Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-04-21
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DIT LAY, III consequence oil short notices, published in
certain presses, of under 'thc control of the
State Department." in reference TO the late affair which
took place between Mr. Clay and Mr. Randolph. We
refer s writer well as the public TO the quotations.
from the different presses, transferred BY the writer to
the columns of the Telegraph, and which we shall in
sert in our paper for the purpose deciding whether
there be any thing in them injurious 10 the feelings or
honour of Mr.. Randolph or which differs essentially
from the authorised statement which all the Editors had
not then the advantage Of seeing Tue writer begins
by stating "a melancholy fact,' that MIR. Clay was on
the field taking deliberate ain, with his pistol at MIR.
Randolph's person. Sc. Now can this absurd declare
ton De sustained ocony other motive than that of deep
nalgnity assigned for tie assertion it. as it is believed
TO have been the mode arrangement i'm firing the in
'ervai OF time between The order fire. aud the actual
hrin was OF too short duration TO have allowed MIR. c.
TO take deliberate aini2 Again. sand scarcely had Mr.
handolph, under the influence OF feelings which will
enoan s memory forever, granted life their, THAT
Is tie Editors' einpoyer-whan, with purpose more
wicked, and without the mitigating apology of high
wrought excitement the minions of the Secretary o.!
State entered upon the dirty business of misrepresenta
tom THUS:
| The Baltimore Chronicle, paper once engaged in
better eanse, made 10 say MIR. Randolph Lscharr
ed t'is pistol IN the air and offered his hand Mr. CLAW
which at the suggestion OF his friends he acceped.n
The Baltimore American SAYS: sMr. Randolph fired
ms pistol in the air. ard endercd lis hand which, at
the suggestion Of the seconds, was received"
The Gazette says ''hIr Randolph discharged his pis-
FOL ia the air, and offered his hand 10 Air Clay which
was accepted"
But Bnrs knows his master better he goes The whole
He says: "a second fire had without effect when
Alr. ilando Pin stepped up Rr. Clay, gave him bis
hand and made the proper Acknowledgements
Ourrcaders will ob-crve, that not enc Of these quo
ations, cited by the writer evidences the fact in
dictate any thing hostile disrcputabe to Mr. r. nor
do they, as we before said, differ materially from
the authorized statement. To prove assertion we
quote the following paragraph from the document,
drawn up by persons the spot aud friends OF the par
ties.
The parties again took their staon5-and the word
tSing given. MIR. Clay raised h.Psto and fired, and
thc ball passed through Mi Randoph's clothes. Mr.
Randolph reserved his fire. holding his pistol perpend
cularly uP-sad, g" do not fire you Mr., Clay" and
discharged 'is pistol IN the air. lie added, cit not
my intention to have tired al you at all The uniortt-
nate circumstance Of my pistol going of accidentally
changed my determination" 81 tiis instant Col Ben
ton came up, and said Yes, Mir Randolph told
expressly eight days ago" The parties simultaneously
approached each other with extended hands, Mr.. Ran
dolp emarking, ''Sr, give you ny hanI;" which was
cordially received by Mr. Clay and the affair thus no.
o.; morally and happily closed.
Here will ask every candid man, if the words
used in the above quoted paragraph do support the
fact, the latter ot conormable greater degree,
with The exception of Binns) than one would imagine
possible to the prepared of the frends2 Is no.:
the nterposition of Col Benton and his confederation
Of Mr. Bando!ph's assertion about his intention TO be
considered nducement Mr.. c. to receive his
hand and 'suggeston,' to use the terms of the
abused editors of the friends or seconds" Again the
parties, simultaneously approached each other with OK
tended hands, Mr. r. remarIking, sir give you my
hand 'sIc cordially received by MIR. c. and the
affair tlius honorably and happily closed"
Does notthe above extract establish beyond all CON
troversy, the fact that Mr.. Randolph made the first
advance towards reconciliation, prompted we verify
believe by the consciousness OF having forced Mr. Clay
10 the unpleasant necessity of calling him. for repa-
ration Of the injuries which he had inflicted on his feel
ugs, by his speeches in the Senate? After some infa
asinuations against Mr.. Clay, for the hypothet
Cal part, which tue writer in The Telegraph imagines
him to have acted, and in which he states that bis hire
ling presses 5ay-he did he INDUCES in remarks neither
necessary pertinent TO the subject, for other
son, which we7Uan assign than the vantonnoss
qualification in bestow,ng abuse and hTr. c.
nan imaginary Admire, ourrcadcrs, the classic
style and dgnifed phrases the curiousy fccitous cpl
bets that distinguish The style of the writer in the Tele-
graph:"bc pardoned felon who from the scat
fold to assail that clcmency which had returned hin
again 10 society in hopes of reorroaton.' As for the
cornpuuctioDs OF conscience,n which he attributes to
Mr.. Clay, the expression would apply with greater
force TO Mr.. RanGoPh but shall forbear saying any
thing more this point of the suejcct, as il was moi
intention TO enter into Tire merits of the controvcr
sy to pass any Mr. Randolpi5 conduct OF
The occasion.
TO shew tue caUdor and imparality Of this author in
the Telegraph, he says: awe cannot close these re-
n ks better than by republishiDg MIR. Cay own con-
defamation Of his own offence It is extracted from bis
circular letter. addressed to bis constituents and will
be found IN the National Tntellgencer Of the 28h Of
March, 1895" We shall only quote two distinct pas
sages from Mr. Gays letter, which detach from the
paragraph inserted in The Telegraph, because these
only furnish the writer for his uncbarablc and absurd