Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-10-14

After a meeting aud dellbsrstion Of
four hours, it was finally agreed that
there should be no mesllng-thst mutu
al explanations should DO made, aud the
affair was honorably arranged according
TO the most approved principles Of duel
ling and the most popular requirements
Of etiquette. was entirely satisfied
with The issue, having no desire 10 kill
my antagonist, who, by tho way was q
very worthy person, by the name Of
Toomer, since dead; nor had any
wish 10 be killed myself; but the dear
public II seems was not so we'll satisfied
with the result-there was to be- no
fight after all. Pompey had harnessed
the bays in the buggy-whipA, spurI,
and lrottlng horses were all ready for
the race course, to see two promising
young fellows shoot each other, and 50
the affair is settIed-lhs pistols are re
turned 10 The case-and the doctor was
not called upon TO prepare lint, probe
stick and plaster. THIS humane disap.
Polntment. however, was coupled with
strong suspicious pretty loudly express.
sed, that !, like all vapouring democrats
would rather eat than fight. This I'm.
worthy lnslnualion which aroused my
Indignation, did not allay the political
fever, and IN a few days after | got into
a newspaper controversy with a gen.
tleman | believe, by the name Of Cfafls,
and received another little biIIetJoux
10 meet him al the race course. To use
a familiar phrase Of the knight OF the
ThImbIe Rig, | really did not know how
10 head off this invitation, when ny an.
tagonist fell sick, and tho affair, like the
other, was honorabIy adjusted. Let it
be distinctly understood, gentle reader
that IN these challenges to bloody con-
fllcts, there was really IN truth and in
fact not the least cause or ground for a
hostile meeting. 1t was the fashion oil
that day to adjust all such disputes al
The muzzle OF the pistol. Public opin-
ion since that time, together with the
provisions Of that law, have frowned
upon these %sangu,nary exhibitions, and
now reason, good sense and principles.
nave erected barriers against duelling,
which except on extraordinary occasions
are sufficiently powerful against such
outbreaks. Still, there was a lurking
suspicion in the public mind that | would
not fight. That | had not the least 10
%cllnation TO shoot or be shot, was an
uninUbted fact, but that under any cir
c~umsiancesl would not fight at all Is
not true,
Without being what was called con
slllulionally brave, and never willingly
rushing into danger; without, in The
most distant manner being either a buI
iy or bragadocia, |, nevertheless, lell
that had moral courage enough 10 re-,
sent a positive insult, and was ready il
a good cause, 10 submit 10 what society
considered an honorable mode of redres
sing an injury-sliIl Iabored undsI
suspicion until at length a person VIII
was not a politician, was determined Il
ascertain whether there was good ant
sufficient ground for this opinion. an,
picking a small quarrel with ME Upol
| some trlt1rng cause, he sent me a chal
lenge to meet him, coupled with III,
very cheering intelligence that he woui
neither accept explanation or apology
So here was a challenge of the mos
positive character there was no evad
lug 1t under existing circumstances, III
. challenger was o person OF no conse
r quence, still he was of a good tamil
| and good character. All these who wal
ted a fight assured me he was a GENT,
:" man, although | wished from the bottol
= OF my heart that nature and habit ha
made him a Ioa(er of the first waite
neither The man nor the cause were {
sufficient importance for The risk no p
= IiIIcal good could arise from such
meeting, still there was no possible wa
OF getting rid Of it, and | acce pied II
" invitation.
9 The dear public was all agog agar
lhore was 10 be a fight after oil. NJ
friends who had hitherto Stood sponso
for my bravery, surrounded me with u
1t aba'ed confidence My opponents snee
10 ed and prognosticAled that | should y
8 creep Dat of it felt cool and deteI
mined | would submit TO no iusinu
10 lions OF such character, and made all II
necessary preparations was ratht
ir Indifferent 10 The result. | had no pr
at perry 10 leave. no will TO make, no far
n lily 10 provide lor-I might be cut off,
n. is true, at an early period, and full
y promise, but it was not Of my seekin
Id Come what may. this meeting was
ut lake place. My friend Governor &c
des lent me a carriage and horses, and
70 case Of fine hair triggers. My surget
was engaged, and the whole city was {
10 The qui uiUe Tor the duel ! slept III
le night al The house Of a friend, and 80
I'd eral acquaintance had assembled The