Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-07-21
CASSluS NJ. CLAY,

INV pciOIc US u leNieI lIOm MI CldO nlIlsCllt
dictated from his sick.bed, in which the same
circumstances are stated at greater length,
and come farther particulars given. As TO
the origin Of the difficulty, Mr.. Clay's ac-
count presents nothing new. His opponents
were exceedingly abusive, and willing, per-
haps DESTROYS, 10 provoke a quarrel. He
says:
l now began 10 feel for the FIRST time thai,
there was a concerted purpose to defame, ST.
lence, and, perhaps, assault me. went into
the room where my carpet bag was lodged,
and put on q knife seven inches in length, and
an inch in breadth, which ! usually carry tor
selfdefence, and returned 10 the stand for
my instinct as a man, as well as my useful
ness as a citizen, had determined me never 10
submit to a personal insult. ] do not deny
that | have other and more efficient weapons
of defence than this knife, but so slight was
my apprehension Of assault that | was lulled
into false security.
When a man arms himself with a knife,
expecting 10 be assaulted, and with a deter
mination "never 10 submit 10 personal in
suit" he need not be long in finding occasion
10 fight. After Mr.. Clay had concluded a
speech and descended from the platform, Cy-
rus Turner gave him the lie and struck him
simultaneously. If he had borne this insult
with meekness and Christian dignity, refu-
sing TO make himself a brute, the affair would
probably have ended without bloodshed.-
or what took place after this he gives the fol-
loving account:
threw of my cloak and attempted 10 draw
my knife G. Turner caught my hand, but
at length succeeded in drawing it. As quick
as thought my hand was seized by a third
party /; Turner then let me go, and common
ced striking me leebly in the face with his
Fl I, aud the knife was wrested from my
hand.
then struck Turner a violent blow on his
left cheek with my hand, which staggered
him back against the crowd whether he fell
or not ] don't know. Being assaulted from
behind, | turned, and seeing my knife in the
possession Of some persons, for which appa-
Ienily there seemed 10 be a struggle, | seized
1t with my right hand, and by twisting ii
with my left, (cutting three of my ~fingers,)
l succeeded in recovering it. For a short
time ] was insensible, probably the effect of
violent blows; | then heard the bursting Of
a cap | found ! was unable 10 see, | there
fore retfeated a few PAGES out of the dense
crowd. My son Warfield, fourteen years old,
came up 10 me crying, and offered me an
old pistol, three inch barrel. which | had CIV
en- him some years before this | rejected as
an inefficient weapon. So soon as ] recover.
ed my sight and perceived where Cyrus FUR
ncr was. } made towards him: he ~relreaied
with the crowd. The crowd giving way be-
hind him, he fell, when | attempted TO strike,
or did strike him in tie abdomen with my
knife. ! was then borne away, believing
myself MORALLY wounded ! appealed to the
crowd to witness that ] fell in defence of the
Liberties of the people.
My first impression was that The man who
took my knife from me had stabbed me with
my own knife; bot every one who has seen
the wound and the knife, pronounces it phys.
really impossible. was struck on the fifth
right rib, the knife turned partially round and
passed up in the direction Of the left breast.
l do not remember at what time | was stab.
he'd | know neither who took the knife, nor
who stabbed me-Cyrus Turner admitted
that he did not. ] know not who struck mo
-il is admitted on all hands by friend and
foe. that Alfred Turner, (cousin of Squire
Turner,) struck me several violent blows
s.iIh a stick. Thomas Turner admits that lie
AOdl ~ NdHS ~ hAS w q oHa ~ lC-
yolger, and was proceeding 10 fire on me,
when my friend VIM. WiIkcrson threw him
under The table; whilst many others, whom
] forbear TO name al present, seemed to he
aiding and abetting. My friend Wait Will
kerson was bad cut In the arm with a knife.
! supposed for several days that | was stab
bed in the right side, near The back bone, but
1t must have been the result Of a severe blow;
i suffered acute pain in my right shoulder for
near ten days; this TOO was produced by Sc
we're blows
II is probable | had as many friends on the
ground as Turner, but they were paralyzed
by surprise, whilst must do my opponents
the ju ,tice 10 say, that they acted with
speed, concentration and energy worthy {
better cause and better success. After | wat
borne into the house, ! could hear C. Tur
ner's groans in another room ] asked wha
was his condition? | was told that he wa
not fatally wounded. | then sent him wore
that 81 ~rejoiced that ! had not given him
fatal wound 4" he returned for answer, ''tha
he had not stabbed me;" and ! understoo,
before his death imputed no blame 10 me-.
Truth requires me to say that Cyrus Tur
ner's life and character inspired me with tn
same respect which is felt by the citizens c
Madison county generally. Whilst | regre
his death, not upon me rests the responsible
~ of its necessity.
Thus it appears that Mr.. Clay struck Tur
ner the fatal blow when he supposed himsel
MORALLY wounded. Thai he expected woul
be the closing deed of his life! And what
deed TO commit at such a moments 1t wa
NOT necessary for self-defence-it was pur
retaliation. And yet when he had done a
he could TO kill his antagonist, and hear
that he was likely 10 live in spite Of him, b
mocks his dying agouies by sending wol
that he rejoiced that he had moi given him
fatal wound This may all be according