Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1843-08-17


when fatal, determined to sell my life as dearly
as possible Knowing tina, he could shoe, me
1--we times in quick succession, closed on him and
Gu, away IN good carncs, I'LL we were separated.
After was shot some one struck me a heavy
blow. affecting my bead and lef arm, which con
hrmcd me in my opinion tina, no quarter was 10
be gwen me
Nor do suppose should have been paired a,
all, il they had no, seen that II was in my power
either TO take or TO spare his life and ! believe
lba, after the second or third blow before he 60,
too closc on me, | could have killed him If had
30 wished. was pauslng, supposing that had
disabled him, when some one cried cut Kill him
when | supposed they intended to give no quarter,
and again commenced in good earnest
Here my coun,rymcn, is frank statement, OF
the whole affair | aherward. found tina, his ball
had passed through my clothing, lus, below the
leh rib. penetrated my knfe-ease, aud lodged m
the silver that bordercd II.
That there was deliberate and predetermined
design to assa.sinae me, appears from the follow
ing circumstances, which will be proved, II deem
I'd necessary, by hundreds Of people Of Fayeite
Brown was no, a, Delphion in the morning. he
was in Lexington at abou, o'clock, p NJ, Tues.
dav, and was heard by Beach to say that he would
kill some one A, that late hour he leavss Lex.
incton for the Cave, six miles off in the mean
time Mr. Wickiffe invites his personal friend
Gen McCalla and all the other country officers,
10 speak first, in the morning, at Delphon, he
reads, Whiuingon's letter in the beginning OF his
SPEECH; now he leads j, after long speech, and
after most of my friends had left the ground T;
Brown with crowd of desperate DULLES, sur
rounds me- and, as soon as | make any statement,
give me the lie AIN caught up by my enemies
and borne away Till Brown gets his pistol ready,
and, bearing full upon me, am first shot las they
hoped fatality before can get at all within str'k
ing distance, and again struck with char or
stick and stunned by the bow-and at last not part
ed ill had my enemy fully in my power.
am for peace, but honorable peace. Yester-
day said that | would appear today at Chlcs
burg and repeat my statement Las, night pro
cured Jesses letter, which will be read by some
friends of mine on the grounds, and this, which
understood to be the wish Of my friends, and o.
Messrs H. Johnson and Il. W. Van Swearingen
on the part of my political opponents, will su
percede the necessity Of my personal appearance
} there.
} will again repeat tina, all I state can be pro
ven that respectable men will stand by me iull,
J in my statement Of what occurred at the Republi
can meeting house. and which was contradlcted by
J Brown that never struck Brown with the knit
till he had shot me-in a word that Throughout
: | acted in all respects en- the defensive
, In conclusion never injured Brown in m,
life he became nv enemy because denounced
the Constitution Club, and has ceased to speak
me from about that time. He threatened me, a
: various times before and since his appointment
under the Government; all of which | have
borne without retaliation or even the slightest re
sentiment Believing that done my duty in al
respects in vndcations Of that liberty which is m.
brih.righ, though may fall sacrifice to tn
, vndictive assaults Of the hlrelngs of tyrann
G cal Government or of secret enemies at home,
j. shall undsmaycd, continue in the full exercise 9
; all the rights Of freeman or illustrate them witt
my blood M. CLAY
LEXINGTON, Ky, Aug. 2, ls43.