Washington telegraph., 1853-08-17
Tiairty Years in the Senate.

TiaiT;y Wears in the Senate.
Our readers are aware that Mr.. Benton
is about publishing his work entitled .sTbir-
ty Years in the United States Senate. =
the following is the account of the duel be-
tween Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Randolph, as Civ
en- by Mr.. Benton and which has been pub
lished from advance sheets. Mr.. CLAY at
the time was Secretary Of State under .Jno.
Quincy Adams, and challenged Mr.. Ran
doIph for language used in the Senate.
According to Mr Tattnall, Mr.. L. s see
ond what he said was this:
Mr.. Randolph informs me that the words
used by him in debate were as follows =
That [, thought it would be in my power to
show evidence sufficiently presumptive to
satisfy Charlotte County jury that this
invitation was manufactured hare-that Sa
iazar's letter atrack me as bearing strong
likeness in point Of style to the other pa
rcrs. | did not undertake to prove this.
but expressed my suspicion that the fact
va So. ! applied to the Administration the
cpl hct -black-legged Administra-
toH.' Mr, Randolph, in giving these words
as bose uttered by him III debate, is unwi!-
ling to afford any explanation as to their
meaning and application.
The challenge was then persisted III, and
the incidents occurred as detailed in MIR.
Bcnton's account;
Al hope Of accommodation having van
ishcd, the seconds proceeded to prepare for
the duel. The afternoon Of Saturday, the
S;h Of April, was fixed upon as the time !;
i,1 II,
State OF Virginia, above the Little Falls
Bridge, was the place, pistols the weapons,
distance ten PAGES each party to be at
tended by two seconds and a surgeon, and
myselfat liberty to attend as q mutual friend.
There was to be no practicing with pistols,
and was none and the words Zone, y two
'three, stop" after word fire" were by
agreement between the seconds, and for the
humane purpose of reducing the result as
near as possible to chance, to be given out
in quick succession.
The Virginia side of the Potomac was
taken at the instance Of Mr. Randolph.
He went out asa Virginia Senator, refusing
to compromise that character, and, if he fell
in defence of its rights, Virginia soil was to
him the chosen ground to receive his blood
There was Il statute of the State against Gtl-
cling within her limits but as he merely
went ont to receive fire without returning
it, he deemed that no fighting and consc-
qucntIv, no breach of her statute This
reason for choosing Virginia could only be
explained to me, as | alone was the denos-
itory of his secret. The week delay which
the seconds had contrivcd was about expir-
II ~
night, when | went to see Mr.. Clay for the
last time before the duel. There had been
some alienation between us since the time
of the Presidential election in the House
of Representatives, and, | wished to give
evidence that there was nothing personal in
it. The family were in the parlor--ccmpa-
ny prcsent-and some of it stayed late
The Youngest child, [ believe James, went
to sleep On the SOFIA circumstance which
availed me for 4 purpose the next day
Mrs Clay was, as always since the death
Of her daughter, the picture of desolation,
but calm conversabie, and without the
slightest apparent consciousness Of the pend
ing event. When all were gone, and she
also left the parior, | did what [ came for
and said to Mr. Clay that Notwithstanding
our late political difference, my personal
feelings towards him were Of the same as
formerly, aud that, in whatever concerned
his life or honor my best wishes were with
him. He expressed his qualifications at the
visit and the declaration, and said it was
what he would have expected of me- We
parted at midnight.
Saturday, the 8th of April-the day for
the duel-had come, and almost the hour
1t was noon and the meeting was to take
place at half past / o'clock. | had gone to
see Mr.. Randolph before the hour, and for
a purpose and besides. it was far on the
way. as he lived half way to Georgetown,
and we had to pass through that place to
cross the Potomac into Virginia at the Lit
tie Falls Bridge heard nothing from
him on the point Of not returning the fire
since the first communication to that effect,
eight days before had no reason to doubt
the steadiness of his determination, but l
felt desire to have some fresh assurance of
it after so many days delay, and so near the
approach of the trying moment. l knew
it would not do to ask him the question
any question which would imply a doubt