Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-03-12
From the Richmond Wing.
THE LATE DUEL.

We have been requested 20 insert
the following communications:
In common with the whole commu-
nifty, l deeply regret the unfortunate
meeting in the neighborhood ofthis CT
ty:- Of the circumstance attending 1t,
| have nothing to say, but as various
and conflicting statements and reports
concerning it are in circulation; and
especially as some of them refer to
letter written by Mr.. Thomas Richie
and delivered % the gentleman who
bore the message TO MIR. Peasants, re-
ferred to in the enclosed letter. think
it cannot be amiss in me to send you
copy Of the letter itself, and to re-
quest its publication in your paper
The note was appended by the gentle
man who bore the letter.
RICHMOND, Feb. Oath, 1846.
Dear Sir: The message delivered
to me by you this morning from j. H.
Peasants, was nearly in these words:
81 am requesred by Mr.. Peasants to
inform you that he will be on tine Ches'
terfeld side of James River tomorrow
morning at sun rise, armed with side
arms, withou; rifle, shotgun or musket,
and accompanied by TWO friends SINH
!arly armed
This disguised challenged protest
against-frst, because it is not in the
form which is justified by men of hon
or, and to great extent upheld by pub
lie opinion.
Second, because it prevents that
certainly of equal advantage recog-
nized by all gentlemen as ain essen
tial of the duel or fair and chivalrous
combat.
Third, because it gives to the chal-
longing party the privilege of selecting
time, place and weapons; right which,
according to ell usage, belongs TO the
challenged.
Fourth, because both the time and
place are so selected as to occasion
great inconvenience and danger to
all parties concerned, from legal prose-
cution.
Fifth, because the terms proposed
are savage, sanguinary and revolving,
to the taste and judgment, not on
Nv O: all honorable men, but OF
every man in the community, and
calculated to cast odium on any
one who may be governed by
them.
! | am ready TO receive proper chal-
lenge from Mr.. Peasants, but tor the
reasons above given, | solemnly pro-
test against the terms he has proposed.
On his head, then, must rest all the
blame and reproach which could be IN
cured from acting in defiance of these
considerations.
Notwithstanding these objections,
/ shall be on the ground mentioned at
sunrise.
Do not consider me as casting upon
yourself the slightest reflection. DO
not consider you in any way RESPONSE
bic for the message delivered this morn
ing. l an your obedient servants,
(Signed)
THOMAS RICHIE, Jr.
[NorE-The message referred to in
the above letter was delivered to MIR.
Richie about 3 o'clock, P. NJ, on
Tuesday, (the Oath Feb.) One por-
ton of the message was inadvertently
omitted in the above letter: that portion
specified two hundred yards above the
cotton factory as the precise place at
which Mr.. Peasants would be at sun
rise. The letter was delivered to the
gentleman who bore Mr.. Peasants
message at 9 o'clock, P. NJ, Of the
same day. His reply was that he was
not authorized to take any other action
in the matter than that already perior-
med in the delivery Of Mr.. Peasants
message, and he believed it hope
less for Mr.. Richie to expect any other
reply.]
THE NOTICE.
The more we hear from England,