Daily national Democrat., 1859-12-07

Norrp DuE1s.-In Forney's Press, under
date of November lst, we find the following
comments on duels and dueling, written by
the noted Washington correspondent, zoe
casional y:
at is surprising upon what slight causes
most of the duels between public men are
fought From the day when Burr killed
| Hamilton down to that when Terry killed
Broderick, there is hardly one of these meet
ings that has resulted fatally that might not
have been amicably settled Public opinion
is at fault in thir, for however the Pulpit and
the Press may thunder at the practice, it re-
quires man of peculiar reputation and pc
culiar faculties to refuse a challenge. Even
those who rail against it, when thrown into
position of accepting or declining a hostile
meeting are in most cases greatly embarrass-
ed. Gen. Houston refused to fight Commo.
dore Moore some years ago, but inasmuch
rs Old San Jacinto had proved his pluck he
could afford it. Mr.. O'Connell, after he had
shot D'Esterre, did the same thing. This
was political duel, and O'Connell said on
the ground, 81 am obnoxious to party and
they adopt false pretense to cut me off; an
expression which recalls and which may be
applied to the case of poor Broderick with
Overwhelming effect But Notwithstanding
Mr. OConnell refused to fight after his meet
| ing with D'Esterre he continued to speak of
his opponents with uneXamplod bitterness,
and in 1925 provoked Disraeli greatly by
using the following remarkable language:
81 cannot" said O'Connell, "divest my mind
of the belief that if this fellows genealogv
were traced, il would be found that he is a
lineal descendant and true heir at law of the
&c f,r i 49,.
on the cross" There is no excuse for pub
lie man who has adopted the rule never TO
accept a challenge, when he employs such
between Breckenridge and Cutting in 1851,
was arranged after much difficulty, and
grew out of debate in which there was
very little acrimony on either side Everys
body now believes that the Cilly duel ought
never to have been fought. But, of all these
conflicts the most causeless was that between
| Randolph and Clay in lS26-RandOlph say
! ing that he would do nothing to disturb the
sleep of the child or the repose of the mother
of his adversary, and Clay expressed similar
feelings. Edward Stanley. of North Caro-
lima, now, believe, preparing for the minis
try has had more than one encounter of this
sort That in lS47, with Hon. S. w. Inge,
now of California, then a member from Ala
bama, was fought near this city with pistols.
After an exchange of shots the affair was
amicably settled The present Senator G win,
of California, fought with Hon. J. w. Nc
Corkle, then a member of Congress from the
same State in 1853. The weapons were
rifles, at thirty PAGES, the combatants to
wheel at the word and fire. number of
spectators were present After three ineffec-
tual shots the parties agreed to shake hands
and returned to their homes. General Jack.
sons duel with Dickinson, which resulted in
the death of the latter, was forced upon the
former, Dickinson being one of the most ex-
pert duellists in the Southern country. 1t is
stated that although Jackson was wounded
by Dickinson, he behaved with such GOODNESS
that his seconds did not know he was hurt
until he got into the carriage. The duel be-
tween Gen. Denver, late Commissioner of In
dian Affairs, and former Representative in
Congress from California, and Hon. Edward
Gilbert in 1852, resulting in the death of the
latter, grew out of an article in the Alta Cali
! fornia, of which Mr.. Gilbert was the editor,
censuring John Bgler, then Governor of the
State. They fought with rifles and on the
second fire Gilbert was struck, and expired
in less than five minutes"