Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-11-22
From the Boston Daily .Atlas.

DUELLING-MASON AND Nice ARTY.
The usual plea offered for dueling, is the pre-.
ser,aton of honor. Nothing can be more absurd
than this plea Ii honor be character. nothing
can effect il but what comes from ourselves, and
standing the shot of an adversary, or sending him
prematurely to his grave. can in no wise wipe "tf
the stain OF an offence OF which we ourselves
have been guilty. The honor in the case Is found
ed in mixture Of pride, prohsacy. and revenge
An alteration ensues between two persons; that
profligacy which despise. the dictates Of con-
science and the laws Of heaven prompts to
veuge; and revenge demands the blood OF human
life.
Thereis small valley near the village of
B!adensburgh, Maryland, bordering on the con.
fines of the District of Columbia, that has often
been the scene Of blood There the heroic, CHI
Various Dcca ur was cut down in the prime OF his
years; and there many young man from Baitl-
more aud Virginia has fallen, whose antagonist
has enjoy ed the malignant satisfaction nf making
father frantic aud mother wretched, merely
for trlhing dispute. growing out OF the pro-
te ctlnn Of harlot. the loss OF false trick. or
| midnight reve Thanks to the enlightened zeal,
and uulir,ns energies Of General Charles Fenton
Mercer, OF Virginia, the laws Of that state have
been charged with such serious consequences to
the duelst, that an almost entire reformation
in public op,nion has been effected. Any indl-
vidual who fyhtsa duel, sends challenge, or
acts as a second, is now disqualified by an &C, of
the legislature, from holding any Office Of honor,
trust, or emolument in the state.
The due between Grn Armstead +. Mason
a.. N ,F I (Which
took place after the passage of the law, was one
of the most desperate encounters that ever &C.
Cured in this country. The parties were relat
ed b, marriage, and had long been intimate
General Mason was at the time Senator IN Con-
eress. and ore OF the must wealthy and popular
men in Loudon county. General Mercer be-
ing the only federal member south Of the Poto-
mac. General Mason resigned his seat in the Sc.
nate for the purpose Of Offering himself as his
competitor, with a view Ia turn him out, having
been assured tina, he was the only man IN the
district thar could enter the list against aim with
any probability Of success. Mr. M,Carty at the
polls gave his vote for Gen. Mercer, which in
censed Gen. Mason TO such degree that angry
words passed between them. Gen. Mason was
defeated by a small majority. and afterwards
challenged M,Carty. The challenge was not
accepted, and both parties betook themselves to
furious. vindic,ive newspaper war. Thus mat
tiers stood when DR.. Brunaugh. the Military sur
geon Of Gen. Jackson in the Seminole war. ar
rived in Washington City. The who'e cOntro.
versy was then submitted by Mason to the deci-
sion Of Bronaugh, who gave it as his opinion.
that McCarty had obtained such an evident ad.
vantage over HIM in the newspapers, that he was
bound by the laws of honor TO renew the chal-
lenge. The challenge was again sent, and &C
cepted.
Mason had long been distinguished for his skill
in the use Of the pistol. and McCarty was but
novice. Being the challenged party, McCar-
ty claimed the right Of choosing his own wea.
poas, and first proposed that each should take
his seat on barrel Of guupowder, with match
in his hand, aud blow each other into eternity at
the same instant This was declined. He then
offered to go with Mason to the summit Of the
Capitol, and jump of with him, hand in hand.
At last, it was arranged that they should fight
with muskets at few PAGES distant, each load.