Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-09-02
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE.
TO TIE EDITORS.

TO THE EDITORS
GENTLEMEN: A friend has directed my atten-
tion to an editorial article in the Daily Globe" Of
Portsmouth, Virginia, of the 30th of May last COM
mentino on the statement of Col. BENTON, in his
uThirty Years in the United States Senate" Of a
dueI between the late HENRY CLAY and the late
JOHN RANDOLPH, comparing it with that given by
Mr.. HUGH A. GARLAND Of the same affair in his
history of the latter, and pointing out material
difference in the statements Of the two historians
The difference noticed by the Editor of the Globe
relates to declarations said to have been made by
Mr. Randolph of his determination not to fire at Mr.
Claw and as to the fact of his having fred at him.
Now, if Mr. Randolph came upon the ground with
the determination he is said to have expressed, he
certainly changed his mind after he got there, and
did fire at Mr.. Clay, as every one present at the
duel and now living can testify.
Col. Benton was on the ground with the assent
Of the friends Of Mr. Clay on the earnest appeal Of
Col Tattnall to them. The friends of both parties
desired and hoped to the last 10 effect an accommo-
dalton. Col TattnalPs object in desiring the pre-
sence Of Col. Benton, expressed to Mr.. Johnston
and me, was to avail himself Of his influence over
Mr. Randolph, which he said was only second to
that of Mr.. Macon, to effect an accommodation
should favorable occasion offer. Col. Benton's
account of what took place on the ground is sub
santially correct and that of Mr. Garland incorrect
In several particulars, as viii be by reference
to the statement of facts agreed to by the friends OF
the parties at the time, and published by their
thority in the National Intelligencer on Monday,
the 10th Of April, 1926.
OF that which took place between Mr.. Randolph
and his friends Gncludng Col. Benton) before they
came upon the ground /, as the friend of Mr.. Clay
had no means Of knowing; but in July, 1926, Col
Benton addressed letter to Judge Tucker, Of Vir-
ginia, (the half brother Of Mr.. Randolph giving
substantially the same account of the affair, both
before and after coming to the ground, which now
find in his "Thirty Years in the Senate" That
letter was published by Judge Tucker, as after
wards understood, in the Richmond Enquirer, and
Fas copied, / believe, in several other papers. 1t
escaped the notice of Mr. Clay at the time, but he
was afterwards informed of it, and made to believe
that great injustice had been done to him by the
writer: He called at my house under good deal
of excitement and informed me of what he had
heard. had not seen the letter. but sought for it
Immediately intending, if it should prove to be as
it had been represented to Mr. Clay, to call on Col
Benton to correct it. obtained copy of the let
ter, took it to Mr. Clay read it over with him, par
agraph by paragraph, and though we found in it
matters which we knew nothing about previous to
the duel, the facts with which we were acquainted
were stated fairly and were substantially correct.
In statement which was called upon by the
Irienus VI MI Clay 10 prepare Since MS oeceGe,
and which was published IA Kentucky about four
teen OF fifteen months ago, used as evidence both
the statement of the friends of the parties publish
ed in your paper and Col Benton's letter to Judge
Tucker, published in the Richmond Enquirer.
These two papers, published to the world at the time
when the facts fresh in the recollection of all
who had been connected with the affair or with the
parties the best and most conclusive evidence of
the truth now attainable.
My object in addressing you this note, gentle
men, is simply to set history right; and the better
way to do So it to me, would be to republish
the papers referred to- The first you will find in
the file of the National Inteligencer under the date
which I have mentioned above, and I send you a
copy of the other. beg of you, if you can find
space for them, to republsh both.
l am, gentlemen your cbedient servant,
THOS. s. JESUP.
MooRIsas, MONTGOMERY Co., Nd Auo. 80, 1854