The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1859-03-31

ded his best exertions, he remained
abroad, without manifcsting any dis.
position toreturn home. although va
rious opportunities were daily occur
ring, and though urged by his friends
to do so. - 500 .Hl .
With regard to Barron's considering
himself AS challenged, Decatur says:
~ never invited you to the field, nor
have expressed hope that you would
call me out. lstated that it you made
the call ! would meet you; but that,
on all scores, | should be much better
pleased to have nothing to do with
you. do not think that fighting duels
under any circumstances, can raise
the reputation OF any man. and have
long since discovered that it is not
even an unerrng criterion OF personal
courage. should regret the necessity
Of fighting with any man; but in my
opinion, the man who makes arms has
profession is not at liberty to decline
an invitation from any person who is
not so far degraded as to be beneath
his notice. Having incautiously said
| would meet you, will not consider
this to be your case, although you may
think so; and if had not pledged my
self, might consider the case. AS to
my skill in the use Of the pistol, it ex'
lists more in your Imagination than in
reality. For the last twenty years |
have had but little practice, and the
disparity of our ages, to which you
have been pleased to refer, is, believe
not more than five or six years
"From your manner Of proceeding
it appears to me that you have come
to the determination to fight some one,
and that you have selected me for that
purpose; and must take leave to OBJ
serve, that your object would have
been better attained had you made
this decision during our late war,
when your fighting might have bene.
titcd your country as well as your
self"
TO this long letter Barron repliet
that much more laconic answer
would have suited his purpose, whicl
was, to obtain at his hands honorable
redress for the accumulated insult
which he, in particular, Of all his en-
emes, had attempted to heap upol
him, in every shape in which the,
could be offered. No consideration
(says hey no power or authority or
earth could or ought to have forced
any liberal high. minded man to sit in
Il case which he had prejudiced. ii,
pronounces the report that he ha,
said, "Ift the Chesapeake had been pre-
pared for action he would not hay
| resisted the attack of the Leopard,
. talschood--a malicious, ridiculous
| absurd, and improbable lalsehood-
which no man would credit who di
not wish to make the public belicv
him an idiot.
t With regard to his absence fror
l the country during the war, he say
/, that Decatur, in searching the Nav
7 Department for charges against hin
: might have found there his letter al
plying for service, rs soon as an oppo
. tunity offered, after his suspensio
: expired. But his letter Of applieatio
T. for service had not even been honore
II with an answer, and what hope ha
e he for employment!
u In speaking of Decaturs Efforts
n bar his rcadmission into the servic,
d he SAYS he has u mOtirC, not to be col
cealcd from the world. Rcspectin
It the challenge, he says, ut is true yo
y haver given me a direct, formal al
il written invitation to meet you IN Il
# field, such as one gentleman Of hon
n ouyM to send to another. But ifyo
c own admissions, that you would me
$ me if | wished it, do not amount to
1t challenge, thenI cannot comprchel
the object or import Of such declar
n tions. All demand is to be plac
n on equal grounds with YOU"
d On the subject of dueling Ipcrfec'
!. co ncide with the opinions you ha
T. expressed. | consider it as bari
h rous practice, which ought to be exp
s. ded from civilized society. But, 5
IS there may be cases of such extraor'
is nary and aggravated insult and inJu
10 received by an individual, as to rend
At an appeal to arms on his part abs
ID lutcly necessary. Mine conceive
I'd be a case of that description" s
W Decatur responds that he was I
is challenged nor does he intend to CHI
ed lenge him. 81 do not consider it
IN sential to my reputation that ! shot
he notice any thing which may COZ
he from you, the more particularly VIII
a YOU declare your sole object in WIS
II. ing to draw the challenge from me
nd that you may avail yourself of the :, a
,r. vantases which rest with the chalie
ed ped. 1t is evident that you thlnk'
- your friends for you. that a tight W
Nv help you; hut in lighting you wish
,,r ;rcur tho least possible risk. No