The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-07-29
PRICE TWO CENTS

W give the WORD shall explain it distinctly in
the nearing OF all, and shall repeat it in the same
| manner that it will afterwards be repeated to the
armed principals.
After the weapons shall have been placed in the
hands OF the principals, the second entitled to give
! the word shall say, 'Gentlemen are Won readIy q,
After sufficient pause, no answer being given bv
either, the second shall deliberately and Dis:
tinctly repeat the words, "fire-one two, three
stop" Neither party shall change the position Of
his weapon discharge it before the word ''ire -
or after the word "stop."
The parties to meet practicable, at some
place outside of the State of Virginia. to be agreed
upon by the seconds. j. LUCGUs DAVIS.
To VIM. Old, Esq.
Dear Sir Your note dated IIenrico county, Yir-
ginia, July 18th, 1852 has just been received in
which YOU inform that MIR. 0. J. Wise has re-
quested you to act as his friend in the difficulty
with Mr. +. ii. Aylett, aud submit the enclosed
terms; and you also state that Mr.. Wise has given
you specific statement ofthe causes which led him
to apply the terms to Mr. Aylett complained of by
hlm and state that you are prepared to exhibit to
me the statement given you by Mr. Wise | am nei-
ther disposed or authorized to receive such state
ment as you mentioned, but | am prepared to act
Tor kr Aylet in the arrangement of the difficulty
between Mr.. Aylett and Mr.. Wise. | shall be very
much pleased to receive specific information as to
the time and place where shall meet you. |
should prefer the earliest time and nearest place
and within the vicinity of Richmond, which | think
Is urged upon us by the publicity which unfortu-
CONSEQUENT
evils likely to result from any further deav-a de-
lay which must ensue, if a distant time or place is
fixed upon. Very respectfully, Your obedient SER
want, WN Orn Jr
To Col. J. L. Davis.
OBJECTIONS.
Instead OF the first proposition as it is impossible
for me to know who would be unfriendly to either
principal, and therefore to know who should be ex-
cluded, should much prefer the usual form of
agreeing to limit the number of friends who NAV
be brought the field nv o. fher
or six friends
have no objection to the weapons proposed nor
to the distance The mode Of firing is unusual and
II 1T includes the drop object to it-and Ibeeye
under the practice which obtains in Virginia have
a right to insist on its exclusion
Understanding the term perpendicular to the
line OF light to mean perpendicular to the plane
OF the horizon, have no objection to it, | ac-
cede to the remaining propositions except with
regard to the place of meeting. | think it would
be hazardous to attempt to go beyond the limits of
the State, and therefore propose the immediate
vicinity ofRichmond as the place of meeting.
VIM OLD, JR.
To Col. J. L. Davis.
July II, 1859
Dear Sir: The midnight hour striking shortly
after the receipt of your propositions, / request
time enough tomorrow morning to prepare a re-
ply to the objections urged by you in reference to
terms, &c.
| am, sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant
j. LUCIUs DAVIS.
To WIN. OLD, Esq.
July I3, 1859.
My Dear Sir: The articles ACCOMPANYING your
note of the 18th would limit the number of friends
to four or six. Accepting of this proposition, let
the parties be principal, second one surgeon, and
one other friend--four in ALL
3D. As to the mode of firing. if any abnormal
usage has arisen in any part of Virginia, it is too
limited both as to duration and extent of adoption
and sanction, to be of any binding force whatever
especially when violative of the universally known
rules of the general code.
If such custom has arisen here, it must be of re-
cent origin since duels under the usual code and
rules have occurred within my memory.
Sd. As to firing, respectfully submit that YOU
have no right to insist 4 change, there ben o
nothing unusual or unfair in the terms proposed
4th. The cline of light is understood to be the
line from the observer to the centre of lightthat
is, the sun.
5th. Place-AIy principal has twice consented to
a meeting in the State of Virginia. The result was
considerable embarrassment to the Governor. He
Is determined not to repeat the infiction,
pain and embarrassment where he has no right to
do so hence the meeting must tahe place out Of
the State,
assure you, sir, that every effort will be made
to effect speedy conclusion of this unpleasant af-
fair. | am, truly, your obedient servant.
To WIN. Old, Esq.
Ny Dear Sir: Your note, handed me this morn
ing, at the Columbian Hotel, by yourself requires
a prompt reply. While | retain my opinion as to
the mode of firing and to the place of meeting,
| am so desirOus, as the friend of Mr.. Aylett, to
bring this affair to speedy and final issue, that
assent to the terms proposed in your note of to
day.
did not know that any Inconvenience had been
suffered by the Governor of Virginia from pre-
yinus affairs of this nature; and, while am, of
course, anxious to spare all persons unnecessary
trouble inconvenience from action of mine,
have only to say that, | am not aware that the
present Governor of Virginia has any more con-
nectiOn with this affair than any father who has
the misfortune to have son involved in contro-
versy which may result in hostile meeting. | will
be grati6ed to receive early announcement of
the time and place appointed for meeting.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
To Col. j. l.. Davis. WIN. Old in.
RICHMOND, July 18th, IL o'clock, p. NJ.
Dear Sir In reply to your communication of this
date, propose that Messrs. Ayett and Wise shall
meet at some place near Milton, North Carolina, on
Friday morning next, at sunrise.
| cannot now designate the exact spot for meet
ing, never having been in the neighbOrhood.
shall leave, with Mr.. Wise, in the Danville train
of cars, tomorrow morning, and upon arriving at
Barksdale Station, shall take the stage for Milton
where hope to have the honor of meeting you at
the hotel.
shall register by the name of 'James Brown,
Virginia" Very respectfully, j. LUCIUs DAyIs.
VIM. Old, Jr, Esq.
July 18th, 1859.
Dear Sir Your note Of to-day has been received
by me. have no reply to make, except that l will
be with you at the point fixed upon by you in your
note. | am ignorant as you are of the means of
getting to North Carolina, but any information
obtain | will communicate to you. | shall leave
town tonight. Respectfully, you, friend,
WIN. OLD, Jr.
To Col. J. Lucius Davis, Present.
The proposed arrangement to the place of
meeting being impractcable, and both parties hav-
ing reached the Danville train at the same point
and at the same time, while on the cars it was
agreed verbally to stop in the town of Dan
ville until next morning, and then leaving Dan
ville to proceed together to place then to be
selected in North Carolina.
The parties met in North Carolina, about sunrise
on Friday, the 18th day of July; Mr.. Aylett being
ACCOMPANIED by VIM Old Jr of Richmond Va
and another friend Mr.. Wise being accompanied
by Col. j. Lucius Davis, of Henrico county, Va,
and Col Warner Il. Taliaferro, of Matthews county,
Va. Each of the principals was accompanied by a
surgeon. As agreed upon, the seconds proceeded
to measure the ground and arrange prelimnaries
Mr.. Old having won the choice of ''word or "po-
sition," elected to give the ''word."
Mr.. Aylett brought pair of duelling pistols to
the field; Mr.. Wise also brought pair. These
the only weapons from which to select.
After their due inspection by the seconds, Col
Davis expressed the opinion that the arrangement
of the sights of MIR. Aylet's pistols gave them
advantage over those of Mr.. Wise, while Mr. Wise's
pistols had advantage in length of barrel. Mr.
Wise interposed to state that he preferred his own
pistols to those of Mr.. Aylett, because the latter
were provided with saw handles, which Mr.. Wise
regarded as a disadvantage, and as he considered
there was difference in his pistols, he was
perfectly willing Mr. Aylett should select one of
them; that he also willing to select one of Mr.
Aylett's, and further, that he was willing that each
principal should use his own weapon.
Col. Davis, asserting to this alternate proposal
Mr.. Old announced that Mr.. Ayett would one
of his own pistols, that Mr.. Wise could take the
other, or select one from his own pair. Mr.. Old
also stated that of Mr. Ayletts pistols, the lock
of which had been recently repaired, might posi-
bly,, he feared prove unreliable. 1t was then agreed
that each principal should select one from his own
pair.
The pistols were then loaded by the seconds in the
presence of all parties. The written terms of the
duel were then read aloud in the hearing of all
Some explanations ensued to the positions of the
principals and the manner of holding the pistols.
1t was finally understood that each principal could
face in any direction he might prefer, and each
could hold his weapon up down, pointing to
the right left in any manner, so that the line OF
direction of the pistol before the word ''fre,'
should be in plane at right angles to the line Of
fire. Col. Davis being entitled to the choice of po
sitOn then selected that which he preferred for his
principal. All parties being assembled together
and unarmed, Mr.. Old proceeded to announce the
manner in which he should give the word; where
upon Col. Davis remarked that the manner was
necessarily deliberate, Mr.. Wise promptly replied
that he did not think so, the mode Of delivery was
proper. Mr.. Old then said he should give the word
as he had announced and rehearsed it twice there
after, Col. d. making further objection. The
principals were then placed in position, each re-
ceivng his pistol from the hand of his second. The
seconds then took position side by side each stand
ing next to his own principal, such position being
best adapted to the irregular nature of the ground
Mr.. held his pistol down, Mr.. Wise held his up.
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