Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1843-08-18

said; you are a damned lmr;' at the
same time rushing at me, l drawing
back horse whip, which | held in my
hand, struck at hun without any decided
effect, as he closed on metOo fast for me
TO defend myself with it.
i | was immediately seized BY great
many persons, and was borne by the
; current fifteen or twenty feet from the
: place Of the 6rst engagement-fiOding
no feir play, ! threw away my whip,
drew my bowie knife, and succeeded in
disengsging myself without cutting or
attempting TO cul any one. The first
gimpseI again caught OfSamueI Brown
he was in an open space with FIVE or
six barrelled pistol bearing on mel
was forced 10 run or be shot; chose TO
receive bis shoi, which struck me after
a most deliberate aim, just under the
left rib. i felt the shock Of the ball, but
knowing that it was rarely that man
ia hot blood felt shot, even wben fatal
! determined TO Bell my life as dearly az
possible. Knowing that he could Shoot
me five times IN quick succession, l clos
ed oD him and cot away in good earnest
till we we're parted. After was shot,
some one struck me heavy blow afTec
ting my head and left arm which con-
frmed me in my opinion tia. no q uar
ter wac TO be given me.
Nor do | suppose | should have been
parted at all, if they had not seen that
il was in my powereithe to take or
spare his life; and believe that after
The second or third bow, before he goI
too close on me, could have killed him
| If had 30 wished was pausng, suppo.
sing hal | had disabled him, when some
one cried out kill him whenl supposed
that they intended TO give me no quarter
and gain commenced in good earnest.
Here, my countrymen, is q frank
statement Of the-whoIe afair. letter
wards found that his ball had passed
through my clothing, just below the left
rib, penetrated my knife case. and lodg
ed in the silver that bordeTed it.
That there was q deliberate and pre-.
determined deSign-to assasslnate me, APP
pears from the following circumstances
which will be proven, If deemed neces'
sary, by hundreds Of the people oI Fay
etie; Brown was not al De phton, in the
morning; he was in Lexington about 2
o'clock, P, M Tuesday, and WAS heard
by Bsachto say that hewould kill some
one. Al that late hour he leaves Lex
ington for the cave, six miles of; ln the
meantime Mr.. WIcklifie invites his per
sona friend Gen. McCaIIa, and all the
other county officers, 10 speak first; in
the morning al DeIphloD he reads Whit
lington's leltcr in the beginlng Of his
speech; now no reads it aIlera long
speech, and after most Of my friends had
left the ground; Brown, with crowd
Of desperate bullieS, surrounds me, and,
as soon as make my statement he gives
me the lie; am caught up by my enc.
mics and borne away till Brown gets his
pistol ready, and, bearing gfuIl upon me, ,
am first shot las they hoped lalally)
before can GO, atalI within striking
distance, and again struck with a chair
or stick and stunned by the bIow---and
at last not parted tllll had my enemy
fully in my power
am for peace, but honorable peace,
Yesterday | said thall would appear to.
.. day at ChileSburg and repeat my state
ment or die in the attempt. Las, night
procured Jesse's letter, which will be
read by some friend Of mine on the
ground; and This, which understood 10
be the wish Of my friends, and Of MossrS
Il johnson and r. Van Swearlngen, on
tho part Of my political opponents, will
SuPersede the necessity Ol my personal
appearance there.
/ will againrepsst that all ] state can
be proven; that respectable men will
stand by NO fully in my statement Of
; what occurred al the Republican meet
ing house, and which was conIradicled
by Brown, that never struck Brown
with the'knle ill he shot mo in q
word, that throughout acted in all 10
spects onthe defensive.
In conclusion; | never injured Brown
in my life; he became my enemy be
cause | denounced the "Constitution
Club" and has ceased 10 speak 10 me
from about that time He threatened
mo, at various times before and since
his appointment under Government all
OF which ] have borne without relalla
ton or even the slightest resentment
Believing that have done my duty in
all respects in vindcalion Of that liberty
which is my birth right, though | may
fall o sacrifice 10 the vindictiVe assault
of the bireIings Of "a tyronical Govern,
ment or Of secret enemies al homo,
shall, undismayed, continue in the full
exercise Of all the rights ora freeman,
and illustrate them with my blood
C. N CLAY.
Lexington, KY, August 2, lS43.