The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-09-25
THE CLAY-RANDOLPH DUEL.
An Illustration of the Absurdity of
the Code of Honor.

the Code OF Honor.
Prominent among other duels with
which American statesmen have been
connected may be mentioned two where
in Henry Clay was the challenger. The
first was with Humphrey Marshall, who
INDUCED in personal remarks during a
debate in the Kentucky Legislature
They met in 1903, exchanged several
shots. and retired from the combat, each
slightly wounded. The second in which
Mr.. Clay engaged was with John Ran
dolph, in 1926, and, like the first, was
for political reasons.
At this time Clay was Secretary OF
State and Randolph a Senator in Con-
gress. In his admirable Notes" this
duel is very justly commented upon by
Lorenzo Sabine. He says: "Never, in
my Judgment, has the utter, uncondi-
tional -absurdity and folly of duelling
been so perfectly demonstrated as in the
case before us. These two great men,
unlike as they were, loved one another,
even in the hour of meeting in mortal
combat. But in the sudden fusion OF
political parties, and in events which
followed, they had become alienated, and
nothing but the magic influence of pis-
tols-strangely enough - could induce
them to confess their love, either to
themselves or the world" Although
Randolph yielded to the foolish and out
rageous demands of the duello, it illus
trated more than any other event of his
career the true nobility of his character.
He expected to lose his life as the result
of his acceptance of the challenge. He
made codicils to his will-"the bequests
slight in value, but invaluable in tender
ness of feeling and beauty of expression" !"
His namesake was sent to Baltimore to
save "the boy" from the sudden shock of
seeing him brought from the field dead.
Both General James Hamilton and Thos.
H. Benton have left assurances of the
tender care and thoughtfulness exercised
on the part of Randolph previous to
their engagement.
"The night BEFORE" says Hamilton,
"Mr. Randolph sent for me. 1 found
him calm, but in a singularly kind and
confdirg mood. He told me that he had
something on his mind to tell me. He
then remarked: Hamilton, have de-
termined to receive, without returning,
Clay's fire; nothing shall induce me to
harm a hair of his head; will not
make his wife widow nor his children
orphans. Their tears would be shed over
his grave; but when the sod of Virginia
rests on my bosom, there is not one in
this wide world, not one individual, to
pay this tribute upon mine His eyes
filled, and, resting his head upon his
hand, we remained some minutes silent.
Colonel Tatnall remarked:
MIR. Randolph, 1 am told you have de-
termined not to return Mr.. Clay's fire; l
must say to you, my dear sir, if I am
only to go out to see you shot down, you
must find some other friend After
pause Randolph, smiling, said: We'll,
Tatnall, I promise you one thing: if !
L see the devil in Clay's eye, and that,
with malice prepense, he means to take
my life, | may change my mind;' re-
mark knew he made merely to propi-
tiate the anxiety of his friend" To try
the depth of his sincerity he was told,
after some time had elapsed, of visit to
Mrs. Clay the night before-"of the late
sitting, the child asleep, the unconscious
tranquility of Mrs. Clay" and it was
added that the visitor "could not help
rejecting how different all might be the
next night" The reply which it brought,
seemed to rebuke an unworthy doubt"
he said: ~ shall do nothing to disturb
the sleep of the child or the repose of
the mother"
Further accounts of the duel represent
that it took place on the banks of the
Potomac river, not far from Washington,
and that the sun could be seen just set
ting behind the blue hills of Randolph's
own Virginia. He could see no "devil
in Clay's eye" He turned to Hamilton
and said, "Clay is calm, but not vindict-
i've; 1 hold my purpose, in any event;
this" CIay's bullet passed
through his adversary's coat very near
the hip. Randolph then, discharging
his pistol in the air, remarked: "I do not
fire at you" Mr.. Clay was affected
when he saw that Mr.. Randolph had
thrown away his fire, and, approaching
Him, said: 81 trust in God, my dear sir,
you are untouched; after what has oc-
CURED would not have harmed you for
a thousand worlds" But it was evident,
from the course of his bullet, that Clay
had intended to kill his man. Is it pos
sible to conceive of more happy termi-
nation to a most unhappy affair?