The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-05-22
y FAMOUS DUEL.
a Letter from Col. j. T. II. Clai-
borne, Giving Details OF
the Meeting.

1@h . - h=#a# Fl
metropolitan weekly, referring - tie
d1ei. many years since. between Dan
lei Of st. Thomas .|Icuifer IF MARYLAND.
anu Jesse a. Bynum, of North Caro-
lima, says that the parties, after six or
seven ineffective shots, made friends
over a bottle of wine.
This i an error. They never recog-
nlzei each other afterwagd. In 1906
! party spirit III very high III Con
gress, and each party had its rcpated
HotSpurs, game-coekS. bullies or fire
eaters. Mr.. Wise, EIr. Pevton. Mr..
J%eniser, Mr.. Bynum. DR.. Duncan. Of
ONO, and Mr.. Ilannegln, OF Illinois.
were the representative men OF this
class. They adopted a sneering.
scathing, denunciatory style of debate :
were frequently IN q snarl. ami had
more or less t. DO with every a~ltcrca-
ton that occurred.
Bynum was a small, sallow. stability
dressed, insignificant looking man. n
trained cross road politician, who
would speak fer hours IN a loud voice.
mduiging in slang phrases and indis-
crlminate abuse. lie came into Con
greSs Immediately after IA desperate af-
fray in Halifax, n. c., in which he shot
down two or more of his aSsaiIants.
and took his place Immediately a one
of tie fire eaters Of the jackson party.
Jenltcr vas the reverse of Bynum.
He was 4 delicately formed, but hand
some, intellectual looking man, with a
polished air and c|ourtly manner, Of an
Old Maryland colonial family. always
elegantly dressed. He was, in fact. a
beau and a ladies' man; was an ultra
politician Of the Clay school: often
made severe but not rude remarks, and
was reputed TO be always ready with
bis hair triggers. The famous pistol
used IN the fatal duel between Com
nodores Decatur and Barron was in
lis keeping.
These two gentlemen bad several
''spats" IN debate, and it had come to
lie a settled opinion that sooner or later
they must have a meeting, and that
one or both would fall.
One day they had q sharp a~lterca-
ton, ana when the House met next
morning both their chairs were vacant.
MessTs. Wise, Peyton, Duncan and
the Whisper circulated that tLey had all
gone to Bladensburg. The excitement
was tremendous. they were both said
TO be dead~shots; were backed by men
not partial to compromises; would
never quit the ground as long as the
parties could stand up; and there was
q probability Of perhaps a general
melee, anG three or four probably be
killed. Oar sergeant-at-arms. Col.
Dorsey, a brave old soldier, with very
tender sympathics, got On a GENDER
on the strength Of It, sent his deputy
down town and bought UP all the Grape
n the city. The House was complete
~ demoralized. Mr.. Cambreleng had
resolved it into committee of the whole
on some bill Of details, and the mem
bcrs were gathered everywhere into
excited groups. Fifteen or twenty had
posted .or Bladcnsburg. At length
about three D. m, one OF the little side
doors opened and Mr.. Bsnum, looking
wen much smaller than usual. slipped
III amt took his seat, which was near
by. JeaJer IS deGd was the feeling
that ran through the house. No one
yontured to approach Dynum at that
moment. The man who had just
a fellow member was too mnch a
subject Of awe, Of pity and sympathy
for conference. Tie Maryland delega-
ton formed q separate knot, and were
whispering together, hatsin hand.
and Thomas, Cost, Johnston
were iii the act Of leaving the hall
when, 10 another side door opened
md in glided Jenifcr lie took his seat
n silence. There was an Instantaneous
stllinesS-the various groups ceased
eye was fixed upon
-he two dead SHOTS. Were they phan-
or were they men Z 1t could hard
y be realized that there they were in
heir accustomed seats, not injured. .
lot even singed by powder. And then,
here was an ovcfpowing sense Of ridi
;ule, and a universal laugh, and the
champions sneakeQ away.
Wise and Peyton were the advisers
If Jenifer. flanagan aud Duncan of
5ynum.
Some days after l said to Bynum:
My dear fellow, you have often tcld !
ne that if you were forced 10y the op- [.
into q fight you would Kill !
our man. How did Jenifer escape =
"Simply," said Bynum, because l
lid not fire at him"
Did not fire at him Why, you
xchanged three shots -
The ID fellow shot at me three :
ines, but [ never fired at him." f
What do you mean ~
why, flanagan come on the
round drunk ten minutes behind time :
nd the instruments he brought were [
acre side-arms, not ducling pistols.
and flanagan had a good t
light to object to further proceedings, a
ut as they did not, and the other side