Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-01-19
The Duels at Madrrid,

cratlc administration or its officers, are dread
fully shocked at the duels into which Mr..
Soule, our Minister to Spain, and his son,
have unfortunately recently been drawn in
Madrid. These editors were generally adj
mirers and followers, politically and morally,
of the great American duellist in former times,
Henry Clay, and in later days of duellist
who added to the sin Of duolling the cowardice
of ''bobbing"
We are no advocate of duelling But there
were circumstances connected with the con
duct Of Mr. Soule in the affair, affecting his
feeling as husband and father, that should
be taken into account in passing judgment
upon his actions. We therefore copy the tol-
lowing minute detail OF the occurrence, COM
municated to the Courier des Etats Unis by
nj. Gaillardet, Paris correspondent, who OBJ
tanned his information from Spanish gentle
man who arrived lately in Paris from Madrid,
and who had been witness to most of the Incl
dents narrated. M. Gailardet writes that the
testimony is entitled to the greatest confidence.
"The occasion in which the dues originat-
ed was grand ball given by the French am
bassador, the Marquis de Turgot, and to
which were invited all the members of the
corps diplomatiqIe, including, of course, the
personelle of the American legation. NJ
Soule with his lady and son were present.
Madame Soule had on robe of blue velvet,
made in Paris by Palmyra, the favorite man
tua maker Of the Queen Isabella. The gar
ment was trimmed with lilies in gold lace,
and as Gecollettee as modesty allows to the
mother of a family. A Madrid Journal, en-
titled Las Noyedas, which is by no means
friendly to the United States minister, con-
fesses that by her good taste and the richness
of her toilet, Madame Soule was positively la
reane du bal, The entrance of herself and
her husband made an obvious sensation.
Wishing to destroy the favorable impression
thus created, the Duchess de Montiio criticised
Madame SOule's style Of dress rather severely
and in concert with the French ambassador
himself. 1t was then that 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 Mar
garet of Burgundy at the very moment that
Madame Soule passed. 1t is impossible from
the virtues Of Madame Soule that the compar-
ison could have had any reference to moral
character, but it was simply likening her
to the wife of Louis the Tenth per-
sonifed in the piece, La Tour de Nesle, by
Mdlle. Georges, as corpulent as beautiful.
The younger Soule overheard the remark,
and replied to it by the epithet canaiLe or DO
isS0n.
M. Soule did not leave with his son as has
tod Ia Al,
going TO be the consequence of the scandal.
and with noble parental devotion conceived
the intention of mourning the whole risk him
self. lie Immediately put himself in posses
sion of the whole circumstance, and went I'D
to where the Duke of Alba was standing,
caught him by the elbow and gazed fxedly in
his face. The latter probably did not under
stand the meaning of this and walked off with
out saying anything. M. Soule and his son
walked around for three quarters of an hour
longer, and did not retire until the crowd be-
gan to dispense. Next morning Mr.. Perry
and Colonel hllans were charged to bear 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 the name, can author
lze you to be insoent.' Col Milans, who
was intimately acquainted with the duke, con-
5ldered it his duty to state verbally the object
Of his mission, and to induce him to make
-eparation for the wrong before delivering the
challenge. The duke appeared to be guided
1y most conciliatory dispositions, and wrote
o young Soule that although his letter was
-ather strong, yet he conceived the sentiment
painful (douloureux) that had dictated it.
If may have said, added he, referring to
he allegation with which he was charged,
anything similarto it, (of which have no
would never have uttered it,
IN account Of the lady, your mother, with
whom have not the honor to be acquainted,
ind whom could not even tell by sight,
The seconds having declared themselves salts
led with this explanation or retraction of the
Duke Of Alba, and the Soules expressing no
urther objection, the affair appeared to be
lmicably terminated. But public opinion
having discovered that the young American
lad the best of the play, some Spaniards,
the national sensitlveness on the
,Oint dhOnneur, upbraided the descendant of
he dukes of Alba and Berwick with having
yielded ground to a baby, (nino,) or as an
experienced hand would have said, TO green
norm. 1t was said, too,-but this requires
the French embassy was
dissatisfied with the result, as it affected
Spanish noble, brother-in-law of the Emperor
Napoleon the third. Under similar circum-
stances, as the embassy is reported to have
itself, there could be no alternative
a frank and perfect reconciliation and
IN appeal to arms. Cleverly sounded on the
subject of an amicable and thorough reconcile
nent, young Soule repealed all overtures.
Then the duke addressed to COL Milans let
er, in WHICH he asserted that the explanation
given by him, to M. Neville Soule, having
been misunderstood by some persons, he con-
,idered il encumbent on him to state that those
explanations had been prompted by the friend
" observations of Col Milans and Mr.. Perry,
md not by the challenge Of young Mr.. Soule.
The latter at once formed a judgment as to
he object Of this retrospective Interpretation,
md referred it to Milans, who sent reply to
he duke, in which he endeayored to direct
he nobleman's amour propre with all the ad-
lress Of q Spanish diplomatist placed in such
! delicate position between the anvil and the
hammer. After asservating his desire to
please the Duke of Alba, whom he still con-
inued to regard with esteem, the colonel add
I'd Y: but cannot, to attain to that object, al
er the nature of the proceedings that have al
.eady taken place. Your letter to M. Soule
was in consequence of that which he addressed
o you, and can alone afford an explanation of
your impressions and views when you wrote it,
t proves that if noble hearts do occasionally
commit mistakes, it belongs to them also to
Know better than all others how to repair
HEM So skilfullY was the pill gilded that
he friends Of the duke appeared ordinarily
satisfied, and he, with even more philosophy,