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

that thought he owed Il TO himself to
consult his friends before taking so i'm.
portant a step. He seized my hand.
saying. You are right, sir; l thank
you for the suggestion, sir; but, as You
do not take my note, you must not be
Iimpatientif you should not hear from
me to-day. | now think Of only two
friends and there are circumstances
connected with one of them which may
deprive me of his services. aud the 9TH
er is in bad health--.he was sick
yesterday, and may not be out to-
day"
81 assured him that any reasonable
time which he might find necessary TO
take. would be satisfactory. took
leave of him; and it is due 10 his men,
ory TO say, that his bearing was,
throughout the interview that of n
high-toned chivalrous gentleman ofthe
old school" ]"
These were the circumstances of the
delivery Of the challenge, and the only
thing necessary to give them their full
character Is to rccollect that. with this
prompt acceptance and positive refusal
to explain, and this extra cut about the
two pledges, there was perfect deter
mination not to fire ut Mr.. Clay. That
determination rested on two grounds;
first, an entire unwillingness to hurt
Mr., Clay; and next, conviction that
to return the fire would be TO answer,
and would be an implied acknowl-
edgmcnt of Mr.. Clay's right to make
him answer. This he would not do,
neither by implication or in words
He denied the right ofany person to
question him out OF the senate for
words spoken within IL, lie took n
distinction between man and senator
As senator, he had constitutional
immunity, given for n wise purpose.
and which he would neither surrender
nor compromise; as individual, he was
ready 10 give satisfaction for what was
deemed an injury. lie would receive,
but not return u lire. IL twas as much
~ 10 say; Mr., Clay may liro nj mo for
what has offended him; | will not. by
returning Tire, admit his right TO do 80,
This was u subtitle distinction, and that
In caso OF life and death. aud not
very clear 10 the common intellect, but
10 Mr. Randolph both clear aud con.
vlnelng. iIls allusion % the "two
pledges unrudoemei,e which hc might
have plead In bar to Mr.. Clay's ehal.
lenge, and would not, was another sur.
easIlc eul NJ Mr., Adams and Mr.. Clay,
while rendering satisfaction for cuts
already given, The member Of the
house, was Mr.. George kremer. Of
Pennsylvania, who, NJ tho time OF the
presidential election la the house of
representatives, had ayowod hlmsulfto
be- the author OF an anonymous publlea.
lIon, the writer Of which Mr., Clay had
threatened to call 10 account II he
would only ayow, hlmself-and did
not,
Tho 'groat man" was President
Adams, with whom Mr., Clay had had
u newspaper controversy. involving u
question OF faol-which had been post
poned, The o,uae OF this sarcastic
cut. aud OF all the keen personality la
the Panama speech, was the belief
that the President aud Secretary. tho
latter especially encouraged the news
papers In their interest " attack him,
which they did inceasanlly: aud he
chose 20 overlook the editors and re-
talIalo upon tho lnSilgalora, as ho be.
loved them to be. This he did To his
hearts content In that speech--and 10
their great annoyance, rs tho coming
OF the challenge proved.
The two friends" alluded TO, were
Col. 'fatnall and myself. and the eir.
eumstances which might disqualify
one Of the two, were those OF my re-
lationshp with Mrs. Clay. OF which
he did not know the degree, whether
OF affinity or consansulnlIy consider,
ing the first no obstacle. the other n
complete bar 10 my appearing rs his sec
ond-holding, Us he did, the tenacity Of
an Indian TO the obligations Of blood.
aud laying but little stress on marriage
connexions. Ills aflable reception and
courteous demeanor TO Gen. Jesup were
according TO his high breeding. and
tho decorum which belonged TO such
occasions. A duel in the circle TO
which he belonged was IAN affair of
honor" and high honor. according to
It's code, must pervade every part OF
IT, General Jesup had come upon an
unpleasant business. Mr.. Randolph
determined to put him ut his case; and
did IL so eileclually as 10 charm him
into admiration. The whole plan OF
his conduct down TO contingent details,
was cast in his mind Instantly, rs il by
intuition. and never departed FROM
The acceptance, the refusal to explain,
the determine not to FIRE, the first and
second choice of friend, and the cir
cumstances which might disqualify one
and delay the other, the additional cut
and the resolve to fall, if he fell, on the
soil OF Virginia-was all, to his mind
a single emanation-the flash of an in,
stant. lie needed no consultations, nc
deliberation to arrive at all these i'm
portant conclusions. | dwell upon
these small circumstances because they
are characteristics, and show the man
la man who belongs to history, anC
had his own history, and should bt
known as he was. That character car
only be shown in his own conduct
his own words and acts; and this duel
with Mr.. Clay illustrates it at many
points 1t is in that point of view thai
| dwell upon the circumstances which
might seem trivial, but which are no
so, being Illustrative of character ant
significant, in their particulars.
The acceptance of the challenge wa
in keeping with the whole proceeding