Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-04-28

Shrewsbury. But the gay and insinuatng Sid
ney firted with the Duchess, and distracted
all her attentions with his Lordship; and rdi-
culing the fete, his lordship was hardly re-
strained from running him through the body
before the company. The next day his lord
ship sent challenge to Sidney. The former
chose as his second tall, furious, adroit
swordsman, named Dillon; and the latter Sc
lected young gentleman, named Rawlings,
just come in possession of an estate often thou
sand pounds a year. Sidney was wounded in
two or three places, whilst his second was run
through the heart and left dead on the field.
The unfortunate Duke of Shrewsbury became
afterwards so irritated as to challenge the in
famous Buckingham for intriguing with his
wife, and Buckingham ran him through the
body. 1t was known that the Duchess Of
Shrewsbury, in the disguise of page, attend
ed her paramour to the field, and held his
horse whilst he fought and murdered her hus-
band. The unprinciplcd Charles, in spite of
every remonstrance from the Queen, received
the Duke Of Buckingham with open arms, af-
ter this brutal murder.
In the last sixty years we have collected
list of l72 duels, comprising 344 individuals.
OF these 90 persons were killed: in three duels
neither of the combatants survived; 90 persons
were wounded, 4s desperately, and 4s slightly;
and 1873 escaped unhurt. Thus, rather more
than One-fiflh lost their lives, and nearly one
half received the bullets of their antagonists.
II appears also, that 8 trials took place, 6 of
the arraigned were acquitted, Z found guilty of
mansaughtcr, and 3 of murder; that were
executed, and eight imprisoned for different
periods.
In America and the West Indies, duelling
has been carried to a greater extent than even
in Ireland. We remember about thirty years
ago, there was a duelling society held in
Charleston, South Carolina, where each gen
Heman took precedence according the num-
ber he had killed OF wounded in duels. The
president and deputy had killed many.
In 1868, the Secretary Of our Treasury Mr..
Martin, notorously trained himself as a duel
list, for the purpose Of shooting Mr.. Wilkes,
whom he first insulted in the House of Com
mons, and afterwards wounded in the Park.
This gave rise to Churchl's poem of The
Duellist." The House of Commons ordered
his Ma esty's Surgeon to attend Mr.. Wilkes,
but Mr. Martin was considered to have
done the state much service At that period,
it is to be remarked, that duels were very fire.
quent among ciergymen. In l764, the Rev.
Mr.. Hill was killed in duel by Cornet Gard
ner, Of the rCarabineers. The Rev. MIR. Bates
fought two dues, and was afterwards created
a Knight by the King. The Rev. Mr.. Allen
killed Mr.. Duany in duel in Hyde Park,
without incurring any ecclesiastical censure,
though Judge Butler, on account of the ex-
treme bad conduct Of the Clergyman, strongly
charged the Jury upon his guilt of murder
Whilst our King knighted the Rev. Sir Bates
Dudley. after his two questionable dnels ano
fought in 1850, we find that in 1863, the
French King, to suppress, at least, dishonour-
able duels, condemned the Sieur Chelais, mem
ber Of Parliament in France, to be broke upon
the wheel, for the murder of Captain Requin,
the Sieur Chelais having covered himself with
armour under his clothes, and stabbed his an
tagonist, whose sword broke against his breast
plate. In 1865, occurred the ia nous duel in
which the father of our late transcendant poet,
Lord Byron, killed the famous duellist, Mr..
Chaworth. They quarrelled at a club dinner
at the Star and Garter, Pall-Mall, about game,
Mr.. Chaworh, being great game preservcr,
whilst Lord Byron argued upon the cruelty and
impolicy of the Game Laws. They agreed TO
fight in an adjoining room, by the light of only
one candle. Lord Byron entered first: ana,
as Mr. Chaworth was shutting the door, turn
ing his head round, he behed Lord Byron's
sword half undrawn. He Immediately whip
ped his own weapon out, and making Il lounge
at his Lordshp, ran it through his waistcoat,
conccivng that his sword had gone through
his body. But Lord Byron closed, and, short
eninp his sword, stabbed Mr.. Chaworth in the
belly. The challenge had proceeded from Mr..
Chaworth Lord Byron read his defence to
tho House of Lords, and was found guilty of
manslaughter; and upon the privilege of his
pcerage (for Peers are licensed homicidcs) he
was discharged on paying his fees. In l772,
a Mr. MLcan was challenged and killed by
Mr.. Cameron, and the mother of Mr.. NJ
Lean when she hcara of the shocking event,
instantly lost her senses, whilst Miss Lc-
cd, who was TO have been married TO the
deceased, was seized with fits, and died in
three days. In Mr.. Shcridan's duel with Mr..
Matthews, the parties cut and slashcd at each
other, a la mods de Ih,atre, until Mr.. Mat
thews, left part of his sword sticking in Mr..
Sherdan's ear. In the famous duel in which
Mr.. Riddell was killed, and Mr.. Cunningham
very severely wounded, the challenge, by mis-
take, had fallen in the first instance into the
hands of Sir James Riddcll, father to Mr. Rid
dell, who had it delivered TO him, and did no
more than provide surgeons for the event. In
1889, Colonel LennoX was nsultcd by the
Duke of v, who told him, before all the
officers on the parade of st. James's, that he
desired to derive no protection from his rank
of Prince. The Colonel accordingly fought his
Royal IIiphness, il is said with cork bullets;
but be that as il may, he contrived to disturb
one of the huge rows of curls which it was
then the fashion to wear on the side Of the
head. In 1890, a Captain Macrae fought and
killed Sir George Ramsay, for his refusing to
dismiss a faithful old servant who had msulted
Captain Macrae. Sir George urged, that even
if the servant were guilty, he had been suilic-
icntly punished by the cruel beating that Cap
tain Macrae had given him. AS soon as the
servant heard that his master had been killed
on his account, he fell into strong convusions,
and died in few hours. Captain Macrao fled,
and was outlawel. In 1897, Colonel Fitz-
gerald, a married man, cloped from winsor.
NTH his rnnlsin tho dannhfnr of the nrrsrnf