Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1851-01-04
Froa, Garland'slye ef Jo1s Randd}pfss
Randolph's Duel with Clays

i "Ihe night before tile DUEL sd Vi Cet.-
eral Jnrnes Hamilton, of s:outb Cusoi,a.
Mr. Randolph ssttt f5r me. / found hind
calm, but in singtiIarly kitid hhd tdia
fiding mood. Lie told me that tie had
| something on his mind to tell me. LIE
| tiie. remarked, Hamilton, have detcfIiia
lned to receive. without returning; Claws
fire; nothiag shhll induce me to llarm Ii
hair OF his head; Twill not make his
wife Il widow, or his children orpFlHns
Their tears wonld b6 sled over his grave;
but when the sod Of Virgbia rests Oh tiiy
bosom, there is not III this wide void oiia
| individual to pay the tribute upon mine"
| Ills eyes filled, aud, resting his head upoH
| his fiand, he remained some moiiiehts i'll.
lent. IrepIicd. my deartler FREUD ffof
ours was sort Of Isostlumous friendship;
bcqucathcd by our mothersJ deeply
regret that yon have mentioned this sutE
jeci TO me for yon Gull upon me 10 g5 t3
the field and SEQ you shot dowff; or III DIS
snfne the responsibility, Iii regard 10 yddr
own life, i'll sustaining your eieteru,iuatioif
to throw it away. But OH tfiis subject,
MATS own conscience and his own bss
som are his best monitors. will not aiF
wise, hut under the enormous and iinpros
voked personal Insult you have offered to-
Mr.. Clay, cannot dissaado. / feel t3oHRd,
however, to communicate To COL Tattffatl
your decision" lie begged me not to dy
SO, and said he was very much afraid that
Fattnall would take the studs and refuse
to go out with him. |, however; sought
Col Tattnall, and we repaired about nlids
night to Mr.. Randolpl's lodgings, whorn
we found reading ATilton's poem For
some moments he did not permit It's ID SHY
one word iii relation to the approachihg
duel and al once commenced one of those
delightful criticisms oti q ttssssuge To- ,lfis
poet i'll which hc was wont s6 eflthusiasx
ticaly to indulge. After d pause, Coli
Tattnall remarked: "Mr Randolph, ars
told You have determined not to returii
Mr.. Gays fire; must say to you, my
dear sls, il am only 70 10 out 10 see yon
shot down, you must find some other
friend. Mr.. Randolph remarked that 10
was bis determination. After much eoti4
versation on the snb'ect. induced Col.
Tattnal to allow Mr.. Randolph totake hi,
own course, as his withdrawal, as one of
tie friends, might lehl to very Injurious
rnlsconstructious At last, Mr.. Randolph
srnilelng said, "Well Tattnall, j promise
You one thing, if see the devil in GIay's
eye, and that with malice prepcase, he
means to take my life, I may change my
mind. A remark | knew he made merely
to propitiatc the agxieties Of bis friend,
"AIr Clay aud himself met ut four o..
clock the succeeding evening, on the
banks Of the Potomac. Bat La.arless and
~ firftfs,rvu senslbiilty and
fifmness which belonged to the occasion.
Il shall never forget this scene IS long
as / live. 1t has been my misfortune to
wines several dnels, but nevor saw one,
at least in its sequel 50 deeply affecting.
The sun was just sitting behind the, blue
hills Of RandoIph's own Virginia. Here
were too of the most extraordinary men
Of our country, in its proeigallty, had pro-
duced, about to meet in mortal combat.
Whilst Tattnal was loading Randolph's
pistol, approached my friend, / believed,
for the last time. | took his hand there
was not in its touch the quivering of one
pnIsation lie turned to me and said,
"Clay is calm but not vindictive--I hold
my purpose. Hamilton, in any event,
remember this On handing him his pis.
tol, Col. Tattnall spraug the hair trigger
Mr.. Randolph said, Tattnal, although
am one Of the best shots in Virginia, with
either a pistol or gun, YET | never fire
with the hair-trlger; besides, / have
thick buckskin glove on, which will dcs-
troy the delicacy Of my toatch, and the trig-
ger may fly before ! kno!v where am
But from his great soiicitnde for his friend,
Col Tattnal insisted upon hearing the trig~-
ger. On taking their position, the fact
turned out as Mr. Randolph anticipated;
his pistol went OIL before the word, with
the muzzle down.
aThe moment this event took place
Gen. Jesup, Mr.. Gays friend, called out
that he would instantly leave the ground
with his friend, if that occurred again.
Mr.. Clay at once excuimcd il was all ac-
cident, begged that the gentleman might
be allowed to go on. On the word being
given Mr.. Clay fred without effect Mr..
Randolph discharging his pistol tn the an
The moment that MIR. Clay saw that Mr.
Randolph had thrown away bis fire, with
gush of sensibility, he instantly APP
preached Mr.. Randolph, aud said, with
an emotion can never forget-"I trust
In God, in dear Sir, you arc untouched;
after what has occurred, would not have
harmed you for thousand werlds.''
The close of this passage in Randoiph's
career, makes too complete picture to be
omitted Returning from his mission as
Minister to Russia, broken iii health, sick
al hearr--at deaths door-he went into
the Senate chamber and took his seat in
the rear Of Mr.. Clay. That gentleman
happened al the time to be on his feet adj
dressing the. Senate aKaise me up'
said Randolph, II want to hear that voice
again When Mr. Clay had concluded
his remarks, which were very few. he
turned round to see from whatq quarter that
singular voice proceeded. Seeing Mr..
Randolph, aud that he was III dying
contlision, he left his place and went to
speak to him; as he approached. Mr..
Randolph said TO to the gentlemen
.w ill him, ..laise me mp As MIR.
Cav offered lii bis hand, he said, Mr..
Randolph, I hope yov are better sir.
Es.So, sir replied Randolph, Il an. dying
man, and came here expressly to have
this interview with you-'
They grasped hands and parted, never
to meet more.
MASSACHUSETTS SgSArE--The Cover
nor AMI Council Of Massachusetts have