Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-02-16

p
, battles? -
, II was too poor replie lsrreu. q.
: could not get away. MJ 1ikpu ker
me from returning. Debt Se. not van
/ of patriotism, was the csusd NV DELAY.
. 'Had I known that. !" ~ y Decatur
} eve should not be lying hel
, That infracsioa Of the ccd ia not ne
.cessarily involve social o - is evi
! dent from the fact that DE- n Clinto,
left the fsld with impunity ~ Swart
won't, his opponent, Was r. ting he va
not satisfied. Altar the tot the Int
! Ger darnsndsd . sse1ss gar tal
second, third. Neither MAS wounded
lis your principal satisfied? 7" aske,
Riker. Clinton's second. -,
Il HE is not" replied Smith, after con
sulting Swartwout.
The fourth shot was then exchanged
Clintons ball entering the calf Of Swart
wout's leg.
lis your principal satisfied now T. de
manded Riker.
"He is not" replied Smith.
Shots were exchanged the fifth time
and again Clinton's ball entered Swart
wout's leg.
Riker again asked the question. "L
your principal sati6ed, Mr. Smith 2"
After moments consultation with
Swartwou.. who. standing while the sur,
geon extracted the bullets from his leg
manifested great fortitude, Smith replied
that he was not
Then he may 60 to hell. for I will
fight no more ~ replied Clinton, and i'm.
mediately left the field
Henry Clay maintained, even after HI:
opinions on the subject ofduelling had en-.
tirely changed. that there we're occasion.
upon which man could not honorably de.
cline either to give or accept challenge.
He cited the duel between John Randolph
and himself, where he had been insulted
for the very purpose of branding him q
coward, provided he refused to resent it
Clay was Secretary Of State; John Quin.
cy Adams was President; Randolph was
in the Senate. In speech ef the coar.
est sarcasm and most bitter inyective, the
latter assailed Clay in language like the
following:
"This man-mankind. Tbeg yo1r par
don-this ~orn,-ye htie animals, for-
Jiire the iRs'd,-scas spit om of the ,con,I
Of n'eonn"ss, ros rais,d TO n station high
er thnn he ros born to. far he ras raised
to tie society Of Jlacky"ardsl'
What was to be done? The insult was
public: it was intentional. Randolph was
the first gentleman of Virginia The So
ciety in which he and Mr. Clay moved re-
cognized the duel Disgrace in his own
State and among gentlemen Of the South,
at home and abroad, would be certain to
follow any deviation from the code.
"Of course" said Mr.. Clay, II chal-
lenged him. could not do otherwise. -
Had l shown the white feather, even Mas
sachusetts would have scorned me-"
The pleasant result of the meeting is
well known. The shot OF Mr.. Clay pas
sed through his opponents coat. Mr..
Randolph discharged his pistol in the air.
lie had previously said he would do so.
but. upon being demonstrated with upon
the folly Of standing to be sho: down, had
replied:
Well. if I see the devil in Clay's eye.
I'll fire."
The instant the pistols were dischar-
ged. Mr.. Clay. touched by Randolph S
magnaninity. approached. and. Offering
his hand, said:
Il hope you are not hurt. Mr.. RAN
dolph. For the world, would not have
touched you after what has occurred"
''lou owc me new coat, CLAW" re-
piled Randolph, showing the rent made
by the ball-to which Clay reioined:
II am glad the debt is no grcater.''-
Aad they parted, certainly better social
friends, and probably less bitter political
enemies. than before.
OF fcrocious insult. with avowed pur-
pose to evoke a challenge to combat. there
is no more choice example than that which
became Tom Moore's be'e noir 10 the end
Of his life. Jeffrey had savagely review
Cd cne of Mcore's earlier poetical works.
This was well enough II was the fair
provence of the Edinburgh. But it had
gone beyond. The criticism was full OF
personality: motives were impuyned
base designs were charged. "There is a
deliberate attempt" said the reviewer u
TO corrupt the readers ofthe book. Moore
was furious. Determining to Gu. off all
chance Of reconciliation, he wrote to JEFF.
frey as follows:
| sStg:
lin the last number Of the Edisburgs
Psrisar | find myself charged with de
hherate intention TO corrupt the readers
of my books. To this, beg leave to m.
swer: You are liar-yes. sir. a liar
and choose TO adopt this harsh and yul.
gar mode of defiance in order to proven,
at once all equivccation betxeen us. and
to compel you to adopt for your own sake
the alternative which you might otherwise
have hesitated in Offering to mine.
al am. SIR,
'.Iour cteslient servant.
''TnoaAs MoorR."
The alternative was adopted. One doe,
not see how. according to the etiquette O
that day. !; could have been avoided. A
challenge was sent. accepted, prclim;na
ries arranged. and the two princes Of n,
era,ure met at the agreed rendezvous
The morning was early. and the aay 10
cund in its promise. as the light struggle,
through mountain mists. when Moore
: with all the enthusiasm Of his poetic ns
ture, remarked to Jeffrey.
..whas = gior:uus mcruing il is.-
eyes" replied Jeffrey. - morning to
glorious for the purpose that has hroayl
you and me here"