The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-10-22


adversary is disgraccd and unworthy of
notice. There are some falsehoods which
il would be almost as ridiculous to contra
diet as to tell.
He says that public sentiment did not
require and even forbade the acceptance of
my challenge that he offered me satisfac-
tlon eratuiously. What then was his mo-
tive! If ii was the pure love of fighting
bloody minded savage. how did escape
linn or are we to believe, that the cour-
teous Mr.. A'Dsfie was influenced simply
by disposition to oblige me? lie has
probably tried more, and much roughcr
experiments ON the popular throat than
ever ! did but he certainly ovefTates his
capacity, II he expects such absurdities to
be swallowed. Before ! passed him thro'
my hands, the only fault imputed in his
courage was its fiery and uncontrolled spi-
rit. Every body knows that after his in
suspicious renc0ntre, the public was at first
as'ouned At the bathos of his catastrophe.
'iut II a =hori tnc the multitude laughed
at him bis enemies exulted over him and
his gravcr friends laInentcd that so distn-
golshed Il hero on trust, should ever have
'''ii ~, Nh'' ~ tli' ~ ilfitY VI d lltdIs y
few adhercnts more Jealous aud sanguine,
still hoped thaj fortune alone had been tn
blame, and if they did not feel, at least af-
fected sincere pleasure, when presented
their champion with an opportunity of
mending his grasp
However, lei the world say what IL will,
.h. MDuDSe is " satisfied that | will moi
meet any man unless ! suppose ! have a
decided advantage" Other persons may
not he quite 50 easily satisfied, and he will
do them particular service, by showing
what advantage possessed ON tie 9Th Of
June, or could expect to possess ON the 9TH
OF Sept. Hitherto, nc has not eygn pre-
tended TO state one.
He is "perfrctiy convinced that from
enquiries which no gentleman would make,
! ascertalned his mode of shooting, and re-
fused to meet him until | could obtain far
thar time TO practice" My first notion of
tbs passage was derived from our negoci-
alton concerning terms. He had refused
his assent to provision that neither pafty
@hoGtd MAKE anym00emeni coicuiaicdio erode
The fire Of has antagonists | presumed
therefore that he had been practising bar
lequn tricks, for the conservation ofhjs Vi
tals-some new evasive twist, Or infalible
dodge, which he feared had been betrayed.
But II appears in his last publication, that
North Carolina magistrate informed me of
hlj accurate shooting, and in answer to an
enquiry on the subject, had replied that he
shot as quick az the fash Of powder"
Taking the story as it stands-what a
ground for asserting that had made uu-
gentlemanlile enquiries The facts are
SIMPLY these. The magistrate referred to
was Que of the guard, which attended at
the Justices Court. He addressed TO me
III the presence Of the rest, great deal of
moral discourse on the improperly of du-
ellng, aud declared that in his opinion the
combat must be fatal ore.--IIe said he
had seen Mr.. NDuilic shooting. "Wcll,"
SAID ], how did he shoot ~ He replied
that Mr.. VI, d. "scetacd to hit lust where
ne wanted to: :" and added that he under
alooa my antagonist Was not :. quarter as
GOOD a shot as myself" do not distinct
~ recollect what was either asked, or ans
wered concerning the qulchness Of his lir-
ing bui Thinks probable, and am quite
Wiling to admit, that it was precisely MS
stated. The whole conversation was pub
lie. Th5 then is my trcacherous inroad
on the mysteries of Mr.. M'Duiiie's target
Suppose for a moment that could be
weak enough 10 credit story containing
these palpablc eXaggeratiDns, and that
was man to be affected by such reports
after entering deliberately into Il contest !;
what could twen,y-iOur hours of addition
al practice avail, against this devil incar-
nate Who hit Just where he wanted to,"f
ana shot as quick as the flash OF powder !?
once considered my antagonist crafty,
u not courageous; but such poor articles
induce me 10 suspect, that lac has not even
enough oil ,Ilc toA's skin, to supply the de-
iiciencie5 OF the lion'5. Every person pre-
parlng Tor combat like that intended. en-
beavers 10 shoot rs quickly as possible,
without sacrificing accuracy. Since had
long been accustomed 10 the practice, it is
clear that ii had not reached mn utmost
attamabe skill, | must have been at least
so lar advanced thai ten times twenty four
nous could make no pcrccptible difference
IN my efP9tneSs. G'hc statements of my
second, and the annexed declarations of Sc
Feral respectable gentlemen will shew, that
reports concerning the wonderful mark
lnanship OF my antagonist, had long been
circulated IN Augusta, with so much publ
e''y, that ii was impossible they should es-
cape me. did hear, but seldom believed,
and never needed them for had the best
reasons to suppose, that whatever might
be his proficiency in practice, he would al
ways have a lively perception of the differ
tnre between man and a plank The
only certain knowledge which possess of
his shooting, was obtained one day last June
near tie Sisters Ferry-Mr. M'Dufle per-
haPs may remember the time. II was the We
~ morning, onn hicl he found himself in the
perfectly comfortable" condition, of re-
quiring four persons to move him. On
,hat occasion he certainly shot very quick
l. but it appeared 70 me rather low for :,