New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-02-07
THE DAILY CRESCENT.
TUESDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY I, 1854
THE UNITED sTaTEs aND SPIN.


THE UNITED ST.dTES .a.N'D# SP.ffy'..
In the hands of that discreet and we'll clad
representative to whom it pleased Fresident
Pierce to commit, with such good augurles
our dubious relations with Spain and our hopes
Of the neacefnl acquisition of Cuba, our diplo
macy eoes las Shakespeare would say Z" deli
/. cately 4, it has got two duels, the promise of
other two, large crop Of correspondence, a
mighty state question about the attire and the
character of q princess at the beginning of the
18th century, twoasuits of silk velvet. but not
the least bit of an island From a glorious
national war, We have degenerated to boyish
duels; from the mysteries of cabinets to those
of Partisan millinery; from questions of the
head to those of a head dress. From Cuba, we
have descended to q quaker-cut coat from
the Queen of the Antilles, we have gone up to
queen of Navarro, in comparison with whom
she that writ those queer love- stories, now so
happily out of date, is absolutely modern!
Ingenious Cervantes! how little, when thou
madest thy lunatic Don and the crack Drained
Cardenio go to loggerheads about the character
Of Queen Guinevre in an old romance, didst
thou fancy in all thy fun, that we of the con-
tinent then but discovered. should come to make
our discreet diplomacy parody upon that fam
tastic quarrel and combat
Meanwhile--anxious to vindicate, If possible,
this great controversy from total singularity-
we have ransacked our memory for some exam
pie in annals or in song, of q debate SO dire
about SO small q cause. But not an instance
can we recall, from either yeracious historian
or lying bard, of two nations that fell out about
the fashion of a lady's dress. 'Mhe only case
that we can compare with it in dignity is, in
these christian times, regarded as rather fabu-
lous; we mean that in which three pagan god
desses, and afterwards the whole heather sky
and eventually Greece and Troy got by the ears
about an apple. Certainly, civil history tells
us Of war between Bologna and Modena for
the recovery offs well -bueket, borne off in trophy
by the one from the other: but besides that
these Italian wars were, in those days, such as
our Peace Societies would sanction; the fatal
secchia rapita was not the original cause Of the
strife. Nor, though the rape of lock Of hair
has been. like that of the bucket, celebrated in
ever-during verse. can we liken it,, either in its
public character or it's bloody consequences that
have passed or are to come, to this mighty quar-
rel OF coats.
The war, however, still RACES and threatens
to rage as may be seen by the following, its
latest bulletin. It bfeathes too plainly of car
mage yet to come:
Mr.. soule Jr has addressed letter to the Bayonne
paper which contained what he considers an unfair ac
count OF the circumstances Of his duel with the Duke
Alba He writes
You say that my quarrel with the Duke of Alba took
It's rise IN some remarks in peaantries upon the
toilet of Madame Soe exchanged between the Duke of
Alba and the ambassador of France and You sneak with
soi q soemnty o. the very particular interest which
has been taken in the affair by the Emperor Of the French
1t may be we'll that in spite of the aversion which your
seem to have for truth it has happened to
them in this case at least and doubt through mad
Yertence What they tell you in this respect has indeed
obtained some credit here and at any rate gives deter
mined character to the and object of the oense
done to my mother. But this point abandon to you
seeing that cannot to the least anxiety AS
Spoken repeat there is not word truth in what
your correspondents make you say. III was from the
mouth of the Duke Of Alba alone that the remarks reach
ca my ears which caused to demand of him satisfac
Zion by stern and peremptory letter This remark YOU
say was only innocent pleasantly upon the toilette OF
Nine ssue the eccentric taste of whose dress had been
noticed by the whole company This is version which
comes after of which you have made yor
self the eompaisant interpreter The dress of my mother
had nothing at all to do with the insult which was thrown
upon her Her toilet which consisted of a dress of
velvet from the hands of Mmle Palnyre, was that of
woman Of taste and of good society who knows how to
unite that regard which the exgencies of the world COM
mand' with the respect which lady hsrselfn
Mr. Soule then proceeds to contradict some statements
regarding the letters that passed between the Duke aud
himself, and then proceeds:
You say that caused myself to be waited for on the
ground after having demanded and obtained delay Of
forty-eight hours did not demand and consea uenty
did not obtain any delay arrived the ground at ths
ing five minutes before the hour agreed upon
You say that was followed by six carriages ful of
Yankees who reside at Madrid was followed only by
one servant and by the carriage which contained nv
father, my physician of my friends French like
myself and one American-the only American who re-
sides at Madrid aside from the personnel of the Legaton
These were all left quarter of league from the place
Of combat, -
"You give mo twenty-three years OF age am hardly
but you take to say that the Duke
OF Alba is thrysx that he had many wears instruction
with the sword and that he had twsntyhree DAYS to
exercise himself after having received my challenge
which ne declined by explanations ample and satisfactory
before sending me his which accepted without hesita
You say that my hand tired quick under the weishto
sword which found too heavy. The swords were |
bad brought with hina
= "a aay rhAs was wounded 1t au error-I have |
ld rAness Inc E1Etst scratch La 6ne you speak Of
tas p-urliseE which yau say hsrs made 70 gire the lie
T. It HEliat And to barn before Witnesses the let
Ter Eatl tt Dnhs sfba had written to me was in
cap2t q aREing AMI have made promises of this
Kind bad nothing 70 % with the English press which
is altogether foreign 70 me-
The Duke OF Alba has taken care not pnon re b
sgnest requisition well knowing what account should
nave made whit Besides such arequison with respect
10 Inc letter which he bad written would have served
only to create the impression that 1t might have contain
ed something injurious to his character
ANA yea crown your recital by a description of the
combat which represents as having been the whole
time OF Its duration at the mercy the Duke of Alba and
scarcely able to hold out my sword
In order to conound these detraetors Nho hide tre,
selves behind you have only to place under fhe az
your Teadefs the account which has given Of the
py our to say those Of the Duke
and mine Will you sir, rectify the fasehools which
your correspondents have made you to utter an, m
willing to doubt H. but you refuse shall And means 10
pnMask and TO brand the infamous caum az NOV,
you have made yourself the echo and guarantee am
SIR, yoeS NEST otedient servant NryII go,I, : ~
LIBERTY WITHOUT LAM.
tie who sets men free really free---must