay had received—that he con oatnally accountable for the at- Mil „ w r , coriect. I accordingly Informed hat I was the bearer of a message - t run-equenee nt an atl.ck ”vhich 'MA u,,01) his pf 'vale well as public er al ;a , Sonale—thal 1 was aware 00 one lqueslifin him out of the Senate for ! , 1 Irby e. unless he chose volutitart. wivdeges as a member 01 that bo .llr I:alido!pti replied, that the conmitution bun. but he would never shield himself sacs a sub•eriuge as the pleading of his a senainr from Virginia; that he did hold .reroun , able to Air ,Clay ; but he said that en:an had Ins! two pledges io redeem—one, , ela3 bound himself to fight any member of Represeritalivo who acknow. rn.eit the author of a certain publication in .J, , !,6la paper; and the other that he stood :e,] e,tabllsh certain fame in regard to a great room .he would tint name ; but, he added, ;101,1 receive no verbal message from Mr Clay A a.,y from him most be in writing. that I was not authorized by Mr Cay to 14:0, or receive, any verbal ezplanataons— r Pc I had made for my own 'misfile :. a• ,d upon my own responsibility—that the On ', -easale of which I was the bearer, was in wri- I !,ea presented the note, and,remarked that ,a ea- ho,tlicig of Mr Clay's pledges ; but that if exi•wed as t* (Mr Randolph) understood em tat tie was aware of them when he made 'ea Ack c‘inplained of. he could not avail him• nem—;he. by making the attack, I thought a tat waived them himself. He said he had not intention of taking advantage of the 't%et rat' tred to—that he had mentioned them err 'a remind me that he was waiving his pri• ';e.riot only as a senator from Virginia, but asa to gentleman—that he was ready to respond • Clay. and would be obliged Id me if I would in note in reply—and that he would, in the le of the day, look out for a friend. I declined zthe bearer ol his note, but informed him my season tof declining was, that I thought he o himself to consult his friends before taking leplrant'a step. He seized my band, saying, oa are right. sir, I thank you for the suggesOon; is Au not take my note, you must not be )3•,r1 , if you should not hear from me to-day. ^k al only two Iriends, and there are etr L s ancericonnected with one them which may me of his service=, and the other is in bad wa.s sick yesterday, and may not be i a,,suaed hut that a ay reasonable time uliich raight final necessary ci take, would be satisrac- I took leave of hto ; and it is due to his .:nor 10 say, stint his earing was throughout the: of a hag .toned, chivalrous gen leman of the 0i,.1 school."' These were the circumstances of the delivery of challenge, and the only thing necessary to give Weir lull character is to recollect tbat, with prompt acceptanc e and positive refusal to es anti this extra cut about the two pledges,there a perfect determination not to fire at Mr. Clay. u ltetertnination rested on two grounds : first, I . :reuyiwillirpv i .. 4 to huri Mr Clay ; and, next. that re!urn the tire would be to an ." and would be an implied acknowledgement Ir Cray's tight no make him answer This he ]:ct do, neither by implication nor in words. :he rh:rit 01 any person to queelior' Senate for wools spoken within it. He ' a tii.nocho n between man and senator. As 1., ' hp !,ad a constitutional Immunity, given fpr s laurpue3. and which he would neither stir -tr nor compromise: as an individual he was "021ve satisfaction for what was deemed an / 11 " mould receive, but not return a fire. it touch as to ra) : Mr Clay may file at me /at tlas offended him :.I will not, by returi.ing admit has right to do so. This was a sub 141:iction, and that in a case of life and des., 4 :'t Very clear to the common intellect; but to k vidolpb both clear and convincing. His al e !edge'. unredeemed," wb ic.:l . . I .7 . '''l"'""<lieit°7-st-liitt• i 4 .. .. r PN,.,. 4 :0, . ;. ,-„;,--1' ;,:-:"". , 1 ;;;',...! - - • - i, Ivo' •-. t. ,. : .1 '""'' 4 ' ~, • , • h -. : ti -.. .1_ I i . 0 .. ! -, !. •! i , . .-. ! • , J, . . .... .. . .. BRA . .., ~...... ~ , ....„,:„......;....,,.,..,,,,.!...4.,... ; ....,...,..........,,. .„ ~,,. i, ~„,....4,.„,..._ ._,.....„ ......,..., .....,„. ~..,..,...„„„......, ~.....,, _ ...,. ~: , .....: . ::„.,..„.,..i,.0....„„..:„.....„,..,,................,....f.„...,......,.....0, , .t.,,,, ~... , . :, .. , .2_,....„,..„...,...„„....f.„...,..,,......... „.....4.,....:::...... ......., . . . might have plead in bar to Mr. Clay's challenge, and would not, waif another sarcastic cut at Mr. Adams and Mr. Clay, while rendering satisfaction ,for 'Cuts already given The " member of the House," Mr. Geo. Kremer, of Pennsylvania, who, at the time of the presidential election in the House of Representatives, bad avowed himself to be the author of an anonymous publication, the writer of which Mr. Clay had threatened to call to account if he would avow himeelf = and did not. The "great man" was President Adams, with whom Mr. Clay had had a newspaper controversy, involving a question of fact—which had been postponed. The cause of this sarcastic cut, and of all the keen per sonality in the Panama speech. was the belief that the President and Secretary, the latter especially, encouraged the newspapers in their interest, to at tack him, which they did incessantly; and he chose to overlook the editors and retaliate upon the in stigators, as he believed them to be. This be did to his heart's content in that speech—and to their great annoyance, as the coming of the challenge proved The " two friends" alluded to, were Col. Tatnall and myself, and the circumstances which might disqualify one of the two were those of my relationship to Mrs Clay. of which he did not know the degree, Whether of affinity or consanguinity— ' considering the first no obstacle, die other a com• plete bar to my appearing as his second—holding, as he did, with the tenacity of an Indian to the ob ligations of blood, and laying but liule stress on marriage connexions. His affable reception and courteous demeanor to Gen. Jesup were according to his high breeding, and the decorum which be longed to such occasions A duel in the circle to which he belonged was ‘, an affair of honor"; and high honor, according to its code, must pervade every part of it. General JeAup had come upon an unpleasant business. Mr. Randolph determined to put him at his ease; and did it so effectually as to charm him into admiration The whole plan of his conduct; down io contingent details, was cast in hi. mind instantly, as if by intuits:sn, and never de parted from The acceptance, the refusal to ex plain, the detertnival on riot to fire, the first and second choice of a friend and the circumstances which might disqualify one and delay the other, the additional cut, and the resolve to fall, if he fell, no the soil of Virginia— was all, to his mind, a sin gle emanation—the flash of an instant. He need ed no consultations, no deliberaticns, to:arrive at all these important conclusions. I dwell upon these small circumstances because they are characteris. tic, and shov; the man—a man who belongs to his tory and had his own history, and should be known as he was. That character can only be shown in his own comlucl—h is own words and acts : and ibis duel with Mr. C;uy illustrates it at many points. It is in that point of view that I dwell upon circum stances which might seem trivial, but which are not so, being illustrative of character and significant, to their smallest particulars: The acceptance of the challenge was in keeptng with the whole proceeding—prompt in the agree ment to meet, exact in protesting against the right to call him out, clear in the waiver of his constitu tional privilege, briehand cogent in presenting the case as one of some reprehension—the case of a member of an administration challenging a senator for words spoken in debate of that administration, and All in brief, terse, and superlatively decorous language. It lan thus: "Mr Randolph accepts the challenge of Mr. Clay; at the same tfme lie pro tests against the right of any minister of executive government of the United States to hold him respon sible for words spoken in debate, as a senator:lmm Virginia, in crirnination r f such minister, or the ad ministration under which he shall have taken office Colonel Tatnall, of Georgia, the bearer of this let-. ter, is authorized to arrange with General Jesup, (the bearer of Mr Clay's challenge) the terms of meeting to which Mr. Randolph is invited by that note." This protest which Mr. Randolph entered against the right of Mr. Clay to challenge him, led to an velanation between their mutual friends on that delicate point—a point which concerned the inde pendence of debate, the privileges of ilia Senate, the immunity of a member, and the sanciity . ol the constitution It was a point which Mr. Clay felt; and the explanation which was had between the mutual friends, presented an excuse, if not a justifi cation fur his proceeding. Ile had been informed that Mr. Randolph, in his speech, had avowed his responsibility to Mr. Clay, and waived his privilege —a thing which, it it had been done, would have been a defiance, and stood for an invitation to Mr. Clay to send a challenge . Mr Randolph, through Col. Tainall, d savOived that imputed avowal, and confined his waiver Of privilege, to the time of the delivery 01 the challetiO, and in answer to an in quiry below it Was delivered. The following ate the communications between the respective seconds on this point : In regard to the protest with which Mr. Ran dolph's note concluder, it is due to Mt. .Clay to say tbat he had been informed Ms Randolph did, and would, hold himself responsible toJiim for any ob servations be falai): make in in relation to him aid that I (General Jesup) distinctly understood .11 - OCLI Mr. Randolph, before I delivered the note of Mr Clay, that he waived his pri4dege as a see ator " • To this Ccl. Tatnall replied : ' "As ihis expreseion (did and would hold him self responbihle, Sc ) may be construed !i2 mews that Mr. Randolph had given this itittmation not on ly before called upon, but in such it Mariner as to throw nut to Mr. Clay something, Like an Invitation to make ruch a trait, I have,uii the pint of Mr. Ran dolph. to disavow any di...position, when expressing, his Lead meats to waive his privilege as a senator from Virginll,lollllole, 111 any alai, a oull, upou . tairi personal sului!iscliou the concluding paragraph of your none, 1 - pre..urne, Is intehded to show - merely that you did riot present a, note, such as that;Of Clay to Mr. Ragifolph, , unul You,hadascertaihed I willingness to waive. big .privilege as a seoator.— ells I iZer, s;I was to you: recol;cc:ion, t;:a;:!..o c.- r —stir:^..:,,::, .a/.r3v - 't e IMMIE PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT TOWANDA,, BRADFOiIi . O'hitak GOODRICH, ' ll4 I,LEOAROLIIPMS OF vsavarcuTtim rapt 41011;: ARTSIIP*-1. expression of such a readiness,-oni the part of bli Randolph, was in reply wan in on that point made by yourself." Thus an irritating circumstance in the affair was virtually negatived, and its offensive import wholly disavowed. For my part, Ido not believe that Mr. Randolph need such language In his speech. I have no recollection of having heard it. The pub lished repon of the speech, as taken down by the reporters, and not revised by the speaker, contains nothing of it. Such gasconade was foreign to Mr. Raneolph's character. - The amnion .was not one in which these son of defiance. are thrown out, which are either to purchase a cheap reputation when it is known they Will be despised, or to get an adtintage in a challenge when there is a design to kill. Mr. Randolph had none of these views with respect to Mr. Clay. He bad no desire to fight him, or to hart him, or gain cheap charac ter by appearing to bully him. He was above all that, and had . settled accounts with him in his speech, and wanted no more. Ido not believe it was said; but there was a part of the speech which might have received a wrong application, and led to the erroneous report—a.part which applied to a quoted passage in Mr. Adam's Panama message, which he conJemned and denounced, and dared the President and his friends to defend. His words were, as reported unrevised : Here I plant my tool ; here I fling defiance right into his (the Pre sident's) teeth; here I throw the gauntlet to him, and the bravest of his compeers, to come forward and defend these lines " Ste. A very palpablerde fiance this, bat very different from a summons to personal combat, and from what was related to Mr. Clay. It 4118 an unlortunate report, doubtless the effect of indistinct apprehension, and the more to be regretted as, after having been a main cause in inducing the challenge, the disavowal could not atop it. Thus the agreement for the meeting was abso lute; anctoiccording to the expectation of the prin cipals, the meeting itself would- be immediately; b'ut their seconds, from the most laudable leafing', determined to delay it, with the hope to prevent it—and did keep it oil a week, admitting me to a participation in the good work as being already privy Id the affair and friendly to both parties. The challenge stated no specific ground of offence— specified no exceptionable words. It was peremp tory and general, for an "unprovoked attack on his (Mr. Clay's) character," and it dispensed with ex planations by alleging that the notoriety and indis putable existence/of the injury superseded the ne ' cessity . lor . thetZ Of course this demand was bot tomed on a report of the words spoken—a verbal report—the full daily publication of the debates having not then begun—and was of a character greatly to exasperate Mr. Clay. It stated that in the course okhe debate Mr. Randolph said, "That a letter from General Salazar, the Mexican minis ter at Washington, submitted by the Executive to the Senate, bore the ear-mark of having been man ufactured or forged by the Secretary of State, and denounced the administration as a corrupt coalition between the puritan and black-leg; and added at the same time, that he Mr. Randolph) held him• self personally responsible for all that ha bad said." This was the report to Mr. Glay,"and upon which he gave the'abeolute challenge, and received the ab solute acceptance, which shut out all inquiry be. tween the principals into the causes of the quarrel. The seconds determined to open it, and to attempt an accommodation, or a peaceable determination of the difficulty. In consequence, Gen Jesup sta led the complaint in a note to Col. Tatnall thus: " The in,ury of which Mr. Clay complains con sists in this : that Mr. Randolph has charged him with having forged or , manufactured a raper con nected with the Panama mission; also, that he has applied to him in debate the epithet of black leg The explanation which I consider necessary is, that Mr. Randolph declare that he had no intention of charging Mr. Clay, either in his public or private capacity, with forging or faleifyir g any paper, or misrepresenting any fact; and also, that the term black leg was not intended to apply to him." To this exposition of the grounds of the complaint, Col. Tatnall answered : " Mr. Randolph informs me that the words used by him in debate were as follows: " That I thought it would be in my power to show evidence sufficiently presumptive - to satisfy a Char lotte (county) jury, that this invitation was maim lammed here—that Salazar's letter struck me as bearing a strong likeness in point of style to the other papers 1 did not undertake to prove this, but expressed my suspicion that the tact was so. I applied to the administration the epithet, puritan ie.-diplomatic-black-legged admMiatration." Mr. Randolph, in giving these words as those uttered by him in eebate, is unwilling to afford any expla nation as to their meaning and application." In this answer Mr. Randolph remained upon his on &al grour.d of refusing to answer out of the Sen ate for words spoken within it ! lit other respects the statement Mille words actually , spoken greatly amelimated the offensive , report, the coarse and insulting words, "forging and falsifying" being dis avowed, as in fact they were not Used, and are not to be found in the published report. The speech was a bitter philippic and intended to be so, liking I op point the alleged coalition between Mr Clay and Mr. Adams with respect to the election, and their ettinii to gee up a popular question contrary to our policy of non entanglement with foreign na tions, in sending ministers to the et:ingress of the Ante' man states of Spagish origin at the isthmue of Panama. I heard it all, and. though sharp and cut tiug, I think it might have been heard without arty noani:evtation of resentment by Mr Clay. The part which he took so seriously to heart, that of having the Panama invitations manulactured in his office, was to my mind_uetbing more than altribut. ing to him a diplomat* superiority whit* enabled him to obtain from the South American ministers the invitations that be wanted; and nor et all that they sere 'speckle abriestione: atti . 1114. - . preseion, 11 11/44,Fts pre; purikes,"7a.'.was ii*tily Farusam t.) sti:ke by at. 'ss ;0 aid which, being = t. ' without foundation, might have . been di c srirmled. rpreeented these views to th e patties,!and 0 the'Y had Come from Randolph might have been sufficient, bat be was inexorable and would not aothorize sword to be said beyond what he had written.' AU hopes of aecomodation having vanished, the seconds proceeded to arrange the duel. The af ternoon of Saturday, the Bth of April, was fixed upon for the time-.the right bank. of the Potomac, within the state of Virginia, atitiie the Little Falls bridge was the place, pistols-the weapons, distance ten paces.-each party to be attended by two sec onds and a surgeon, and m 3 sell at liberty to attend as a mutual friend. There was to hello practising with pistols, and there was none ; and the words "one," " two," " three," " atop," after the word "fire," were, by agreethent between the seconds, and for the humane purpose of reducing the result as near as possible to chance, to be given out in quick succession. -The Virginia side of the Poto mac was taken at the instance of Mr. Randolph.— He went oat as a Virginia senator, refusing to com promise that character, and it be fell in defence of its rights, Virginia Soil was to him the chosen ground to receive his blood. There was a statute of the state against duellnig with her ; but as he merely went oat to receive a fire without re• turning it, he deemed that no fighting, and conse quently no breach of her statute. This season for choosing Virginia could only be explained to me, as I alone was depository of his secret. The week's delay which the seconds had contrived was about expiring. It was Friday evening, or rather night, when I went to see Mr. Clay for the last time be. fore the duel. There had been some alienation be tween us nee the time of the presidential elec.- lion in tMouse of Representatives, and I wished to give evidence that there was nothing personal in it. The family wore in the parlor-company pres ent—and some of it stayed late. The youngest child, I believe James, went to sleep on the Gola— n circumstance which availed me for a purpose the next day. Mrs. Clay was, as always, since the death of her daughters, the picture of desolanon, but calm, conversible, and without the slightest ap parent consciousness of the impending event When all were gone, and she also had left the par. lor, I did what I came fur, and said to Mr. Clay that, notwithstanding our late political differences, me personal feelings towards him were the same as formerly, and that, in whatever concerned his life or honor, my beat wishes were with him He expressed his gratification at the visit and the dec. laration, and said it was what he would have ex pected of me. We parted at midnight. Saturday, the Bth of April—the day for the duel —had come, and almost the hour. It was noon, and the meeting was to take place at 93 o'clock I had gone to see Randolph before the hour, and for a purpose; and, besides, it was so far on the way, as he lived ball way to Georgetown, and we had to pass through that to cross the Potomac into Virginia at the Little Falls Bridge. I hod heard nothing from bim on the point of not returning the fire since the first communication to that effect, eight days before. 1 had no reason to doubt the steadiness of his determination; but felt a desire to have some fresh assurance of it after so many days' delay, and so near approach of the trying mo ment. I knew it would not do to ask him the question—any question which would imply a doubt 01 his word His sensitive feelings would be hurt and annoyed at it. So I fell upon a scheme to get at the inquiry without seeming to make it. I told him of my visit to Mr: Clay the night before—of the late sitting—the child asleep—the unconscious tran quili'y of Mrs. Clay ; and added, I could not help reflecting how different all that might be the next night. He understood me perfectly, and immedi ately said, with a quietude of look and expression which seemed to rebuke an unworthy. doubt, " shall do nothing to disturb the sleep of the child or the repose rjihe mother," and went on with his employ ment—his seconds being engaged in their prepare lions in a different room, which was making codi cils to his will, all in the way of remembrance to friends; the bequests slight in value, but myelin ble in tenderness of feeling and beauty of express ion, and always appropriate to the receiver. To Mr. Macon he gave sonic English shillings, to keep the game when he played whist His namesake, John Randolph Bryan, then at school in Baltimore, and since married to his niece, was sent for .o see him, but sent off before the hour for going out, to gave the boy from a possible shock at seeing him brought back. He wanted some gold—ghat coin not being then in circulation, and only to be obtain ed by favor or purchase—and sent his fal://illi mat,, Johnny, to the United States Branch Bank to get a few pieces—American being the kind asked fur Johnny returned without the gold, and delivered the excuse that the bank bad none. Instantly his clear silver-toned voice was beard above is natur• al pitch, enclaiming: " Their name is legion l— and they ate liars from the beginning. Johnny bring me my horse.", His own saddled-horse was brought him—for he never rode Johnny's, nor John ny hie , though both, and all his hundred horses, were of the finest English blood—and rode oil to the bank down Pennsylvania avenue, now Corcoran & Rigg's--Johnny following, as always, forty paces behind. Arriving at the bank, this scene, accor ding to my informant took place. " Mr. Randolph asked for the state of his account, was shown and found to b,ome four thousan I dollars in his laver. He *shakier it. The teller took, up pack ages of bills, and at asked , in what sized notes he would have it. r 4. I want moneyr said Mr. Randolph, potting emphasis on the w ord; , and at that time required a bold man to intimeie,. that United Status Bank notes were not money. The -Loney, beginning to understand him," and willing to make nitre, said, inquiringly; " , you etall . silver 7" ",larnat,utty.sponex.l" tbe i Theo the, tenet boxei , is coupler , Bald foliqtY Have, you ".caN I*..Bantlolph e ,4? rat iljp!l - pcisinesh*:! spill he.. Bi_glat 061 e the attention oldie cashier (Mr. Richard Smith) t~ was attrac.ed to what Was going on , mite' up, Grid understanding the question, and its cause, told iff, Randolph there was a mistake in the,answer given to his servant—that they bed gnftl,,.and be should hove wrist he wanted. In Ism, he bad entrapp ed for a law pieces, which' he wanted tbr e special purpose. This brought about a coteptimise.' The pieces of gold were received—the cart end the sil ver dispensed with; bit the account is the bank was closed, and a check taken for the amount on New York. He returned and delivered me a sealed paper which warm open if he Was killed "---give back to him if be' was not; aleoopen slip, which I was to read before Igot to the ground. This slip was a request loud in' his lett breeches pocket, if he was killed, and find so many pieces of gold—l believe nine—tike three lormyself, and give the same number to Tatnall and • Hamilton each, to make seals to wear in remembrance of him. We were ail three at Mr. Raniftilpfa's lode. mg.% then, and WOO sat eat--Mr. Randolph and his seconds in a carriage, 1 following him on horse. back. I have already said that the count was to be quick after giving the word " tire,.' and for a rea son which could not be told tc the principals. To Mr Randolph, who did not mean whits, and who, though agreeing to be shot at, had no desire to be hit, this rapidity of counting out the time, and quick arrival at the command stop," presented no ob jection. With Mr. Clay it was different. With him it was all a real transaction, and gave rise for some proposal for more deliberateness in counting off the time ; which, being communicated to Col. Tatnall, and by him to Mc. Randolph, had an ill effect upon his feeling., and aided by an untoward accident un the ground, unsettled for a moment the noble determination which be had formed not to fire at Mr. Clay. I now give the words of General Jesup : " When I repeat to Mr. Clay the r %void' in the manner in which it would bi-given, he ex pressed some apprehension that, as he was not ay. , costomed to the use of the pistol, he might not be able to fire within the time, and for that reason alone de,ired that it might be prolonged. I men tioned to Col. Tatnall the desire of Mr Clay. lie replied : If you insist upon it, the time must be prolonged, but 1 should very much regret it." . I in formed hint I did not insist upon prolonging the time, andi was acre Mr. Clay would acquiesce.— The original agreement was carried oni !" I knew nothing of this until it wasitoo law to speak with seconds or principals. 1 had crossed Little Falls bridge just alter them, and came to the place where the seri ants and carriage had stopp ed. I saw one of the gentlemen, and supposed they had all gone to the spot where the ground, was being marked on; but on speaking to Johnny, Mr. Randolph, a ho was still in his carriage and beard my voice, looked out from the wintloW and said to me : " Colonel, since I saw you, and since! have been in this carriage, I have heard somethin g which may make me change my ifeterminatwn.;— Col Hamilton will givei yop a note which will ex plain it." Col. Hamilton was thetrin the carriage, and gave me the note, in the cowers of the evening of which Mr. Randolph spoke. I .eadily comprit hended that this possible change of determination relating to his sight; but the emphasis with which he pronounced the word may,' clearly showed that his mind was undecided, and left itiloubtful wheth er he would fire or riot. No further conversation took place between us ; the preparations fur the duel were finished ; the patties went to their pla ces ; and I went forward to a piece of rising ground, horn which I could see what passed and hear what was said The faidiful Johnny followed me close, speaking not a word, but evincing the the deepest anxiety for his beloved master The place watt it trick forest, and the immediate spot a little degree. sron where the parties stood. The. principals salut ed each other courteously as they took dusk stands Col. Tatnall had won the choice of position, which gave Gen. Jessup the delivery of the word. They stood on a fine east and west—a small stump just behind Mr Clay; a low gravelly bank rose just behind Mr. Randolph This latter asked Gen Jes. sup to repeat the word as he would give it ; and while in the act of doing so, and Mr. Randolph adjusting the butt of his pistol to his hand the muz zle pointing downwards, and almost to the ground, it fired. Instantly Mr Randolph tamed to Colonel Tatnall, and said : " I protested against that hair trigger." Col. Tatnall took blame to himself fur having 'prong the hair. Mr. Clay had not then re ceived his pistol. Mr. Johnson, ,(Josiah,) one 01 his seconds, was carying it to him, and still several steps from him. This untimely fire, though clear ly an accident, neceggibrily gave rise s to sortie re marks, and a species of inquiry, which was con ducted with the utmost delicacy, but which, in it self, was of a nature to be inexpressibly painful to a gentleman's feelings. Mr. Clay stopped it with the generous remark that the tire was clearly an accident, and lit was so unanimously declared.— Another pistol was immediately furnished; any an exchange of shots took place, and, happily, with out effect upon the persons. Mr. Randolph's bullet struck thestump behind Mr. Clay, and Mr. Clay's knocked up the earth and gravel behind Mt Ran dolpb, and in a line level of his hips, both bullets having gone so true and close that it was a marvel how they missed. The moment had come for me to interpose. I wentin among the parties and of fered my mediation; but nothing could be done— Mr. Clay said, with a waive' of the hand with andel' he was accustomed to put away a trifte," 7his to play!" and re4aiterranothe Ran dolph also demanded another fire. - The„leaonds was directed to re-load. While !his ,wintdpiN I. prevailed.on Mr- ileAulalfth to .wait 10 410 0 IR- 4 4 8 , post, and renewed to him manapreasinglythan or, my importopitzes,to yieldio,,some,:accpmoda: tion; but I ' Wind thes r utoratimetibillea theta - bad! ever seen him, and for the first time impatitakiithi' seentinglyithtidyedibid dittiatiafteid whail-was: doini: - "l#e was The accidental flielifhleplOol4tVetl: i4Peocrhiy, feelirss. He was doubly chagrined at ft, butli is T4i4 it)f - t 1 ( 2 4 ;."; - - 4:45p0 - 111 4 3 4%-,i-E.ll-4 - 7917 h 11: 4-44 II ME :tx !a:~: NM= =I QM a Liscur lance susceptible iti ascii of an eolith tn terpretatioo, and as having, been the immediate and conftoliing eaose of his thing at Mr. Clay. lie regreted this fire the instant it was over. Ile felt that it had subjected bim to trout which he knew-himself to be Iree—a deaf's, to kill Mr. Clay, and a contempt for the laws of his beloved state ; and then annityinces which he felt at them veiatione circumstances revived his original deter minailons and decided him irrevocably to carry it out. ft was in this interval that he Cold me - Whit be had heard since we parted, and to which we allad. ed when be spoke to me from the window of the carriage. It was to this effect : Thai be had been informed by Col. Tatnall, that it was proposed to give trot the words with more deliberateness, 40 as ro prolong the time for taking aim. The infor mation grated harshly upon his feelings. It onset , ded his purpose, and brought his mind to thei ,in quiry (as hemow told me, and as I found express. ed in the note which he had immediately writtstka in pencil to apprize me of his possible change,) whether, critter these circumstances, he Might nut " disable - his adveisary 1 This note is so character. istic and such an essential part of this Whir, that I here give its very words; so far as it relates - tothis point. ft Mn them ; " Information received Iron) Col. Tatnall since got into the carriage may induce me to change my mind,. of not returning Mr. Clay's fire. I seek not hie death. I would not have his blood upon Chin hands—it will not be upon my soul if shed in sell defence—tor the world. He has determined, by the use of a long, preparatory caution by words, to to get time to kill me. May I not, then, disable him f Yes if I please." It has been seen by the statement of Gen. Jesup, already given, that this " information.' was a mis apprebenioni that Mr Clay hail not applied for a prolongation of time for the purpose of geting sure aim, tot only to enable his familiar with the pistol, to file %%Li t.i the ;. in it e d time; that there was no par lon;r6ii.n, to h ci, ei ther granted or insisted urn' hit hr was in doubt and Gen. Jesup having won the word, he tt as hat ing him repeat it in the way Le t• a. :c ;it e it cut, when his finger touched the ban- Hot': nr.• fortunate that I did not know of this in time tar speak to Gen. Jesup, when one word from hint would have set all tight, and saved. ihe imminent tisk incurred. This inquiry, r May I not disable bent" was still on Mr. Randulptee mind, anti de penitent lot its strinfion on the rising incidents of the moment, when the accidental fire of hispistol gave the turn to his feelings which solved the doubt— But hedeclared to me that he hadnot aimed at the life of Mr Clay ; that he did not level as high as the knee—not higher than the knee•band, " for it was no merry to shoot a man in the knee ;" that his only object was to disable. him, and spoil his aim. And then added, with ebeauty of expression and a depth of feeling which nn sitidied oratory can ever attain, and which I shall never lorget, space impressive words: "1 mould not hare sun him fall mortally or even rfatibtfully trot/sided, for all the land that is watered by the King of Floods and all his tri butary streams." He left to resume his post, utter ly refusing to explain out of the Senate, anything that he had said in it, and with the positive declar ation that he would not retuin the next fire. I with ? drew a littleway into the woods, and kept my eyes fixed upon Mr. Randolph, who I then knew to be the only.orie in danger. I saw him receive the tire of Mr. Clay, saw the gravel knocked up lathe same place, saw Mr. Randolph raise his pistol-- discharges it into the air—heard him say, " I do trot fired you, Mr. Clay''—and immediately advancing, pod offering his hand. He was met au the same spirit. They met half way, shook hands, Mr. Ra ndolph saying jocosely, " /0// otre me a coat, Mr. Clay"—(the bullet had passed through the skirt of the coat, very near the hip)—to which Mr Clay pomptly and happily replied, " lam glad the debt is no greater." I ha.t come up, and was prompt to proclaim what I had been obliged to keep secret for eight days. The iny of all was extreme at this happy tenumation of a most mit cal affair, and we immediately lett, with lighter hearts han we bro't. I stopped to sap with Mr. Ramlnlph and his friends —none of as wanted dinner that day—and had a characteristic time of it.' A runner came in from the batik „to say that they had over paid him, by mistake, Sl.lo that day. lie answered, " I believe it is year rule not to canal mi..t-tiv.s except al the time ; and at yoar.counter. o And with that answer the runner had to retam. When gone, Mr. Ran dolph said,. "1 trill pay it tot Mond-ry ; people maNt W Ames', if bank, are not." lie asked.tor the seal ed paper he hart given me, opened it, took out a check for •fit Ono, drawn in my favor, and with which I was requester/ in have him caroled, if kill ed. to Virginia,. and buried under his patrimonial oaks—not let him be buried at Ws-hin.rl o , 4 w i t h an hundred hacks aver him. He ini.k tite,tiltl from his left breeches prickei, in us. (Hamilton, 'Fantail arid I,) " Geurlerneti, Clay's bad shooting shan't rob you of your-seals. I am going to Lon don, and will have them made fur yott,'' which he did, and mostebarameristwaLly, an far as mine was concerned. He went to the herald's office tn Lon don, and inquired fur-the Benton family, of which I bad often told him there max nope, as we only dated on that side from my grandfather in Nonh I Carolina. But name waslounti, and with it a coatof arms—among the quarterings a lion rams pant. That isthe family, sad lie ; avid had the arms engraved on thermal, the Paine which I have since habitually worn , and added nie uvula, Fuchs non i verbis .of wlntth he was anerwaoi. accustomed to say,rlte non should be cha 'igen into rl. Put, enough. run into these details. not tue.t !y t o relate an 'eseent,.but io show cliatauter ; and it I have not done nOI6IIEII for wantof Material, but to ability louse it. On Monday the partiesexclianged cards, and so. cial relations were formally and courteously minor. ed. It was about the lett_ high-toned duel it gi have.witneysed, and among the ,highest,Wne,ju nti hisii 'tor •witnessiok i lml so haPPily,i4ndired to issue a numlt'due ambits sham tilit of the seionds'as way as to the erierous awl tititaio!olsirbt (her 'Cisitielly duelli ng 11..64 4k.fiiien dorii•butloot trios es WI is it. date ; thotiteyolie4,'tisivie kthvet, black gdardiommid'ittreet• assasspiition . Under the pretext of sell-defence, . ,r a.. ! , v MEE MIME • ?•SZt;rlVMf ZII2=EISZ.Z . ,
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