Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-01-14
The Soule Duels.


rences in question appears in the Paris cores
pondence of the Courier des E,a,s Tnis. The
writer Of this letter, fr,n which we are about 10
quote, is NJ. Gaillardet, the former editor OF that
paper he states. that the facts. as r4aied in his
epissle, had been communicated TO him by a
Spanish geptemsn, who arrived lately in Paris
from Madrid and Who had been witness Ia most
of the incidents which he, Mons. q J. was about
70 narrste His Testimony, adds the writer, is
worthy os the greatest confidence
The occasion in which the duels originated
a grand bal given by The French ambassador, the
Marquis de Tnrgot, 10 VII CHI were invited
all the members of the corps diplomsti9ue. inclu
ding Of course the perSonelle of the American
legation NJ. Soule with his hdy and son were
present Madame Sonle had ON robe II blue
velvet made in Paris by Palmype. the iavorito
mantus maker Of the Queen Isabella. The gar
ment was trimmed with lilies in gold lace and as
.decoRetfee modesty allows fo the mothe. OF a
family A Madrid journal entitled Las N,ne-
.dds, which Is hv fneaus friendly towards the
United States Minister. confesses fiat by her
good TASTE and the richness OF her toilet. Mad
anne Saule wa positively Ia feinf da bal The
entrance Of herself and her husband made an OBJ
:sse ss.s..;.-a iN;s2a~ss - s~s''"g 81" fasoi
liable impression thus created, ahe Duchess de
Montiio criticised Madame Soules s1yie of dress
rather severely, and in concert with the French
ambas Sc DIR himself. II wRs then that melted by
these spitef1l remarks, and milking himself the
echo ut the fiost Iast cttunalH- of them, the
bake of Aha said fo spme FRIENDS, - Look at
Margaret a Burgundy, 81 the very moment
alat Madame Soule passed.. TIM younger Soule
overheard the remark. aud rtph,d 10 it 10y the
epithct oanafIe or pJtjssps. " Sonle did not
leave with his aon rs has hcpn stated. He un-
.derstood that duel WIS giving To be the conse-
,qnence If the scandal, and with noble parental
devotion, conceived the intention Of mourning
tie whole risk himself lie Immediately put
himself ia possession at the wi ole circumstances,
and went up eowhere the Duke o. Alba wa stand
ing, caught him by The elbow, and ga2rd fiXedly
la his face. The latter probably, did not under
stand the meaning Of this aud walked off without
saving ANYTHING NJ. soulc and his son walked
around for three quarters of an hour longer, and
did not retire until the crowd began II dispense.
Next morning MIR. Perry and Colonel Milans
were charged 10 bear 10 the Duke of Alba let
ter, in which young Soulo demanded satlsiae
for the insult put upon his mother saying
Neither the name which you bear, nor the posi-
zion which YOU owe 10 the possession Of that
name, authorize you 10 be lusolent.' The
Duke appeared To be guided by most eonciliuto-
~ dispositions, and wrote 10 young Soule TINT
although his letter rather strong, yet he con
ceiVed the sentiment painful (douloureux) that
had dictated It.
III j may nave SAID, added he, referring 10
the allegation with which he was charged, ANY
thing similar to it. (of which | have rcmem-
brauce) would never have uttered it, on nc
count OF the lady, your mother, with whom
have not the honor to be acquainted, und whom
could not even tell ~ sight" The seconds hay
ing declared themselves satisfied with this ex-
PLANTATION or r,draotIon of the Duke of Alba, and
the soules' expressing further objection. the
affair appeared To be ameRbly terminated. But
10 Il
American had had the best Of the play, some
Spaniards, maintaining the national sensitiveness
on the point II hoaHeur, uphre died the descendant
of the dukes of Alba and Berwick, with having
yielded ground to Il baby (nino, or an expert
enced hand would have said, 10 "A grcenhom. 1t
was said too, but this requires confirm ation-that
the French embassy was dissatisfied with the re-
suit as i; affected Spanish noble brother-in-
law Of the Emperor Napoleon the third. Under
similar circumstances, rs the Embassy is report
ed to have expressed itself there could be no al
tentative botW cen frank aud perfect reconeilin-
ton, and an appeal to arms. Cleverly sounded
on the subject of amicable and thorough rec
oneement, young Soule repealed all oyeriures.
Then the Duke addressed 10 Col Minns letter.
in which he asserted that the explanation given
by him, to NJ. Melville Soule, having been mlsun-
derstood by some persons, he considered it IN
cumbent on him TO state that those explanations
had been prompted by the friendly observations
of Col Milans and Mr. Perry. and not by the
challenge Of young Mr.. Soule. The LITTER at
once formed "A judgment as to the object of this
retrospective Interpretation, and referred il to
Milans. who sent reply 10 the Duke, in which
he endeavored TO direct the noblcman's amour
propre, with all the address of Spanish diploma
fist placed in such delicate position. between
the anvil and the hammer. After asseverating
his desire to please the Duke of Alba. whom he
still continued To regard with esteem the Colonel
added; ''But canuot To attain that object alter
the nature of the proceedings that have already
taken place. Your letter to NJ. Soule was in
consequence of that which he addressed to you,
and can alone afford an explanation of your inn
pressons and views when you wrote it. ltproycs
that if noble hearts do occasionally commit mis-
takes il belongs To them also to know b tier than
all others how to repair them" So skilliuly
was the pill eided that the friends of the Duke
appeared ordinarily satisfied, and he with even
more PHILOSOPHY, on meeting the Colonel gave
him back his epste, and said to him. "A that |
had at heart to know that had not lost your
good opinion. am Indifferent as to what others
may say about IT, " The storm now appeared
dissipated for second time to the honor Of Young
Sonle. But on the 18th of December he receiv.
in his turn challenge from the Duke. Soule
accepted IT, and hostile meeting, at which
swords were the weapons made use OF, took place
between the parties the IIth December. The
fight having continued for thirty minutes without
either wounding the other the seconds declal ed
that the laws of honor could exact no more and
at their desire the opponents. had given proof
of equal courage and address, consented 10 shake
hands.
Whilst this was passing, ~ Soule, the elder
sent to the Marquis de 1urgot letter, of which
the following is presented as an authentic copy :
..Mousieur lie Marquis-I'he difference which
has arisen between the Duke of Alba and nv sol