Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-10-28
MlFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA. OCTOBER 2s

seated with them, and the carriage took
its painful way back to the city. Balm.
bridge and Hambleton hastened to the
navy yard, where the tug lay to take
them back to the Columbus, that shin
of discord. At half past 10 O'Clock
Decatur re-entered his elegant mansion.
His wife and household, disturbed at
the breakfast table with the appalling
news, we're driven to the upper part Of
the house. Around the city the evil
news spread. Friends crowded around
the door, and into the duelist's dying
chamber. He signed his will, refused
to have the ball extracted from his
wound, and spoke affectionately of his
wife, whom he yet refused to see. After
one of the spasms, he said:
81 do not believe it is possible for a
person to endure so much pain as now
feel"
The town was aroused, and his door
ways and pavements we're crowded.
They stopped at the drawing-room at
President Monroe's. Uncomplaining,
in the midst of anguish, to the last, the
unconquerable soul of the "Bayard of
the Seas" yielded it self up without q
groan at half past 10 o'clock that night.
The next day the little old National
Intelligencer came out with loaded
editorial head, saying that it would be
''affectation" to be silent upon the fact
that the duel had occurred, and that
the combatants were mortally wounded.
In postscript it related that Decatur
was dead, and added, in the crude
apostrophe of the period. "Mourn,
Columbia for one of your brightest
stars is set !" Three days afterward the
mail was robbed three miles from
Baltimore, the driver tied to tree and
shot dead. and the mail-bags picked
over in the bushes near by. All this
while Decatur's body was going from
his residence, close by the White
House, to "Kalorama, an estate on q
hill overlooking Georgetown, and
while Barron lay in the city, writhing
with pain, listening to the funeral drums
In Congress, John Randolph offered
consolatory resolutions, but they were
objected to. The tone of the press,
commenting on the duel, was respect
full, both to the living and dead
antagonist, but as sternly denunciatory
of "the code" as our newspapers now.
adays could be.
Barron suffered dreadfully for many
months, but recovered at last and lived
down to 1851, surviving, 1 think,
Decatur's childless widow, who was re-
presented in 1916 to be alive in the
Georgetown Catholic College. sin ill
health and poverty but hopeful of
securing something from Congress.
Barron went to sea again, and had
charge of several vessels, but the shadow
of the duel lay across his life. People
forgot the apology for it in the catas-
trophe OF it. A new generation of boys
rose up who read of Decatur's valor,
and learned to regard Barron as the
assassin. The poor living victim could
not explain against a dead man. He
asked for a court martial on Decatur's
charge against him, and was exonerated
with niggardly compliments.
Decatur lies buried behind st. Peters
Church, Philadelphia, in q venerable,
spacious graveyard, under an elegant
monument. His portrait is in George
town College. His name is conferred on
many towns and counties in the country.
What he lived for he had obtained
glory in the eyes of his conntrymen.
Barron obtained satisfaction
more. Yet think that the latter was
throughout the aggrieved spirit.