Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1853-12-09

letter from Gen. Salazar, the Mexican
minister ut Washington, submitted by
the executive 10 the senate. bore the
ear-marks of having been manufacture
cd or forged by the secretary Of state,
and denounced the administration as
corrupt coalition between the puri'
tan and black-leg; and added. Mt the
same time, that he Mr., Randolph J held
himself personally responsible for all
that he had said"
This was the report to Mr.. Clay. and
upon which he gave the absolute chal-
lenge, and received the absolute ac-
ceptance, which shut out all inquiry
between the principals into the causes
of the quarrel. The second determin-
ed to open it, and to attempt an nc
commodation or a peaccable determi-
nation of the difficulty. In conse.
quence, General Jcsup stated the com
plant in note to Col. Tatnall thus;
"rhc injury Of which Mr.. Clay COM
plains consists in this: that Mr.. Ram
dolph has charged him with having
forged or manufactured paper con.
nected with the Panama mission; also,
that he has applied to him in debate
the epithet of black-leg. The cxpla-
nation which | consider necessary is,
that Mr.. Randolph declares that he
had no intention Of charging Mr.. Clay,
either in his public or priva to capac-
ity, with forging or falsifying any pa
per, or misrepresenting any fact; and
also, that the term black.leg was not
intended to apply to him." TO this
exposition of the grounds Of the COM
plant, Col. Masnal answered.. "Mr.
Randolph informs me that the words
used by him In debate were rs follows;
! That thought IL would be in my pow.
or 10 show evidence sufficiently pre-
sumptiyc TO satisfy Charlotte (coun.
ty)iury that this invitation was man
ufactured hcrc-that Salazar's lettcr
struck me rs bearing u strong likeness
In point of style to the other papers
| did not undertake TO prove this, bat
expressed my suspicion that the fact
was so. applied to the adminisira-
ton the eplthet purllanic.diplomatlo.
black.legcd administration Mr.. Ran.
dolph, In giving these words as those
uttered by him In debate, ID unwIl.
ling TO afford any explanation ~ to
their meaning and application"
Ia this answer Mr.. Randolph 10.
manned upon his original ground of re-
lusing TO answer out Of the senate for
words spoken within itl In other ro-
speets the statement of the words act
ually spoken greatly omelIorated the
offensive report. tho course and insul.
ting words, 'JoFgiag and ,IatsVgiag"
being dlsay0wed, ~ In faet they were
not used. aud are not 10 be found Ia
the published report. The speech WAS
n bitter phllllpple, and intended 10 bo
50, taking for is point the alleged coal.
idon between Mr., Clay and Mr. Ad.
ans with respect TO the election, and
their Efforts To get up a popular ques-
ton contrary 10 our policy OF non'on'
tanglement with foreign nations, In send
ing ministers TO the congress OF the
American states Of Spanish origin nj the
1sthmus OF Panama, | heard IL all,
and though sharp aud cutting, think
II might have been heard without any
manifestation OF resentment by Mr.,
Clay. The part which ho took 10 So
rioualy to heart. that Of having the
Panama invitations manufactured In
his office, was 10 my mnd nothing
more than attrlbuting TO him II dlplo.
matte superiority which enabled him To
obtain from the South American min
istera the invitations that he wanted;
and not NJ all that they were spurious
iabrications. As TO tho expression,
"5iaek.ieg and puritan" Il was merely
n sarcasm TO strike by antithesIs, and
which being without foundation. might
have been disregardcd. | presented
these views TO the parties, and II they
had come from Mr.. Randolph might
have been sufficient, but he was mex
orableand would not authorize word
to be said beyond what he had writ
ten.
All hope Of accommodation having
vanished, the seconds proceeded To ar
range for the duel. The afternoon OF
Saturday. the 9th Of April. was fixed
upon for the time-the right bank ol
the Potomac, within the tate OF Vir'
ginia. above the Little Falls bridge,
was the place, pistols the weapons,
distance ten paces--each party TO be
attended by two seconds and surgeon,
and myself Mt liberty TO attend as mu-
lual friend. There was TO be no prac'
). tising with pistols, and there was none
aud the words, tone, 1.-TWO, "three, >
''stop," after the word "ire," were,
by agreement between the seconds,
and for the humane purpose of redu-
cling the result as far as possible tC
chance. to be given out in quick sue
cession. The Virginia side, OF the Po-
tomac was taken at the instance of Mr.
, Randolph. He went out as Virgins
/ senator, refusing 10 compromise thai
, character, and if he fell in defence ol
its rights. Virginia soil was to him the
chosen ground to receive his blood
) There was statute of the state against
duelling within her limits, but as he
merely went out to receive fire with
e out returning it, he deemed that nc
4 lighting, and consequently, no breach
D OF her statute. The reason for chosina
: Virginia, could only be explained tC
: me, as | alone was the depository o
Y his secret. The weeks delay which
the seconds had contrived was about
c expiring. 1t was Friday evening, O.
rather night, when l went to see Mr.
J Clay for the last time before the duel
: There had been some alienation be
, tween US since the time of the Presi
Y Dental election in the house of repre-