Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1850-12-07
I'll / sreIl meun g .
Duel betWeen RandoIph and Henry CIa,

|
Hugh Garland of Virginia, has Just written
life of John Randolph, from which we ex-
tract the following description of the memo
his great rival, Henry Clay:
The night before the duel,' says Gen.
James Hamilton, of s. Carolina, Mr.. Randolph
sent for me. l found him calm, but in sin
gularly kind and coniding mood. He told
me that he had something on his mind to tell
me. He then remarked Hamilton, have
determined to receive, without returning,
! Clay's fire; nothing shall induce me to harm
hair of his head; [ will not make his wife a
widow, or his children orphans. Their tears
would be shed over his grave; bat when the
sod of Virginia rests on my bosom, there is not
in this wide world one individual to pay this
tribute upon mine His eyes filed, and rest
ing his head upon his hand, We remained some
moments silent. replied MY dear friend
(for ours was sort of posthumous friendship
bequeathed by our mothers,) I deeply regret
that you have mentioned this subject to me
for you call upon me to 90 to the field and see
you shot down, or to assume the responsible
ty, in regard to your own life, in sustaining
your determination to throw it away But on
this subject, mans own conscience and his
own bosom are his best monitors | will not
advise, but under the enormous and unpro-
voked personal insult you have offered Mr.
Clay, cannot dissuade. l feel bound, how
ever, TO communicate to Col. Tattnall your de-
cision.' He begged me not to do so, and
said she was very much afraid that Tattnall
would take the studs and refuse to 90 out
with him. l, however, sought Col. Tattnall
and we repaird about midnight to Mr.. Ran
dolph's lodgings, whom we found reading
Milton's great poem. For some moments he
did not permit US to say one word in relation
to the approaching duel; and he at once COM
menced one of those delightful criticisms on
passage of this poet, in which he was wont so
enthusiastically to indulge. After a pause,
Col. Tattnaa remarked, Mr.. Randolph, l am
told you have determined not to return Mr. |
Clay's fire; must say to you, my dear sir, if
| am only to go out to see you shot down, you
must find some other friend N. R. remark |
ed that it was his determination. After much
conversation on the subject, induced Col T. |
to allow Mr.. Randolph to take his own course,
as his withdrawal; as one of his friends, might !
lead to very injurious misconstructions. At
last, Mr.. R. smiling said, well Tattnall, |
promise you one thing, if | see the devil in |
Clay's eye, and that with malice prepense he |
means to take my life, may change my mind. |
A remark l knew he made merely to propiti-
ate his friends anxietcs.
Mr. c. and himself met at O'Clock the |
the succeeding evening, on the banks of the !
Potomac But he saw no devil in Clay's eye
but man fearless, and expressing the min
gled sensibility and frmness which belonged
to the occasion.
L shall never forget this scene, as long as
live. 1t has been my misfortune to witness
several duels, but never saw one, at least
in its sequel, so deeply affecting. The sun
was Just setting behind the blue hills of Ran
dolph's own Virginia. Here were two of the
most extraordinary men our country in its
prodigality had produced, about to meet in
mortal combat. While ,Tattnall was loading
Randolph's pistols, approached my friend, l
believed for the last time took his hand
there was not in its touch the quivering of one
puIsation. He turned to me and said, CLAY is
calm, but not vindietive-I hold my purpose,
Hamilton, in any event; remember this On
handing him his pistols, Col. Tattnall, sprung
the hair trigger. Mr.. Randolph said, TAFT
nall, although I am one of the best shots in
Virginia, with either a pistol or gun, yet l
never fire with the hair trigger, besides,
have thick buckskin glove on, which will
destroy the delicacy of my touch, and the trig-
ger may fly before know where am But
from his great solicitudc for his friend, TAFT
nall insisted upon hairing the trigger. On
taking their position, the fact turned out as
Mr.. Randolph anticipated his pistol went of
before the word, with the muzzle down.
The moment this event TODD place, Gen.
Jessup, Mr. Clay's friend, called out that he
would instantly leave the ground with his
friend, if that occurred again Mr.. Clay at
once exclaimed, it was entirely an accident,
and begged that the gentleman might be al
lowed to go on. On the VOID being given,
Mr.. Clay fired without effect, Randol ph dis
charged his pistol in the air The moment
Mr. Clay saw that Mr. Randolph had thrown
away his fire, with gush of sensibility he in
stantly approached Mr.. Randolph, and said
with an emotion never can et:-I trust
in God, my dear sir, you are untouched, after
what has occurred, would not have harmed
you for thousand worlds,
Z Thus ends the affair None but the un-