The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-01-27
Gossip from Madrid by way Of Paris.

( N GAILLARnAT writes the Courier dss
/ Eats Jais detailed statement Of the un.
| fortunate quarre! which Mt. SorLE, our Am
bassadur 10 Madrid, and his sou, have had
with the French Minister at ln. SIM. Court
and the Duke Of ALBA, near relative to tha
French Empress. The history " the qui-ra!
seems to have commenced even before NJ.
SouLE reached Madrid. From the time 0.
the reception OF Mr.. SoULE as American
Minister began to be agtated. NJ. pE TURGOT.
the French Ambassador, and Madame De
MoYTIJo, mother of the Duchess o. Alba
showed little friendship for NJ. SouLE
Madame DE MoHTIJo is accused Of having
even intrigued to induce Queen ISABELLA to
refuse to receive him.
Thus matters stood until the occasion Of
yJete, or grand ball. given by the French Min
lister in honor of the birthday OF the Empress.
! All the foreign diplomatic corps were invited.
and, as d consequence, II. Soule. his son,
who is also Secretary OF Legation, and Mrs.
Souie, were present by invitation. Mrs.
SOule, who is handsome woman, was dressed
richly but tastcfully, and Madrid paper
states that she was queen OF the ball, and
her entrance produced q sensation" To
destroy the favorable impression Madame
SOule had made, spirit OF hostile criticism
was manifested by a coterie led on by NJ. de
Turgot and Madame Ge Montij1. The Duke
OF Alba, cOnsentng to become the echo of
the coterie, remarked, as Mrs. Soule passed
by, 'there goes Mary of Burgundy" Young
Soule, being close by, heard the remark, and
Immediately resented the odious outrage up
on his mother, and applied an epiihet of con-
tem1t to the Duke.
The parties were then separated but next
morning young Soule sent 20 the Duke de-
manding an explanation of the insult 20 his
mother. The Duke explained and apologis-
ed, and those acting under young Soule de-
clared themselves satisfied. But the public
applauded the spirit OF ala jeune Yankee"
and the Duke was twitted on his lack OF the
old pride of his family. The quarrel was re-
opened, and the Duke sent challenge to
retrieve his damaged honor. 1t was accept
! ed and the preliminaries being arranged, a
duel with swords was fought. The fight last
ed twenty minues, both parties showing
equal skill and courage The seconds in
terfered, declared that the honor OF neither
required further defence, and the principals
shook hands and parted.
Mr.. SOule. senior, however, considered it
proper iof him to represent to NJ. de Turgot
that his wife had been insultel in his, the
Ambassadors. salons, on an occasion upon
which the Duke of Alba was the most honor
| ed guest, and the person from whom the in
suit came that the affair had forced the
sword into his sons hand; that he had been
informed NJ. de Turgot was an instigator of
the insulting remark; and, consequently, as
NJ. de Turgot had not discharged his duty as
II host in exoncrating himself from any
sympathy with the insult, he was Obliged to
demand personal satisfaction. 70 Mr.. Soule's
communication NJ. de Turgot replied. deny
ing that he inst gated the insult but refused
to give any satisfaction for its occurrence at
his frts. Mr. Soule persisted in his demand
for reparalon, when the French Ambassador
said he would make his reply at the pistols
mouth.
4 meeting was arranged, Lord Howden g.
Gen. Collier acting rs seconds to NJ. de
Turgot, and Gen. Valdez, an old Governor of
Cuba, and NJ. Benito Aleio de Gaminde, ex
/ Member Of the Spanish Cnrles, as Mr.. Soule's
seconds. 1t is proper to state that Mr. Soule
signed his letter to NJ. de Turgot, "pierre
Soule, Citizen of the United States" and not
with his oiiicial rank, thus separating the
private individual from the public officer
Time was given to the principals to arrange
their affairs; but 1t being hinted that the
Spanish Government intended to interfere
to prevent the duel, Lord Hpwden waited up
on MIR. Soule and urged him to consent to an
earlier meeting. Mr., Soule replied that the
change of arrangements was inconvenient,
but he did not wish to forego the satisfaction
which was his right therefore yielded.