The Yazoo City weekly Whig. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 18??-1855, 1854-02-17
THE WING.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY II, 1854.
The sOmIe DucIs.

.Ltdts DlatS, giving ful particulars OF the
Soule duels. We do not gather from it OF
other fere;gn papers, the idea that any gross
Insult was intended to be offered to Madame
Soule. The writer of this letter. from which
we are about to quote. is Mr.. Gaillardet, the
former editor Of that paper; he states, that
the facts, as related in his epistle, had been
communicated to him by Spanish gentle
man, who arrived lately in Paris from Mad
lrid, and who had been witness to most OF
the incidents which he, Mons. G. was
about to narrate. His testimony, adds the
writer, is worthy of the greatest confidence.
"The occasion in which the duels origi-
mated was grand ball given by the French
Ambassador, the Marquis dc Turgot, to
which were invited all the members of the
corps diplomatique, including of course the
personelle of the American legation. M.
Soule with his lady and son were present
Madame Soule had on a robe of blue velvet,
made in Paris by Palmyre, the favorite
mantua- maker of the Queen Isabella. The
garment was trimmed with lilies in gold
lace, and as decollettee as modesty allows to
the mother Of family. A Madrid journal
entitled las Novedos, which is by no means
friendly towards the United States Minister,
confesses that by her good taste and the
richness of her toilet, Madame Soule was
positively Ia refine da bal. The entrance Of
herself and her husband made an obvious
sensation. Wishing to destroy the favora-
bic impression thus created, the Duchess
de Montijo criticised Madame Soule's style
of dress rather severely. and in concert with
the French Ambassador himself. II was
then, ithat melted by these spiteful remarks,
and making himself the echo of the most
objectionable Of them, the Duke of Alba
said to some friends, Look at Margaret of
Burgundy" at the very moment that Mad
anne Soule passed The younger Soule over
heard the remark, and replied to it by the
epithet canoille or poisson. ID. Soule did
not leave with his son as has been stated.
He understood that duel was going to be
the consequence of the scandal, and with
noble parental devotion. conceived the in
tention of mourning the whole risk himself
He Immediately put himself in possession
Of the whole circumstances, and went up to
where the Duke of Alba was standing, |
caught him by the elbow, and gazed fxedly
in his face. The latter, probably, did not
the meaning of this and walked
off without saying anything. N. Soule and
his son walked around for three quarters OF
an hour longer, and did not retire until the
crowd began to disperse. Next morning
Mr.. Perry and Col Milans were charged to
bear to the Duke of Alba letter, in which |
young Soule demanded satisfaction for the
insult put upon his mother. saying Meth
er the name which you bear. nor the posi-
ton which you owe to the possession Of that
name, can authorize you to be insolent."
The Duke appeared to be guided by the
most conciliatory dispositions, and wrote to
young soule. that although his letter was
rather strong, yet he conceived the senti-
ment painful (douloureux) that had dictat-
ed it.
eff may have said, added he, referring
to the allegation with which be has charg-
ed, ''any thing similar to it, (of which /
have no remembrance, )I would have utter
ed it, on account Of the lady, your mother,
with when have not the honor to be aC-
quainted. and whom / could not even tell
by sight, The seconds having declared
themselves satisfied with this explanation or
ofthe Duke Of Alba, and the
Soules' no further objection. the affair ap-
peared to be amiacabIe terminated. But
public opinion having discovered that The
young American had had the best of the
play, some spaniarda, maintaining tie na-
tionaI sensitiyeness on The point a 'konneuy,
upbraided the descendant Of the Dukes Of
Alba 3 Berwick with. having yielded ground
70 ! baby niaol o. Is "a experienced hand
would have said 70 greenhorn. II vas
said too. but Ibis requires confirmation
that The French embassy was dissatisfied
with Tie result. IS Il affected Spanish no.
be. brother.in- Law Of the Emperor Napol-
con the third Under similar circumslan-
ces The Embassy IS reported to have
expressed itself there could Be 40 alternative