Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-28
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
FROM OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT
PARIS, DECEMBER 90, 1853.


taken place at Madrid, in which Mr.. SoULE the
American Minister at that Court, and his son have
been principals. Several documents touching these
afdits of honor have transpred in Paris since the
date of my last.
Mr.. MERCER a resident of Paris and brother-ln- |
law of Mr. SoULE senior, being the brother OF Mrs.
SoULE published in the Steele of the 10th instant
the following communication touching the origin of
both the duels:
PARIS, DECEMBER 25.
Monsieur k RSdaefeur: In the version which you have
given of the dues which have taken place. on the one
hand between the Duke Albe and NJ. Soult r and be-
tween the Marquis de Turgot and NJ Soulc ST. on the
other, there three The family ties which
closely unite me to NJ Soue make il my duty TO rectfy
them 1t is completely nexact that Nine SoulG present
ed herself in the of Marguerite de Bourgogne at
the ball given by the French Ambassador My sister wore
robe of blue velvet low in the neck, with founces of
lace made Of gold thread, and her head orsdde
glands der What is true is that the expression which
gave rise to challenge sent by nephew to the Duke
dAlbe is this: "Look at Marguerite de Dourgogne !"
which NJ Soue, jr thought he heard proceed from the
mouth Of the Duke dAlbe, and which he warmly took up
The meeting yss PLACE on the l4th After half an hours
caring honor to be satisfied ceased and the parties
shook hands NJ. SoulG did take up the affair Of his
son. for his challenge to NJ de Turgot sent the
morning Of the very day that the duel between the Duke
dAlbe and my nephew take place. The letter
the Marquis de Turgot Of which the following is literal
copy, explains the motive of the provocation: +.
Monsieur le Marquis The difference which has arisen
between the Duke dAlbe and my son took place in your
salons. II your house, where and my family
invited guests and the occasion Of fteof which, by
kind of Duke dAbe might consider him
self as the hero-that nsuted Nine SouG without
any thing having hitherto happened from the
solidarity which that causes to weigh on YOU
positively stated that the insulting expression after
wards made OF by the Duke dAbe and noby taken
up first proceeded from your mouth That being
the Monsieur 10 Marquis have right to to the true
which places the sword the hands of the Duke dAbe
nnd of to make it mine far are concerned
and demand personally satisfaction which you
fuse NJ Perry an American citizen and my friend
charged to receive your reply.
have the honor to be, Monsieur lie Marquis your very
humble servant PIERRE SouLE,
.Citizen of the United States"
NJ. de Turgot declared his honor, through his Sc
eonds Lord Howden and Gen. Caller that he did not
make of the expression imputed to him, but refused
to admit that the insult took place in the salons of
the Embassy, he bound give satisfaction for it, NJ
Soue then insisted on NJ de Turgot meeting him. The
rest is known. Accept, &c.
,'at ALFRED MERCER,
81 Rue Notre- Dame -des- Champs. |
This affair has of course excited considerable
sensation in Paris, and all the facts in relation to
it have been Immediately seized upon and publish
ed. The following details were given in French
paper on the Spanish frontier, the .iessdger of I
Bayonne; and they elected from Mr.. MERCER
another communication, which translate from the
Debats of this day:
The Marquis de Turgot our Ambassador at Madrid,
gave splendid ball the 18th November, the
sion of the fete of the Empress Mr. Soue Minister of
the United States attended the ball. accompanied by Mrs
Soue and his son, aged twentythree During the fete
the Duke de Alba and Ambassador in conversing
geher, made remarks and jokes the toilette of
Mrs SouG which was eccentric that it remark
ed by the whole company. Without being perceived by
the speakers Mr.. Soule junior heard their CONVEX
sation The day after Mr. Perry Secretary of Legation
Of the United States and Colonel Mans de Bosch waited
the Duke de Alba, and, presenting letter from Mr.
Soue junior, said that they sent by him obtain
satisfaction for his jokes of the previous evening Ex
remey surprised the Duke de Alba threw the letter
his table without opening it. explained to the friends
of his young adversary what had occurred the ball
1t was he said, simple joke exchanged in contersa
ton ea-tss he protested the regret which he felt at
believing his mother insuted when the criticism
perfectly innocent which had been made could only reach
the dressmaker of Mrs SouG. Then, ceding to good
movement of his heart the Duke de Alba wrote to Mr.
Soule junior very friendly letter in order to undeceve
him The seconds of Mr. Sou6 junior withdrew salts
fed The day after the Duke of Alba found his table
the letter which had been presented to him the pre-
vious evening" and found it written in such violent and
insulting that he believed himself obliged to send
in his two ofhis friends Nh soue, junior to de-
mand retractaton of what he had read and the
ton of the letter of explanations which he had written
Mr. Soue junior dsavowed the offensive expressions he
had employed but asked preserve the letter which he
had received from the Duke de Alba giving his word Of
honor that he would make Of it, and that the issue
of the affair satisfied him completely Several days after
the English journals related what had occurred but mis-
represented it in a manner offensive to the Duke de Alba
rtaed to the last degree by these attacks the Duke de
Alba sent the General Don Jose de 10 Concha to Mr..
Soule, junior, and required reparation. The latter
consented and accepted combat with cavalry swords
which proposed to him. The day of the meeting was
fixed for the 18th December. little later Mr. Soule
junior, asked that the duel should take place with ord-
nary dueng swords. To this his adversary consented
Mr. Soue afterwards demanded delay of forty eight
hours, which also accorded. At the meeting which
took place at the Prado Mr. Soule Junior arrived very
lat and he said that he had had write de-
spatches TO his Government He followed by six
carriages, filled with his countrymen who reside at
Madrid Though surprised this ndiscreet curiosity
which caused the duel to resemble the seconds
the Duke de Alba consented to e. the Americans wit
the conflict. The two adversaries put in pre-
sence, and their swords crossed Mr. Soul6 gave
way continually, and several times asked for suspen
sion Of the combat which accorded. But length
the seconds declared that the duel terminate and
that they would only accord FIVE minutes arrive
at a denoamen. The combat resumed, and Mr.. |
Souie was slightly wounded lie then promised on his !
word of honor deny the facts related by the ngsh
mails Of England and America He also undertook to
burn in the presence Of the seconds the letter written
him by the Duke de Alba And thus the combat
These incidents however form only the frst Of
the drama the third serious After the events re-
lated, Mr. Soule sr wrote to the Marquis Turgot very
sharp letter, in which he said it not the Duke de
Alba and Mr. Soule, jr. who ought to fight but that il
he who was bound 70 avenge the honor Of his wife
which attacked By the rallery in which the Ambas
sador of France had INDUCED The MARQUIS Turgot ac
cepted the challenge addressed TO him. His seconds
were Lord Howden Ambassador OF England and Cen
Caller French Minister Plenpoentary, who is at pre-
sent at Madrid. The meeting 10 have come off on
Saturday the lSth but the Spanish Government inform
ed Of what taking place took prevent it,
TIn rn nl-A I'LL .Eox l-.-I