The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-08-12
Nj IS G ELL A NEOUS.
The Clay and RandoIpb DucI.

is about ready for delivery. The Washingto
% papers contain a long extract, giving tn
y famous duel between Mr. CLAY and MI
RANDOLPH. We copy part of it as a
interesting detail of an eyewitness to thi
. event, which has made so much noise in tn
Q world:
0 had crossed the Little Falls Bridge us
after them, and come to the place wher,
the servants and carriages had stopped
saw none of the gentlemen, and supposed
they had all gone to the spot where tht
3 ground was being marked off; but on speaking
to Johnny, Mr.. Randolph, who was till in hi:
carriage and heard my voice, looked out from
the window, and said to me: "Coonel, since
, | saw you, and since have been in this
carriage, have heard something viii ch MAY
make me change my determination. Col
Hamilton will give you note which will
explain it." Col. Hamilton was then in the
carriage, and gave me the note, in the course
of the evening, of which Mr.. Randolph spoke.
readily comprehended that this possible
change of determination related to the firing;
but the emphasis with which he pronounced
the word "MAY," clearly showed that his mind
was undecided, and left it doubtful whether
he would fire or not.
No further conversation took place between
us; the preparations for the duel were fnshed
the parties went to their places; and l went
forward to piece of rising ground, from
which l could see what passed and hear wha.
was said. The faithful Johnny followed me
close, speaking not word, but evincing the
deepest anxiety for his beloved master.
The place was thick forest, and the i'm
mediate spot little de preston, or basin, in
which the parties Stood The principals
salu:ed one another courteousy as they took
their stands. Col. Tatnall had won the
choice opposition, which gave to Gen. Jesup
the delivery of the word. They stood on
line east and west-a small stump behind Mr..
Clay; low gravel band rose just behind Mr..
Randolph. The latter asked Gen. Jesup to
recite the world as he would give it; and
while in the act of doing so, and Mr Randolph
was adjusting the butt ofhis pistol to his hand,
the muzze pointing downward, ard almost to
the ground, it fired. Instantly Mr.. Randolph
turned to Col. Tatnal and said; II protested
against that hair trigger" Col. Tatnall
took blame to himself for having sprung the
hair. Mr.. Clay had not then received his
pistol. Mr.. johnson (Josiah,) one of the
seconds, was carrying it to him, and still
several steps from him. This untmely fire,
though clearly an accident, necessarily gave
rise to some remarks, and a species of inquiry,
which was conducted with the utmost
delicacy, but which, in itself, was of nature
to be inexpressibly painful to a gentlemans |
feelings. Mr.. Clay stopped it with the
generous remark that the fire was clearly an |
accident, and it was so unanimously declared. !
Another pistol was immediately furnished. |
An exchange ofshots took place, and, happily, !
without effect upon the persons. Mr.. Rando- |
ph's bullet struck the stump behind Mr.. Clay,
and Mr.. Clay's knocked up the earth and
gravel behind Mr.. Randolph, and in line
with the level of his hips, bullets having
gone so true and close that it was a marvel |
how they missed. The moment had come
for me to interpose. went in among the |
parties and offered my mediation, but nothing !
could be done. Mr.. Clay said, with that wave
of the hand with which he was accustomed
to put away trife, 'IHis is child's play,'
and required another fire. Mr.. Randolph !
also demanded another fire. The seconds |
were directed to re-load.-W lille this was
doing, prevailed on Mr.. Randolph to walk |
away from his post, and renewed him more
pressingly than ever, my opportunities to
yield to some accommodation; but found him |
more determined than had ever seen him,
and for the first time impatient and seemingly !
and dissatisfied at what was doing. |
He was indeed annoyed and dissatisfied !
The accidental fire of his pistol preyed upon
his feelings. He was doubly chagrined at it,
both as circumstance susceptible in itselfof
an unfair airinterpretation, and as having been
tn immediate and controlling cause of his
firing at Mr.. Clay. He regre tied this fire the
instant it was over. He felt that it subjected
him to imputations from which he knew him
self to be free-a desire to kill Mr. Clay, and
contempt for the laws of his beloved State and
the annoyances which he felt at these
vexatious circumstances revived his original
determination, aud decided him irrevocably to
carry it out.
Itwas in this interval that he told me what
he had heard since we parted, and to which
he alluded when he spoke to me from the |
window of the carriage. 1t was to this
effect: That he had been informed by Col. |
Tatnall thatit was propose to give out the
words with more deliberativeness, so as to
prolong the time-for taking aim. This infor-
nation grated harshly upon his feelings. 1t
unsettled his purpose, and brought his mind
to the inquiry Gas he now told me, and round
it expressed in the note which he had i'm
mediately written in pencil to apprse me of
his possible change) whether, under these cir
cumstances, he might not "DIsABLE" his
adversary! This note is so characteristic
and such an essential part of this affair, that
here give its very words, SO far as relates to
this point. 1t ran thus:
"Information received from Col. Tatnall
since got into the carriage, may induce me
to change my mind, of not returning Mr..
Clay's fire. seek not his death. would
not have his blood upon my hands-it will
not be upon my soul if shed in self-defense |