Star.
London, England, 1820-09-25 00:00:00

THE LATE BARON D'OMPTEDA AND

LIEUTEAA\T 110IVMAM:

" TO M. Tilt 14.101,4 D'OMPTZDA, MILAN.
" Sta—You wilt probably he surprised at my addressing you
front Aldan, and much more so when you hear the purport of
any arrival. It will undoubtedly, as it ought,mhock you to find
that your conduct toward; ber Royal Highness the Princess of
Wales has been discovered; and your most infamous and un-
manly return for every kindness you have hitherto received from
her is about to he published to the world. As an Englishman,
and as a grateful friend, at the service of ber Royal Highness,
I volinktarily step forward to demand Satisfaction of you for
such villainy; and I expect you will meet me to-morrow morn-
g at eight o'clock, at Barlassina (half-way to Como), there to
at%wer to this sacred charge against your honour, as a gentle-
man, and a man who has ever received the most marked hospi-
tality at the hands of the Princess, and who has committed the
Ere-nest act of hostility against the very first of virtues.
(S111"‘A) "JOSEPH ROB. HOWNAM.
" Milan, Hotel del Garnbaro, Saturday evening,
5 o'clock, Nov. '2, 1816."
"TO 311t1ITOWNAM, MILAN.

[Translatiot;.]
" Slit-it was indeed with surprise, as you remark, that I re-
ceived your letter. Little ac:ustomed to refuse a challenge,
pray believe that I readily accept that which you propose to me,
although I am too ignorant of the motives, so confidently as-
s gned in your letter, for it, to be able to answer them. The
aliscoveries which you are pleased to mention are utterly un-
known to me. With respect ta Madame the Princess of Wales,
I never gave her cause of offence: hospitality, and the laws of
which you declare yourself the champion, have not been vio-
lated by me. If I did not wholly refuse the frequent invi-
tations with which Madame the Princes: condescended to honour
me, it was rather that I might not appear wanting in the respect
due to her rank, and not for the purpose of abusing that con-
descension in a way that would justify you, Sit. sus to'-address
me. On the contrary, I availed myself of it discreetly, and
refused the proffered honour of accompanying her on her tour,
in order to avoid everything whicb might lead to delicate em-
barrassments. This indeed would require explmation, but that
I am tot disposed to give it you, Sir, aftet the peremptory
language in which you have thought fit to address me. If, up
to the present moment, I ought to consider the virtue and i
honour of Madame the Princess, to which your letter alludes,'
as infinitely too far removed from all suspicion to require a '
combat between yourself and me, it is for you, Sir, who say
you are her friend, and under obligations to her, to weigh the
consequences of so singular a contest. As, however, conform-
ably to th. laws of !armour, the right to fix the time and place
of rendezvous belongs to me, and not to you, I declare, that
with all the e .gerness which I feel to give you satisfaction, yet
your incongruous proposition of meeting you to-morrow at eight
o'clock, cal the high road to Como, cannot meet my concur-
rence; and as T suppose that you have made your arrangements
at your leisure, you will think it natural that I should make
mine. I, therefore, name Switzerland u a convenient place,
and upon this subject I will send my second, whom I expect
from the country. At the same time, I invite you, since you
are pleased to make this a national affair, also to bring with you
a gentleman of your own country, capable of testifying to what-
ever may cake place between us. The person who will appear
on my behalf will call upon you in two days at the latest, at
your resident. at the Gambaro, at Milan, or at Como, as may
best suit you. " The Baron FRANCIS D'OMPTEDA.
" Hotel de FEurape, Milan, Nov. 2, 1816."
" TO Si. THE SARAN D'OHTTILOA,

Sia—l have received your answer to my letter of this even-
ii:g, and am perfectly obedient to the laws of honour ; and since
it is not convenient for you to-morrow morning, I shall await
at Como the arrival of your friend (at that town), when, if he I
will write me a note, I will attend to it at any iun he may think
proper to name.
(Signed) "JOSEPH ROBERT HOWISTAM.
" Saturday night, 11 o'clock, Nov. 2, 1 816."
4' TO El. THE COE hT DE COVIENHOVEN, CHA'NEZILLAFE TO HIS MAJESTY
THE mimeos OF ACSTILLI, EOXXIOCDENT Of THE ORDER 01
MALTA, MILAN.
[Translation.]
" You are right, my dear friend, and I conform to your ad-
vice ; fix, therefore, the place of rendezvous, and the regulations
on which I insist. After the frivolous provocation of Mr. How-
nam, I have most clearly this right, for it is no less false than
ridiculous that he hrs any right to attack me, unless he proves
against me proc,edings insulting towards the Princess, or false-
bocxis resp,cting her. If the elevated station which she occu-
pies fixes upon her the attention of the Public, it is nor I who
direct opinion ; neither am I responsible for the effects of male-
volence, nor for .ill those embarrassments which never occur but

in proportion as they are provoked. And if lam ready to an-
swer before the tribunal of honour, it will not be because Mr.
llownam alone composes that tribunal. However, I have nei-
ther complaints to make against Madame the Princess, nor par-
ticular duties to fulfil towards her. What Mr. Hownam says
on this subject is as much misplaced as the spirit of hostility
which he imputes to me. lam hostile only in my own defence,
and this is the only reason why I have so readily accepted the
proposition of Mr. Ilownam. Make, therefore, all the neces-
sary arrangements. " The 821011 F. LEOMPTEDA.
" I%lilan, November 4, 1816."

" TO XIX. lIOWNAM, VILLA EST&
[Translation.]
" Sta—Your interview with my second not having led to a
precise result, I now inform you, that, in consequence of of
intimations which have reached N. the Governor Count de
Saurau, on the 4th of this month, at the Villa Este, on the sub
jtct of our duel, he has bound me, by my word of honour, not
to fight with you, either in this country or its neighbourhood,
and I must depart from hence. I have too good an opinion of
your principles, to doubt that you will regret this unheard-of
Indiscretion in an affair of honour, committed during the inter-
val of your provoking me to fight a duel, and the arrival of my
second to concert measures accordingly.
" I shall expect you at Manbeins, on the 6th December. I'
name that place, because it affords the facility of passing, in the
space of one hour, into the territories of four different Sovereigns. '
A man of honour will not suffer himself to be waited for there
in vain, and woe to bins who does not repair thither ! You will
find me at Adanheim on th^ 6th December, at the Hotel de
Mouton, and I shall also look for you there. To prevent any
mistake, you will also find my address at all the gates of the
tcnvo, .s well as a direction addressed to you at the post office,
to remain till called for. You will likewise write to me, if ne-
Tessary. (Signed) " The Baron F. D'OMPTEDA.
" Milan, November 6, 1816.

P.S. The Count de Coutenhoven has a copy of this letter
to convey to rm."

" TO X. CASALETTI, ETC'. VILLA EST&
[Translation.]
a Sit—Here is the last letter from Monsieur the Baron
D'Ompteda. You see that the affair is postponed by the com-
munication which Madame the Princess of Wales has made to
the Governor, Count de Saurau, on the subject of the duel The
re.ult of it has been, that I received an order to repair to his re-
sideme, where he forbade me, in severe terms, thenceforth to
stzddle in the affair. I presume, Sir, that you have had a simi-
lar intimation. With respect to the explanations which have
token place between us, I repeat, that the depositions of a ser-
ver: are not sufficient to have the least effect upon me, in pre-
judice of Monsieur the Baron d'Ompteda. Further, I learn,
that the Governor has taken up the business.
(Sigr.ed) " The Chevalier de COUTENIIOVEN."
" Nov:mber 6, 1816."