Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-11-08
For the Alexandria Gazette.


which i0.us CCe OF tie EcSt amusing ep!SooeS [
il Ii. hook. 10 orc of bis letters to Speed,
Sir. l.isco.n refers 20 his duel with Shields, a
duel, ~ he way, which was never fought.
lte object IT this paper is to furnish Tor your
readers portion OF tie secret history Of that
celebrated duel.
The readers OF Lannon's Life are veil aware
thu. Mar Todd, afterwards Mrs. Lincoln,
drew hcr ioTer ioto that very ugly scrspe.
a: ,stiriva writer" says Mr.. Lsmou, she
h..! IN r;ya. Of either srx Al Springfield, aud
few. We venture 10 sey. anywhere else.
She va. not disposed to let her geuius rust Ter
want ui Use and, finding no other vsc'in
hsnry. -t,e turned her attention 20 james |
Shields, Auditor" SL- be-! : trieod one
Miss jayne, afterwards Mira. Ifuntu' tU. :.
,sen.tnrl, who helped her 20 keep her secrets.
aud assisted as much as 81: colld.in Hrfry!cg
thu cho!eric Irish mar" /
| The beautiful Miss Jayue "a5 Iiis apple ol
! iisco7d 10 The case tieu. Shields Vas "@iE!cg
home With hcr oa- night h= tock The 'ter'y
Of squeezing her Eand, aud she took the !:beft:
| of sticking pin il litm. THIS olnsl! aHsir 81
| Tie pin ei to the great sfair oil tA2 s"oIc. IL
| figure. largely in one I'll "kebsccg' at!t,s
| >,
shi;4' ara addressed 10 the editor OF the
Sangau,or Journal. Ly whorl II WA published.
III. ,he mast favorable specimen 81 Mss
Folds wit bE5 it IS loo long 20 b= COPIED he't.
ls;ee Lam Jn'a i.lte, pr. 23i ).
Xaw odd uncIc Abe. icsl;ated By hi' love
Of fun. o. hs love q! Mag lodi. or ms love Q!
mischief, or by FL! ihree, must have BIZ say
about the pin. Accordingly, h. wrote letter
o7er he nam, u Aunt Rercy, from the
Lost Townsuips," and had L published IN
the Sangamon Journa. Strange 70 say, tf!s
LATTER about wh;ch tue iEi1t occurred Il. g, the
Gyh; that was ncver fought, does oOt %ppear
: 10 Mr.. I.amou'- book. Other Ietteia CT the
series ar. given, but not tits. The wrath OF
/: ShieIds-lhe Irish Aehilles-whlch lad been
long kindIcd, row but>: !u!o tAnes.
He demanded the author Of Tie L!7I
township" letters: especially OF Che oae writ
Is san lay "Auat baccy.' :iunt Eaccy proved to
: be Zach, Abe Gen. Shields, The terrible
!. son Of Mars, without "a,tins 70 caii leT
e On exp!aGaiiou, Il uun" challenged Aunt
e H.c,y and she acuepted the challenge. II
= IVES at this pont OF the business that the pres
6 snt writer vas made acquainted With the :.@ia
Z Of affair.", by dr. Lincoln himself:
~ he entered ny office cGe night, as Vas eu
J sageil u she study at Jaw ease, With s1me
IL Chat more than The usual gloom seated 90 hi
q ,unlanchol7 face. .;fter taking saat, he said
u Il have got ;uto ;itt!e difficulty, end van
u 10 see /! you cannot help me out G! il. - -
~ .y,.. ,,aung to do 90 SAID |, IF car
Via, IS the ua;,.r ?'."H hy," sail he, ''tha
81 socl letec which wrote Tor tie SaDganc
- Journal las maaa Shields mad, and he la
challenged ME. have accepted the challenge
and, loittopt MtnhtMy. have chosen Dr. Mel
- ryman for mg second. | believe be Worl
u, Gather sse fight than no, ; If have 10 tgh
will ish! but | don't care shout hyiuu
u, us, 20 crafty !'r. lvtrymar. Now, II 20
- VII! c .n.a IL, aQi rnske DR.. Nlerrgman d
a. r.xht, (ior Anow you vii hsse m're ,na"eht
ca With s.iu than srg other iuaal, the whole II
he tjru,.y HAY lie -attt4 " Again | sad, Mo
Dr. huopy 20 Il, ~. II | ca" What i, ti:s ,'.ii
-, cul.y -
s g.. why il is this, replied Mr. li:'coin ,'tI
. friend 81 Shields says thet il | wall r1r!ald
a,,1,nr:.a he vii! withdraw the Challenge, al
III. quarrel can be settled kjno.abIy % bot
~ nertirs. Iut DR.. Slerrynao says, Il Hhel;
~. vii ;;rs. withdraw tie challenge, then J {"
nv cxp.uin Or apologize, and the 4uaFr"s "iar
par settled h3uolahlv 10 both p9ctlea. AMI tie
nv il,ay lave come to dead lock Now dan
! It see il both things have 10 b: d5nr 'h4'
~ makes . much difference Which IL done r.:
~, Il s,eIns to roe that DR.. MerrYman IS {: sPo=
toa tc stand upon nicete5, and don't t;tns
i've ought to stena upon n:es!ies IN u case a =
and death.
The situation vas pl4;u. sympltIs'z'
-. With Mr Lincoln but. while ! fully arpre
~, aied his practical good sense, could not
~; actiy see his uicn sense OF houOr. | En'
IT, very little about The code OF honor, sild
~ II is branch of moral ssicoce for which
have never had much respect, snd have 'bsl
-. fore aeyer studied it. But ii you 60 b. II
-, code Il all, land suppose You muat 4: yon az
~ dueIsi. il seems to me that l,g. MeFsmG
49, right. | dnn'l see how sou eau cSp!a!n.
49,. s!ologiZa, or aay one word 10 lnst'aate /
wrath Of Shields 'slli!. lie ohai4nE" = pct
.,. iGg oyer You.
- Mr.. Lincoln thertupOn fell icto Vi
W. u:u.irg, melancholy moods and t'ter" ::
,@. spreai oyer his face that sad e1picas:Da, "!'
~. made l!ia an object Of interest 60 c'=1} g.
..3 WHO iIa,, live heart in El- b"S"!G. - Re
49, there, looking at the ire, he =ceLo-'i /" 0& &
-. inv 10 himself, II have come to tie ~rons i
~, son To help me out Of NY difficulty. FaFitt
~, ~ NIetryman s righl; aud there i. 10 help oa;
~. this dead lock, except Eight wit. Shield,
=, - His compressed lips, and irm i1ha. egrie9
Or, indicated Eyht
s'o ''rkere is nat tie least Necessity tor = IL
whatever" S'id !; 1T may De very s p.
ing inc :n v;,y, y relieved cxpressinn Of lacr :.
lua. trrn;,, hi .ors anon n,r. Il sny,q SHE
well" ! rerI:ed, ''and bis courage is not Of {
truest stamp; there s altogether 100 much
-, blns;cr uui hrayado about the roan for N
w. ~, he is trying 10 make you bac5; or, ald ,
hih can make hiul back out very easily.
Is It "llow SOL said Mr.. l.incolo. "Nh!
,lF. said l. "aa he has SEMI the challenge. 20 5
aud have igh, 10 choose The weapons; ani Il ,
,!ied e!lotrc bro1d words, my &ori for it he
ope; never Fight yuu in the "orId, You re Z; /.
lived seven iIc!!ss taller han Sheds, aad your q:
hen, ere ta.cc Of ou; :nchc lcuger tlau his; no {
ance you could cue hitn dove before he caud
med near enougi 70 touch you. | know you '
ctOr never DO ti!s; because h, 8ii! pcvsr fight )
PRO- with btoaGsw.rds. lie will show !hv VII
aod feather first.
Pope Mr. Laeoin aiopte1 THIS ldeG. liz ca
| 4 L.. ,h. ,,t sinai m.