Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-09-13
MIR. CLAY AS A PEACEMAKER.

National Intelgencer adds the following in-
teresting rcminiscence, prefacing it by saying
that perhaps no man has accommodated more
difficulties, and contributed to the prevention
of more duels than he has.
"Among our earliest recoIlections Of Mr..
Clay, was the part he took, some thirty years
ago, in preventing duel between Mr.. Calhoun,
The present Secretary of State, and Mr.. Gros-
venor, one of the Representatives OF the State
of New York, who died too young for his
fame, and too early for the hopes of his friends
and the wishes Of this country. These two
gentlemen, both frequent debaters and distin-
guished no less BY the holiness of their bearing
than BY the powers OF their eloquence, were
leading members of the opposing parties in the
House of Representatives at a critical period
of the War of 1912. Mr.. Clay was then
Speaker of the House, discharging the duties
OF that station with dignity and propriety
that challenged universal appreciation; taking
part occasionally in debate in Committee of the
Whole with confessed superiority, but for the
greater part of the time necessarily confined TO
the Chair, an impartial umpire between con-
tending parties. The House comprised at that
time an unusual number Of comparatively young
members of rare ability, as may be believed when
we name among them, besides the gentlemen all
ready mentioned, such men as Lowndes, Web
ster, CASTOR, Oakley, Eppes, Shelley, Charles
j. IngeTsol, Troup, Grundy, &c, not TO speak
Of considerable infusion of older men, OF
great power OF intellect, such as Pickering,
Stockton, Jonathan Roberts, William Findlay,
&c. In body thus constituted, it may well
be imagined that the rules CT order were in
general respectfully observed and the decorum
of debate seldom violated. No greater contrast
could well be conceived, indeed than that
which would result from comparison Of The
proceedings in the House of Representatives
at that day with those of the present. Asperi-
" would yet, in the zeal of conflict, sometimes
find its way into debate, and now and then,
but very rarely, take the character of peisonali-
~; by which we do not mean coarseness OF
language, such rs is now too often heard in de-
bate, but such reflections upon motives az one
gentleman owes il 10 another TO refrain from.
Something of The kind had passed, in the heat
of debate, between Mr.. Calhoun and Mr..
Grosvenor; but, as affairs OF this sort were
then conducted with great privacy, IT was not
known, or known To very few, that a duel was
TO result from it, The next day, or the day
following, the hour of meeting Of the House
had arrived, and the members had assembled as
usual, but the Speaker failed of his usual
punctuaily. The inquiry passed from mouth
TO mouth, "Where's the Speaker" "What
in the world has become of the Speaker" An
hour elapsed, and yet no Speaker. AT length
il came to be understood that Mr.. Calhoun
at ten or eleven O'Clock, at few miles distance
from the Capitol, to settle their quarrel by
mortal arbitrament; and that Mr.. Clay, hav-
ing accidentally got wind OF it, had mounted
his horse, leaving the House in a lurch, with
the determination, if possible by any effort OF
his, TO prevent the shedding Of blood upon
mere point of honor between two gentlemen
whose lives were of so much value 10 their
friends and their country. Another and anoth-
er hour passed amidst the deepest anxiety;
when, out of breath, from haste in riding, but
full OF Joy and gladness, arrived the Speaker,
and called the House 10 order. His mediation,
nniied with that of distinguished Member OF
the Senate had been successful. Their earnest
instances had been irresistible. They had
brought back unframed, If not reconcied,
those who had gone out as enemies, TO stake
their lives against one another. They were
received by their colleagues and associates with
open arms; and the reader may be sure, there
was not much business done in the House that
day. By his effective interposiiion, the
prompting of a humane and generous heat,
Mr.. Clay on that occasion won golden opinions
ofall men.
In the same pacific and humane spirit was
the entire agency Of Mr.. Clay in the case of
Messrs. Graves and Cilley. II was directed TO
the object Of preventing meeting between the
parties. With that view he advised modif-
cation of the challenge. With the same view
ne ADVISED the ponce I'd DC calleu OUT. 1ney
were called ont, but were defeated in their pur-
pose Of arresting the parties by their having
taken an unusual route.
! DEATH FROM SWALLOWING Peach STONE.
A girl of Ia years, died in Brooklyn on Wednes-
day from the effects of swallowing peachstone
l6 days ago-a daughter of Lewis Gallagher,
of Boston, and she was on visit 10 her aunt.
A physician was called and every effort made
TO relieve her, but every thing administered
was thrown up instantly. She died from ex-
haustion. Her parents arrived Oh Wednesday
| from Boston.
DREADFUL ACCIDENTAL shocking accident
occurred last night upon the Philadelphia and
Reading Railroad, about two miles above the
Borough of Reading, during the terrific storm
with which this pant of the country was then
visited. The boiler of the tremendous engine,
of which so much has been said in praise by