The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1826-04-13
a DUEL At U.aSHLrGTO.N.

BY the Steamboat Connecticut, which
arrived here yesterday, from New York.,
papers to Tuesday last were reccived.--
The Editors of the Mercury politely Loan
ed US the Commercial Advertiser, nhe
only one received in town. containing the
following account of the .fracas at WASH
ton.
els MDuffe deads" q or is it Col Trim
ble'',"or General Vance?"-No, no, gentla
reader; don't be so inpatient The war has
broke cut in new direction. Mr. Randolph
--"Do tell" Well we will tell as soon as We
can, but we are not very particularly inform
ed, and our correspondents, Just when they
ought to have written, have been most pro-
vokmgly silent. But as we were saying, We
learn from the southern papers received this
morning, that mr.. Randolph had been permit
ted by the presiding oiscer OF the Senate, on
more occasions than one, to call mr.. Clay q
gambler and a bldckieg. Whether mr. &.
was expressly named as such by mr.. X. We
are not informed; but it appears that on some
late occasion, mr.. r. made az unqualified "a
vowal of his intention to vote for General
jackson, as the only man upon whom the
people could safely unite "to put down tina
present usurpers--the Au umviri." Mr.. IL.
also spoke of the high mental powers and
moral excellence of Gen. Jackson, and sald
that he was emphaticaly one Of n0twc,s
great men That he was the man whom, II
God spared him, he would most cordially
support He said further, that if Jackson
succeeded, of which he had no doubt, and
should hereafter act as the puriteR and 6iacL-
leg coalition had done, of which he had 40
fears, he [mr II ] would be equally ready TO dis
place him too from power Although the al
lusion could not he mistaken, still mr Clay
gave mr., Randolph an opportunity TO ex-
plain BY calling upon him, Ill writing, TO
know whether he intended 10 call hlln po-
litical rambler. or to attach the iniany OF
such ep.trcts TO his private life. But mr Ran
dolph declined any explanation.--A challenge,
in the opinion of those who believe in thig
mode of settling personal difficulties, was thus
inevitable. 1t was sent by mr.. Clay and ac-
cepted by mr.. Randolph, and the parties met o.
{ o'clock, 7. NJ on the banks of the Potomac.
Gen. JcSsNp and Horny Johnson, of Louisiana.
were the seconds OF mr.. Clay--coi. Ta'naf Of
Georgia. and col. Hamilton, Of South Catoh-
ua, were mr. ElndoInhs seconds. The first
ire mr. Raudolr's p,a,ll went off by acel-
dent, and mr Clay declined to firc. The az
cidcnt being corrected both parties fired and
missed a second fire y,as had without effect.
when mr. kandolph stepped Up 10 mr. SIaN,
gave him his hand and made the proper ac-
acknowledgements and thus the affair ended. A.
mother account makes the story little better,
by stating that at the second fire, ,mr Randolph
discharged his pistol in the air. One good
NAV perhaps arise from this affair The blus-
,erers who have more wind than courage, VIII
be more cautious how they assam the reputa-
,ion of the distinguished gentleman who PFC,
sides in the department of state. But still,
were we not in principle opposed to the settle
ING of disputes by private war, VIC should ques-
ton the propriety Of allowing the Interests &C
the country to be jeoparded by obliging the
highest officers the government 10 "go cut,
every time .,cy were assaied BY the factions
harpies who would emphatically rather re IN
in he'll than serve IN Hesyea.T