Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-10-08
The Clay-RandOlph Duel.

Although Randolph yielded to the
foolish and outrageous demands of the
duello, it illustrated more than any
other event of his career the true no.
bility of his character. He expected to
loose his life as the result of his ac-
ceptance of the challenge. He made
codicils to his will" the requests
slight in value, but invaluable In ten
derness of feeling and beauty of ex-
preston. His namesake was sent to
Baltimore to save "the boy" from the
sudden shock of seeing him brought
from the field dead. Both Gen. James
Hamilton and Thomas Fl. Benton have
left assurances of the tender care and
thoughtfulness exercised on the part of
Randolph previous to their engage
ment.
"The night before" says Hamilton,
Mr.. Randolph sent for me. I found
him calm, but in singularly kind and
confding mood. He told me that ne
had something on his mind to tell me.
He then remarked: Hamilton, have
determined to receive, without return
ing, Clay's fire ; nothing shall induce
me to harm hair of his head I will
not make his wife widow nor his chill
dren orphans. Their tears would be
shed over his grave; but when the sod
of Virginia rests on my bosom, there is
not one In the wide world, not one in
dlvldual, to pay this tribute upon mine
His eyes filled, and, resting his head
upon his hand, we remained some min
utes silent. Col. Tatnall re-
marked Mr.. Randolph am told You
have determined not to return Mr.. Clay's
fire must say to You my dear sir, if
down, you must find some other friend
After pause Randolph, smilingly, said:
We'll, Tatnall, 1 promise you one thing:
If 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 pro
pitiate the anxiety OF his friend" 10
try the depth of his sincerity he was
told after some time had elapsed, of a
visit to Mrs. Clay the night before-''of
the late sitting, the child asleep, the
unconscious tranquility of Mrs. Clay"
and 1t was added that the visitor could
not help rejecting how different ali
might be the next night" The reply
winch 1t brought seemed to rebuke an
unworthy doubt" he said: 81 shall
do nothing to disturb the sleep OF the
child or the repose of the mother"
Further accounts of the duel repre-
sent that it took place on the banks of
the Potomac river, not far from Wash
ington, and that the sun could be seen
just setting behind the blue hills of
Randolph's own Virginia. He could see
no "devil in Clays eye" He turned
to Hamilton and said, "Clay is calm,
but not vindictive 1 hold my purpose,
in any event; remember, this" Clay's
bullet passed through his adversayr's
coat very near the hip. Randolph then,
discharging his pistol in the air, re-
marked: Il do not firC at YOU" Mr..
Clay was affected when he saw that Mr..
Randolph had thrown away his fire, and,
approaching him, said CT trus. in
God, my dear sir, you are untouched
after what has occurred L would not
have harmed you for thousand worlds. -
But it was evident, from the course of
his bullet, that Clay had intended to
kill his man. Is it possible TO conceive
of more happy termination to most
unhappy affair.-Sabine's Notes.