Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-07-02

authentic than usual, Of his pursuits while
at the Temple. The study Of the law oc-
cupled bu. little Of his attention. He never
relished it, and soon abandoned the profess
sion altogether. OF the theatre he was very
Ifond-lil.le wonder in the zenith Of Gsrrick
and it was a taste he INDUCED in to the
the last. well remember, somewhere a.
bou, the year 1913, being in Crow-stree,
when he entered with Ca,alani leaning on
his arm. The house was crowded, and he
was hailed with acclamations. In vain he
modes,ly consigned them TO the lovely siren
his companion. His name rang wildly lhro'
The theatre. think still hear the shouts
when his person was recognized, and still
behold his venerable figure bowing its awk-
ward gratitude, No one knew better the
true value OF that bubble tribute. Another
of his musements, if Indeed it was no,
something more, when he was al the Ten
pie, seems to have been q frequen. attend
once in both houses Of Parliament. He
skeched the debates and the speak ers by
whom he wss most attracted.
o'coNNELL's DUEL.
Living, as he did, in constant turmoil,
and careless, as he was, 10 whom he gave
offense, O'ConneIl Of course had multitude
oi enemies. OF this, himself the cause, he
had no righ. to complain but he had righ,
10 complain of the calumnes they circula-
ted. Most rife Of these was charge of want
Of courage-in Ireland rare and very de-
lrimen,al accusation. O'ConneIl, during
his latter years, declined dueling, and pub
lcly svowed his determination. The rea-
son given, and given in the House of Com
mons, was, that having "blood upon his
hands, he had registered q vow in heaven"
To this there could have been no possible
objection had he included in The registry a
VOW not to offend. The real charge 10
which he made himself smenable was his
perseverance, al once in insult and irrespon-
sibiIily. The truth is, O'Connell's want of
courage consisted in his fighting The duel
in which the VOW originated. The facts Of
the case are few and simple. In one Of his
many mob speeches he called the corpors-
lion of Dublin ''beggarly corporation" A
gentleman named D'Esterre affected to feel
This as personal afffonr, he being one Of
,ha, very numerous body, aud accordingly
fastened q quarrel on the offender. !! is
quite true ,ha. O'Connell endeavored 10 a.
void the encounter. He did not do enough.
He should have summoned D'Esterre before
the tribunals Of the country, after falling to
appease him by a repeated declaration that
he meant him no personal offense, and
could not, he being total stranger 10 him.
However, in an evil hour, he countenanced
savage and anti Christian cuslom-the
unfortunate D'Esierre paid for his perverse-
ness will, his life, and the still more unfor
,unale O'Connell expiated his moral ,imidI-
,y with much menioI anguish to the day Of
his death. The preparation of a duel ap-
pears to me no proof whatever Of personal
courage; The refusal, in The then state Of
society, would have shown much more
However, on the occasion in question he
showed total absence Of wha, is vulgarly
called fear ; indeed, bis frigid determination
was remarkable. Let those who read the
following snecdote remember that he most
reluctantly engaged in the combat, ; that be
was then the father Of seven children and
that il was an alternative of life or death
with him, D'Es,erre being an unerring
ma,ksman. Being one of those who &C
compsnied O'Connell, he beckoned me a
side to distant portion of the very large
field, which had slight covering Of snow
.'Phllips said he. ",his seems to me not a
personal, bu. political affair. am obnox
ious to party, and they adop. a false pre-
tense to cul me of. ! shall not submit to
it. They have reckone without their host,
promise you. am ono of the best shots
in Ireland o, mark, having, sz a pnbiic
man, considered it q duty to prepare, for
my own protection, sgainsisuch unProvok-
ed aggression as the present. Now. re-
member wha, say 10 you. | may be struck
myself, and then skill is out o! the question;
but if am not, my antagonist may have
cause to regre. his having forced me into
this conflict" The parties were then very
soon placed on the ground, al, think, IL
PAGES distance, each having a case ofpls'ols,
with directions to fire when they choose
after a signal. D'Es.erre rather aglaled
himself by making short speech, disclsim-
ing all hostility to his Roman Catholic
countrymen, and took his ground, some
what ,hea,cally crossing his pistols upon
his bosom. They fred almost together
and Instantly on the signal. D'E,'erre fell.
mor,alIy wounded. There was the greatest
self-possessnn displayed by both. Isseem'
ed TO me duty to narrale these details IN
IO'Connell's. .sliletime wherever J heard his
courage queseoned, and justice TO his mem
ory now prompts me to record them here
CooL.-The following orders were given
by the captain of Western steamboat
when she was about to engage in race with
another boat:
''Rosin up thar, and tell the engineer to