The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1822-10-14
wM CUMMING
The CONNER Posting.
TO THE PUBLIC.

him that would meet him on no o;her !;
he actually refused to nee, me undef
false Dretence, and claimed delay to
which he was not entitled. am perfect
iy convinced, that from inquiries which
no gentleman would make, he ascertain
ec my mode of shooting, and refused TO
meet me until he could obtain further time
to practice. have seen col. Cumming
on the ground Of coluba, 6racing his cow-
ardiy nerves by artificial s.iriatanfs,
know him to be coward, who, mas been
driven only by desperation to the course
he has pursued, and am satisfied that he
will not meet any man unless he suppose
he has decided advantage in the combat.
Signed, GEO. M'DUFFlE.
TO THE PUBLIC.
The unexpected and extraordinary
terminationof the affair between colonel
Cumming and myself, and his subsequent
conduct, impose upon me the neccssit y
Ito which i reluctantly yield) of making
brief exposition of the facts and cir
cums,ances, connected with our recent
excursion to the mountains. 1t was
known tn the public that had received
an invitation from Col Comming, carly
IN July, and that was to inform hun
when the state of my health would ena>
bic me to comply with il. -Four or five
days previous to The 18Th of August, he
was informed tina, would meet him on
the day last mentioned, in Georgia, oppo>
site TO Camble,on, TO comply with the
invitation had received was inform.
ed that meeting could not take place in
Georgia. To avoid the delay OF a nego.
ii;ion on the subject, Immediately waiv
ed ny right TO Insist upon the place thus
selected; indeed, the reason given by
Colonel Cumming. for refusing 10 fight
10 Georgia, presented claim upon my
iloeraiity which did not fee. disposed 10
resist. Our friends met the ! Sth of Au
gust. and ii was stipulated tina. we should
meet on Monday, % September, in Noitn
Carolina, near the spot where the Sallda
Turnpike road crosses the line, separat-
ing that stale from South Carolina. -Four
o FIVE days before The meeting was 20
take place, both parties took lodgings, ON
opposite sides OF the line, and two miles
and half distant from il Colonel Cum
ming and his friend being ON The Notln
Carolina side. On the Friday preceding
the day Of meeting Coionel Cumming
was arrested by vir,ae of warrant, is
suec without any Oath, information, OF
evidence, AID upon pledging his honor
and perhaps some security, that he would
not leave Mr. Murray's (whcre he s,aid)
untilthc next day at four o'clock, he was
immediately set al liberty. The mex,
day three magistrates met at Mr.. Muir
rays and promptly gave him full an d
final discharge, a. there was no evidence
to warrant his detention. AT the first con-
ference between our friends after tae az.
rest, authorized mine to propose tina,
we should meet on Monday agreeably 10
the original appointment, standing on op
poslte sides OF the fine; that would give
Col. Cumming the choice Of sides This
proposition was rejected, upon'the alleg>
ee ground that ii would be I'm practicable
as the line would be guarded by The civil
authority. vi
On The first September,my friend made
the three following propositions in writ.
ing, giving Colonel &. his choice. 1. To
meet al some other point in North Caro-.
lima. Q. TO meet in Tennessee or 8.
10 meet IN Georgia, "with the utmost
dispatch and secrecy" 1t was not until
next day that We received an answer, de-
Ginning 10 select either place because, as
e lionel Cummings freud stated, he was
not ''sufiicieDtly acquainted with the To-
coities OF Tennessee or the other parts OF
North Carolina" aud proposing to "1e>
wise means of obtaining the necessary in
telligence" Of the localities i, is presum-
ed Believing that ten PAGES Of level
ground in straight line could be obtain
ed without Typographical survey, and
being indisposed to spend time unccessa-
riy In "obtaining intelligence" my friend
urged Colonel Cummings to make his
selectioi promptly. This was declined
by an evasive letter containing PROPOSE.
tons ofthe utmost generality, and intiicat-
ing much stronger inclination for dip.
lomacy than Tor fighting. In the mean.
tine, we had received unques:ionsble in.
formation that no efforts would be made
to prevent the meeting at the place origi-
na!!y designated, and that the meeting
might have taken place at any time ate,
Colonel Cummings discharge. My friend
then announced that the meeting would
take place on "Wednesday, fmore than