Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-08-17

comes short OF supporting that part OF Ven
Jackson's comm unicatio Which states tina,
he had good cause to suspect that The over
:" tuve proceeded from Mr. Clay or SO We of his
friends, with his consent and APPRECIATION
The Editor closes his introduction with the
following honest conlession:-"we should be
"wan,ing in Justice TO MrClay, not 10 concede'
"that there is not before the public any direct or
"poSitiye proof that he had personally con-
"nexion with any person making 10 Gen. Jack
son any improper overture whatever.
The following letter is represented, by the
Editor of the Kentucky Commentators, 10 be
from gentleman of high and unblemished re-
snectahiIty 1t gives 4 cirCumstanlia' and an
Mailing account Of the famous duel between
Jackson and Dickcrson which resulted in the
death,of the LITTER. The Editor repeats the as
sertisn, made on previous occasion, that soon
after the duel Jackson wrote letter TO Samuel
Pryor, a noted gaalssier, and crsny OF he Ge-
neral, then residing in kentucky, giving him
an account Of il. In that letter the HERO eX-
pressed himself u this eftct:--" | RESERVED
ny FIRE, AND WHEN | DID SHOOT, YOU MAY BE
ASSURED I LEFT TIE DAMNED RASCAL wkLrER-
ING IN HIS BLOOD"
Dear Sir: You have requested me to fur
nsh YOU with the substance ota communica-
zion r,ssle ts.n some wear, since by one OF the
seconds in the affair Of honor that took place
between Gen Jackson AMI Mr.. harles Decker
son. This will do as far The lapse o. sew
ep,.ep wears and the attendant circumstances
will per nit
AZ il is possible that Gen. Overton might
have informed me of the particular circum-
stances which gave rise 10 he qIarr"! between
jackson and DiGkerson; aTl, also, who gave he
chailcnpe; bu, IL h did, il has escaped NV re-
collection. and am now unable 10 saw, with
certainty, who was the agg"ssor, although at
most every person in Nashville and rs ncigh-
borhood about that tim", was conrerNant with
the most minute particulars IN relation to the
incipient stages of that affair These rade no
impression upon the, because, in nirr!V 'as>
es Of hundred, both parties are IN some res
meets blameable, and they leave the mind otthc
nearer Indifferent and careless about retaining
them
3nt in relation to the closing scene OF this
affair il was quite different. The friends OF
Dickinson mprmured once in y nile, foul play,
while The friends of the General contended that
al! was fair.
Happening, in the course Ct business,
10 fan in with GEN OvEKroN, | was but In
possession Of ,at f1ll,wing facts 10 relation TO
The closing scene of hat unhappy tragedy:-
He stated that ne had been called upon by Gen.
lack son to be hi friend in that affair, that he
had seen with regret the cltlzens OF Nashville
and its vicinity, thrown into the most dreadful
4 IL e thp had
personal friends arrayed in hostility against the
others tiiends; and 1t did seem to him, that If
the affair was not settled, they would get 10
open hostiIlies, and he concluded In his own
mind, that either ackson or Dickinson must
die before peace would be restored he saw
he had delicate part 10 act. He knew tina
Jackson was but an Indifferent shot at bes',
and had tremulous hand. On the contrary,
Dickinson was considered, if not the best, at
least equal TO any in the United States, anc,
in all human probability, Jackson must fall,
If Dickinson got the hrsl fire. He, alsD knew
shat Dickinson and his friend would Try TO
obtain it: he, therefore, concluded TO give
him the advantage, and determined, II pos
sible, to EXTRACT Dickinson's shot, and &C
cordingly made the following arrangement
with his friend:-They were 10 meet on the
Kentucky line; they were to stand Il thlnk,l al
eight PAGES distant with their pistols in their
hands, with their arms suspended, pendant, at
full length, TO wait for the word; neither Hash
nor snap was to be considered as hire; either
party was at liberty To reserve his hre, as he
pleased; the friend Of Dickinson was to take
the right Of Jackson, and the friend OF Jackson
the right Of Dickinson; the places CT all the
parties were designated by driving down pegs
In the ground.
"You will see, (said Gen. Overflow ii was
important for me to get the word; s,ro,e
hard for it, and got it, designedly gave the
first shot to Dickerson, which he and his friend
were so anxious to obtain. Neither OF the
combatants were to move from the position in
which they were placed, under pain oil being
shot by the friend OF the other.