Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-01-23
TILE SOULE DUEIS-


i THE SOULE DUELS.
The occasion in which the dues originated
was grand bal given by the French ambassa
dor the Marquis de Turgot, and to which were
invited all the members of the corps diplomat
que, including Of course the personelle of the
American legation, Mr.. Soule with his lady
and son were present. Madame Soule had on
robe of blue velvet, made in Paris by Pal
myre, the favorite mantua maker of Queen lSa-
bella. The garment was trimmed with lilies in
gold lace, and as decoItettee as modesty allows
to the mother of a family A madrid journal
entitled Les N0cedas which is by no means
friendly towards the United States Minister
coufesses that by her good taste and the rich
ness or her toilet. Madame SOule was positive
ly la rein du bal. The enterance of herself
and her husband made an obvious sensatiop.-
flshihg to destroy tho - -
created, the Duchess de MOntio criticised Mad
anne Soule's STYLE of dress rather severely, and
in concert with the French ambassador himself.
It was then that melted these spiteful remarks
and making himself the echo of the most OBJ
iectionable of them, that the Duke of Alba said
TO some friends, "LOok at Margaret of Burgun-
dyn at the very moment that Madame Soule
passed 1t is impossible from the virtues of
Madame SOule, that the comparison could have
had any reference to moral character, bat it
was simply likening her physically to the wife
of Louis the Tenth, personifed in the piece
"La Toar ds Nesle" by Mile Georges, as cor
pulent as beautiful. The younger Soule over
, heard the remark, and replied to ii by the cpl
: thet edRUiUe or pOtleSsOR. Mr.. Scale did not
! leave with his son as has been stated. He I'M
. derstood that duel was going to be the con-
) sequence of the scandal, and with noble pa
, rental devotion, conceived the intention of in
curing the whole risk himself He immediate
" put himself in possession of the whole cir
: cumstance and went up to where the Duke OF
Alba was standing, caught him by the elbow,
and gazed fxedly in his face. The latter prob
ably, did not understand the meaning of this
, and walked off without saying ANYTHING NJ.
( Soule and his son walked around for three
: quarters of an hour longer, and did not retire
t until the crowd began 10 dispense. Next morn
, ing Mr.. Perry and Colonel Milans were chang
ed to the Duke Of Alba letter, in which young
Soule, demanded satisfaction for the insult put
upon his mother, saying-"Neither the name
which you bear nor the position which you owe
TO the possession of that name, can authorize
| Won to be insoent" Col. Mians. who was in
: tmately acquitted with the Duke, considered
= it his duty to state verbally the object of his
mission, and to induce him to make reparatOn
: for the wrong before delivering the challenge.
? The Duke appeared to be guided by most con-
cilliatory dispositions and wrote to young Soule
that although his letter was rather strong, yet
5 he conceived the sentiment painful, (doulourex)
}, that had dictated it.
''If may have said" added he, referring to
e the allegation with which he was charged any
= thing similar to it., of which have no remember
ance would neEs5 baYe pftfrRfh 5 it u nave not
: the honor to be acquainted; and whom l could
not even tell by sight" The seconds having
I al Il;
5 ton or retraction of the Duke of Alba, and the
l Soules expressing no further objection, the af-
fair appeared to be amicably terminated. But
| public opinion having discovered that the
young American had had the best of the play,
some SpaniardS, maintaining the national sensi-
I tveness on the point d'hOHRe3U, upbraided the
e descendant of the dukes of Alba and Berwick,
f with having yielded ground to baby (nino,) or
S as an experienced hand would have said, to
greenhorn. 1t was said too but this requires
+ contrmatiOn-that the French embassy was
e dissatisfied with the result as it affected Span
! ish noble, brother-in-law of Emperor Napoleon
the third. Under similar circumstances, as the
e Embassy is reported to have expressed itself,
+ there could be no alternative between frank
= and perfect reconciliation, and an appeal to
? arms. Cleverly sounded on the subject of ar
amicabe and thorough reconcilement, young
l Souie replied all overtureS. Then the Duke
7 addressed to Col. Milans letter, in which he
asserted that the explanation given by him, TO
2 NJ. Melville Soule, having been misunderstood
: by some persons, he considered incumbent on
him to state those explanations had been
/ prompted by friendly observations of Col. Mil
! ans and Perry, and not by the challenge of
. young Mr.. Soule. The latter at once formed a
judgement as to the object Of this retrospective
! Interpretation, AMI referred it to Milans who
! emf rorl, A. HI IL, l.
! ored to direct the nobleman'S armour proper
, with all the address of Spanish diplomatst
placed in such delicate position, between the
anvil and the hammer. After asseveratng his
desire to please the Duke of Alba, whom he
still continued to regard with esteem, the Col.
added: "But | cannot to attain that objec. al
ter the nature of the proceedings that have al
ready 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 impressions and
views when you wrote it. 1t proves that if
noble hearts do occasionally commit mistakes
it belongs to them also to know better Than all
sothor, -, 70 ro,o;p .I--..s.-- Skillfully was
'Tued that the friends of the Duke ap-
peared ordinaraly satisfied, and he, with even
more philosophy, on meeting the Colonel gave
him back his episte. and said to him, ''Al that
! had az heart was to know that had not lost
}
others may say about it, The storm now ap-
|, peared disspated for the second time to the
honor of yonng Soule. But or the 18th of De-
cember he received 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 on
18th December. The fight having continued
for thirty minuets without either wouuding the
other, the seconds declared that the laws of
i honor could exact no more, and at their desire
the opponents, who had given proof of equal
| courage and address, consented to shake hands
! Whilst this was passing, NJ. SouIe, the elder,
sent to the Marquis de Turgot letter, which
the following is presented as an authentic copy:
Monsieur ls Wdrquis-The difference which
has arisen between the Duke of Alba and my
son had its origin in your saloons 1t was in
your house where / and my family were the
guests and on the occasion of fete of which
the Duke of Alba might readily consider him
self the hero, that the latter was permitted to
insult Madame Soule, without anything having