The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1822-10-21
MONDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 81, 1922

/ spoken OF II is trte IN CERTAIN sIalehen.s
but Of late, the wrf.d receives such do
| cuments rather daily and has wicked
| dispositian TO snsnkct, that your hero by
affidavit is a very Innocent kind OF person.
He and his fri4i,ls so fatty contradict
ed both themselvse, and each other, thai
| it was difficult 10 ascertain the precise
nature of his wouIt.. incline 10 the o.
piDion. that he inflated certain polite
it,le animal of ops woods, which tails
| and lies still at the Slightest blow, wisely
| considering il more e2pedient 10 seem
dead, than run the risk of being so in
fact Whether this was SO or not, had he
deported himself with the silent hunili-
! ty that became his retreat from such a
field, might have been content. But
scarcely was ne scored Against the dan.
ger Of second shot, by MS tragic dem
constructions, when letters were written to
Charleston, whose publication was pro-
badly both expected and desired These
represented his wound in such manner
that their Obvious tendency, ii not de
sign, was TO impress the public with .
beliefthat had been very easily satisfied,
A small but industriosts pack OF yeipiug
| ours raised correspondent cry. One
day we were sootlied by hearing that he
| could stand alone the next, he paced
the floor with steps a proper emphasis
and cadence and soon, the renovated
knight had again vaulled into his saddle.
A sapient parsonage even discovered,
that my ball after penetrating, had actu
ally rebounded and gone into the sand, 10
1. -, hrDnC,a'c
Indeed, If the reports of his bodily con
ditiop we're to be credited, his letter at
The Ferry might have been copied from
that of Francis, q, Pavia, with the allera
lion OF q single word--he could have
said ssaIl is SqG but onr honor As
GROWING impertinence certain editors,
or their correspondents, informed US,
that both parties had been as fearlessly
brave, and exquisitely polite, as two che
walters of romance IN short, that Nj.
McDufIie was a very c.ever fellow, and
col. Cumming was very clever fellow
too Now if any thing is absolutely in
toiera,,le Co a man of honor, j; IS 10 sec
his name coupled with that Of potroon,
in this compulsory fellowship, of impu-
dent fasehood and mRwkish flauery. |
determined not to endure il, and gave
the public an authentic account of the in-
terview. Except the concluding expires
sion of my opinion, it was perfectly dry
narrative which has not even been cons
tradicted in any particular of importance
I would not suffer the generosity of ns
brave friend, 20 assume this duty Of mar
ration; because it necessarily iucluded
that Of an accuser (; and while it is pos
sible, no iend Of mine shall ever extend
beyond my ownperson. The most pain
lul OF all speGaCles to an honest man,
would be the blood OF another flowing in
a quarrel which belonged to himself
We shall perhaps discover III the sequel,
who is the heartless recreant that leaves
his friend in the breach, from which his
own cowardice has SHRINK.
Several conductors of the press were
| pleased TO censure my proceeding. |
know how TO respect sentiments which
differ from my own; especially whe,'
they originate in beneyolence, or sincere
" claim for their authority, the precepts
OF religion and morals bet who regards
With any thing but contempt, hypOcrites
that rofane those venerable names, by
nak ing hem the cover of personal favor
or pantical maigniy ? Pruden, editors
,bstain from the discussion OF such sub
ject; and those who are honest, at least
wait until they have learned its merits.
Most persons conjeclured that if Mr..
McDuffie intended to fight at ali,h woold
challenge The author of the " authentic
account" Their reasoning was obvious
The laws of honor in no case more im-
periously require man to accept {
, challenge than to give one, il impula
tions Of cowardice are thrown on him
r When, therefore, Instead of adopting Thu
, regular course, he replied with state
: menls foil cfpalpable contradictions anC
: impudent inyectiye, il was manifest tina
D he again meahly sought the advantage o
r receiving, rather than sending defiance
Indeed, when col. Montgomery bore my
: note 10 Edgsfield, on the 9Th OF July
C Mr.. M'Duflie was incoDsideraie enough
:, 10 say, that he had thought Of suggesting
), the expedieBcy Of my challenging b.
: mail 10 avoid publicity. He certain.
S then must have INTENDED to elicit cbai
lenge by a publication which il seem
n he we'll knew would produce one.
d any thing were wanting to the demon
n siration, il would be furnished by the c
d vent itself, which has also betrayed hi
d | reasons for e,tlnsting so highly, the sd
| I yorfare ,pIffh no rrcrr-cd 30 HE cotg