The Sun.
London, England, 1838-06-18 00:00:00

OBSERVATIONS.

The flag was taken at the affray in the wood, and since there have
bern found in the wood the sword (sworn to as Courtenay's)` a leathern
haversack, the contents of which I gave on Sunday last, and amongst
them Wills's flute, and a quantity of matches; also a blue bag was pro-
duced before the coroner, found in the wood, containing a bag, 140 bul.
lets, and a large quantity of snatches.

Kent to wit —John Dunkin, of Faversham, waggoner to Mrs. Mus_
ton, on his oath saith, this 30th day of May, 1838, that yesterday, about
half.past eleven in the morning, I was carrying dung out of the yard, I
saw three or four persons go up to the bean-stack in my mistress's mea
dow ; one had a flag, and laid it down by the stack. I saw one of the
persons put his two hands to tilt:, bean_stack, and seemed to be putting
something in ; he looked towards me, as if to know whether I noticed
him; he then went round the stack; another man came round after him.
When they came to the flag and the other two, they took it up,
and returned, all together, to, the people in the oat-field. After they
were gone I went down to the stack, and at the spot where I thought
the man had put his his hand I found the match I now produce. I
went round the stack twice, but could find nothing but a bit of string—
that I gave to the thrasher. As soon as I found the match I took it
to Mrs. Luekhurst, and said to her, "it seems as if they had been putting
matches4nto the rick," and I showed her the match. The Mark of
JOHN DUNCAN

DUEL BETWEEN LORD CASTLE-
REAGH AND M. GERARD DE MELCY, THE
HUSBAND OF MADAME GRIST.

(From the Morning Post.)
In every case where a lady's name is brought before the public a cen-
sorious world is ready to believe that she is more or less in fault ; but we
are truly happy, before describing the particulars of this remarkable
duel, to say, that not one unkind word can be directed against the repu-
tation of Madame Grisi. She has been neither directly nor indirectly
compromised ; the hostile meeting took place before she was apprised
that any thing so unpleasant was in agitation ; and the last act of Lord
Castlereagh, before taking his ground, was to deliver a paper to the se-
conds, in which full justice was rendered to her. With these remarks,
which we do not think uncalled for by the particular case, we must in-
form our readers that the attention of Lord Castlereagh to Madame
Grisi had for some weeks attracted observation. He was ever foremost
from the omnibus-box in expressing his admiration of her acting and
singing, and in the society into which both were thrown he did not fail,
if possible, to engross her conversation. This attention might pass off
amid the bustle of a London season without special notice, if, in addi-
tion, the Noble Lord had not endeavoured to gain the eye of Madame
Grisi, by riding on horseback constantly before her house ; but this
freak, combined with all the other display, left his conduct without ex-
cuse, and exposed hint to the a uspicions which have led to a deplorable
result.

The husband of Madame Grisi, M. Gerard de Melcy, a French gen-
tleman of good family, is not a person to tolerate experiments of this
nature; and having reason to believe that the young Viscount medi-
tated something more decisive than making sweet eyes in public, or gal.
loping in Regent•street, took measures to stop them at the threshhold.
In consequence of his precautions a letter (on Tuesday or Wednesday
last, we are uncertain which) addressed by Lord Castlereagh to Madame
Grisi, came into his hands before it could reach the lady for whom it
was intended. The letter, happily for Madame Grisi and the futpfe re-
pose of her husband, bore internal evidence of her honour, for it was
the first declaration of a young man who affected to be desperately in
love, and had no reference to any encouragement given by her, or to
any circumstance which could touch her reputation.
M. de Melcy did not communicate the circumstance to his wife, but he
instantly went to the residence of the Noble Lord, with the intention of
demanding satisfaction. Lord Castlereagh was not in town, he was
at Ascot, M. de Melcy repeated his visit on the following day, but
his Lordship had not yet returned ; and then M. de Melcy, without
consulting with a friend, addressed a note to Lord Castlereagh, inform-
ing him that his letter was intercepted, and calling for the only repara.
tion that it was in the young Nobleman's power to give. Lord Castle-
reagh returned from Ascot on Friday, and, finding the card and letter
of H. de Melcy at his house,'lost not a moment in waiting on that gen-
tleman, and offering to give whatever satisfaction was required. He
commenced the observation by stating that he had not received the
most distant encouragement from Madame Grisi. He then expressed
his deep regret at the consequence of his imprudence, and in the most
handsome manner stated his readiness to snake whatever apology the
circumstances of the case called on him to give. M. de Melcy, in re-
ply, stated that an insult to his wife could not be settled by any verbal
excuse; that it could only be atoned for by a hostile meeting, and he
called on the Noble Lord to name a friend who would be prepared to act
on his behalf.

Lord Castlereagh, thus pleased, and fculing that as a man of honour,
nothing further in the shape of conciliation could be done, gave the
name of Mr. Bentinck, at White's Club, as the person in whose hands
his character would be placed. M. de Melcy lost no time in calling to
his aid a French gentleman, M. Cottreau, to whom he, for the first time,
opened all the circumstances of the case. M. Cottreau put himself
without delay into communication with Mr. Bentinck, and both these
gentlemen seeing as Men of the world that a reconciliation was impos-
sible, proceeded to settle the basis on which the hostile meeting should
take place. But at the very first step a difficulty presented itself arising
out of the difference which exists between the laws of duelling in France
and in England. In France the challenger or the person ag-
grieved has the right to choose time, place, and weapons, while
in England custom has given that privilege to the challenged.
M. Cottrcau, on behalf of his friend, was desirous that the
sword should be appealed to, while Mr. Bentinck was equally
anxious that pistols should decide the quarrel. Dt. Cottreau was not
disposed to yield until, being assured that Lord Castlereagh was not ac-
customed to swords, he waived that point., but still claimed his right of
fighting with the pistol in the manner that weapon is resorted to in
France. Our readers are aware that the French practice is to place the
antagonists at forty paces distance, and to give them the privilege of
walking up to fixed points eight paces from each other, and of firing
either before cr after arriving at those points. his M. Cottreau insisted
on in consideration of his abandonment of the sword ; but Mr. Bentinck
very properly told him that he could not answer for public opinion if a
duel so fought was attended with any fatal result, and he prayed M. Cot-
treau to agree to the old-fashioned English mode of equal chance, at
accompanied
thatct.tcpeo:itnedh,paci:o:s,. y
twelve paces distance. M. Cottreau struggled hard for his right, but he
agreed at length to submit himself to the customs of this country, and
he undertook, on behalf of M. de Macy, to fight with pistols, at the
wo 'd of command, at twelve pates.
These preliminaries being all arranged, the hour of meeting was
fixed for Saturday morning, at half_past four o'clock. Both the gentle-
men were in readiness; but, previous to that hour, another discussion
arose between the seconds as to the pistols that were to be used, when
It was, after a long debate, arranged that the parties should not use
those with which they had been accustomed to practise, and that two
pair should be taken at hazard front a gunshop. This circumstance
delayed some hours the proposed meeting, as it was impossible so early
in the morning to procure arms; anti it was not till ten o'clock that the
They were pia,ed at twelve paces distance, and instructed
principals were in a condition to take their ground.
words to be given were—" Gentlemen, are you ready ? Fire l"
At that hour they met at Wormwood Scrubbs, one surgeon being in
to the signal, Lord Castlereagh caused his second to deliver
d by the dropping of a handkerchief.
into the hands of M. Cottreau, with full permission to use it when and
how lie pleased, a paper signed by him, declarling in the most solemn
manner, on the word of a man perhaps about to appear before his
Creator in a few minutes, that Madame Grisi had not in the slightest
manner encouraged his attentions, that her conduct was in all respects
irreproachable, and that he had never received a letter from her or cor.
responded with her before. The word was then given and the signal
drapPe
d• They raised their pistols at the same instant. M. de ille:cy
carried his in a manner by which a surer aim is taken, but by which the
person is wholly exposed, while Lord Castlereagh bore his in that form
which gives some protection to the chest, but which s less effective in
attack. They fired at the same instant. Lord Castlereagh's ball did
no
while M. de Mcicy's passed -through his antagonist's
tight arm near the wrist, across the waistcoat, razing the skin of the
chest, and leaving a track of blood. The Noble Lord was staggered by
the blow, but in a second lie shook ()tithe faintness, and received the at-
tention o f his friends with composure. It was feared at first that he was
mortally wounded, as the train of blood amiss the chest was a for.
mit
lame symptom ; but it was soon found that though his wrist was
severely injured his life was not in the least endangered. Mott pro.
tae effect,
was saved by the position of his arm, for if the hand had been
directedbabiYhe
straight before him, the ball would have lodged in his breast.
As it was, he has received a very severe wound, which it is to he hoped
will be attended with no serious result. Mr. Bentinck, on seeing the
condition of Lord Castlereagh, declared that as his friend was wounded,
the affair could not be carried further. " Not for the present," added
M. de Melcy, who had left his ground to give assistance to his wounded
adversary. Mr Bentinck hoped that the matter would be altogether at
an end, for that the honour of M. de Mcicy was fully satisfied, and the
written declaration of Lord Castlereagh must be a sufficient vindication
of Madame Grisi. M. de Melcy said he was not desirous of carrying his
resentment any further. Lord Castlereagh was carried to the house of
a peasant, and these was attended by the surgeon who witnessed the
proceedings. Ito was removed to town in the course of the afternoon,
and was, when we last heard, going on as favourably as could be expected.

REPRESENTATION OF-GLASGOW.

GLASGOW REFORM ASSOCIATION —A meeting of the Association
was held on Thursday afternoon. 111 r. George Crawford, agent of Lord
William Bentinck at the last election, communicated a letter he had that
morning received from his Lordship, to the effect, that he had no inton_
tionof retiring from the representation of Glasgow at present. This
letter gave general satisfaction. And the Resolutions of the Association,
elsewhere published, will put an end, we should imagine, to all farther
electioneering movements in this quarter for some time.
GLASGOW REPRESENTATION.—HOGOOE to Lord William Bentinek !
He has declined to take a Peerage; preferring rather to serve the cal-
zensof Glasgow in the House of Commons. This is a rare instance of
public devotion to this or any other constituency. It is altogether un-
exampled, we believe in our day. Here is a distinguished man putting
aside the honours of the British Peerage—sacrificing an object which
men of " high degree" have ever been anxious to obtain ; and this he
has done at the expense of health and comfort, in order that he may still
dew to all his energies to his country's cause, in the place best fitted to
promote that cause, namely, in the Commons' House of Parliament.—
Reformers' Gazette.

dropped,
SUDDEN DEA T H.—Yesterday afternoon, about
half past five o'clock, Mr. William Clark, a gentleman well known in
the literary world by his various writings and general versatility of talent,
in the Ilampstead-road. The assistance of three medical gentlemen was
in a fit of appoptexy, on the first-floor landing-place of his house
promptly obtained, but their effot ts were nnavailing—he had expired in
the moment of his fall. The unfortunate gentleman had been walking
in the garden only a few minutes previous to his decease, in excellent
spirits,
and the enjoyment of apparently robust health. He has left a
widow and four young children to lament the loss of a kind husband and
an arfeetionate parent.
On Thursday last, as the Rev. Mr. Scoresby and
his Lady were driving, the horse suddenly started off at a very rapid
pace. The horse plunged into a shop window, causing great damage.
Mr. and Mrs. S. were both thrown out, but sustained no material injury.
The servant, who was also in the carriage, received a considerable hurt
in his kneef, and is now confined to his bed. The horse is severely and
dangerously Wounded, but yet living,— Western Times,