Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1855-08-06
rFrom the Louisville Journal
Henry Claws Old House,

THE DIFFICULTY BEFWEEN Nhhs 1AAAS a. (LAA AMI
! Ma George D. PRENTiCE.R
We have received acopy Of pamphlet Of eight
pages, issued by this gentleman. 1t consists of
some Introductory remarks Of his own, his letter
pubIishedin the JouInaIof the 18th inst, The com-
nenls given in the Journal of the same date 4
note sent by him to us through Major Lewinskls
and our reply sent to him by mail. Instead OF
complaining of his publishing private letter OF
ours without authority, we will republsh the cor
respondence ourselves. Here It's:
ASHLAND, July 20, 1855.
SIR:-ThiS, note will be handed to YOU by my
friend Major +. Lewinski. A similar one was sd
dressed 10 you the isth inst, through my friend
Mr.. II. G. Pindell, who, having lately engaged IN
the practice OF law in your city, found the delivery
of 1t it inconsistent with his views Of the moral
obligations Of the oath which he as lawyer IS Te-
quired to take.
The object of this note is solely TO inquire
whether you hold yourself personally responsible
as gentleman, for publications made III the news
paper Of which you are the editor attacking phi
yate individuals. am, sir your very obedient
servant, JAMLs B. CLAY.
George D. Prentice, ESQ.,, editor of the Louis
vile Journal.
LOUISVILLE, KY, July 81, 1855.
Sn-Your note Of yesterday Sent by the hand
of your friend Major LewInski, is received. This
is the second note Of the kind that have received
from the family of Henry Clay. About ten years
ago | received a note from one Of your brothers,
saying he was informed by some person that had
spoken Of him as insane, and asking whether.all
he should furnish the testimony Of specific NUM-
Der Of men that he was in his right mud, would
accept challenge from him.
You say that the object OF your note of yesterday
is solely 10 enquire whether hold myself "person-
ally responsible as gentleman" for'pubhcalions
in my paper attacking private individuals. am
not aware, sir that it particularly concerns you to
know what general rules Of action prescribe fer
myself as an editor. have no objection, howeV-
er, to inform you, that, il l do any man such an
unprovoked and mortal wrong in my columns as
10 entite him, III my opinion, to take or seek my
life, will hold myself responsible to him i'll the
field, and that, If any gentleman does me such q
wrong as 10 make me wish for his blood, will call
| him to the field.
presume, sir, that all which it concerns you to
know from me is whether | would accept chal-
lenge from you on account 1 { my comments III the
Louisville Daily Journal of the 18th Instant, upon
your communication published in the same paper
on the same day. Without putting you to the
| trouble Of addressing to me the question in due
form, | say 10 you plainly that would not. do
not ~ lSh 10 kill you, aud am very clear IN my
opinion that my article oforGs you neither ..juSt
cause nor a rational pIetrxt for killing me.
made no attack or imputaLiOn OH your private
character, which, for aught know, is uuObiec-
tionabIe. merely gave ulterance 10 the thoughts
and feelings naturally aud necessarily excited IN
my mind, and as 1 believe, in the whole public
mind, by your demolishing the sacred old dwelling
OF your falher and selling the lumber. You stated
i'll your published communication, that casper
sions, both public aud private" had been cast
upon you for pulling down your fathers house.
You thus admitted that your conduct had already
beSolne matter of public notOretY and dSap-
probation, aud subject OF public and private de-
indications, which you called "aSperSionS," yet
these aSpersons, so called, have not been noticed
by you.
and assigned your reasons for IT. you did IN yOul
article OF Wednesday, you Certainly gave license
for those comments OF mine upon the conduct,ani
the reasons for which, presume, you now wish
to hold me to u personal responsibility.
| My article was not tenth patSO harsh toward
you personally as yours was towards me. You
stigEatized me, by nescessaEy and direct imPil-
cation, as "pu6lic caumnat tor" charged me in
the same manner with the prostitution Of the col
nmns' of my paper, and so used tie words 'lial
and villain, as to Show that they were meant toT
me. responded with more moderation than you
had right to expect, merely denouncing that act
of yours, which, us it related 10 glorious old
memorial OF departed greatness, was almost, in
It's character, public act, aml which had made
the heart OF the nation recoiI.
| repeat, sir, that Treated you with forbear.
ance.-YOu spoke in your communication as il
the thought Of selling the materials Of your fathers
house never occurred 10 you until much OF it was
stolen and otherwise taken away, and you added,
that il you had sold inch OF 1t for private profit
you would feel yourself unworthy 10 be Ken
tuckan,' and would .hy 10 some remote corner oil
the earth to hide your vile aud dishonore head
| might, in reply, have shown that the determin-
ton to sell the lumber OF that old mansion was
not only fixed in your mind, but avowed anu pub.
lsheG to the world under your own hand, month
before the old mansion itself was broken up. l
might have shown that you gave public notice,
under your own name, in the Lexington Observer
of July 8. 1854, and in several successive number
of that paper, that you expected to take down your
dwelling house at Ashland IN august, that you
would have Tor sale ia large quantity of MATERIAL
then in it, aud that ''any one wanting such ma
ttrial could get bargain by applying on the pre-
misses.
However, all this is very little to my presen,
purpose. have only to repeat that would moi
accept challenge from you on account Of my ar.
ticle Of Wednesday. And, US l see no necessity
for my adopting the etiquette of duelliSs in telling
you SO, shall send this by mail. scarcely need
add, that il have erred in any statements Of fac
in regard 10 your conduct, shall, on having the
errors pointed out me. take pleasure in correcting
them. Yours &C.,
Gno. D. PRENTICE.
Clay ESQ