The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-09-02

score of certificates and aiiidavits to
prove that he was gentleman and Jack
son q coward. Edmund Randolph and
Edmund burlington, of Virginia, were
among those who certified that Swami
was gentleman.
Before this reply was printed, Charles
Dickinson returned to Nashville. On
his way to New Orleans and back he
had spent every leisure moment In prac-
ticing with a pistol. On the Dist of
May, only n day after his return, he
sent TO the hic0ieW scurrllous attack
on the General. The editor showed the
letter to Gen. Thomas Overton, who in
formed Gen. Jackson. Jackson rode
over to the Office and read proof-sheet.
Here is an extract:
"ln abiding to Thomas Swami he
says he has acted puppet and ly-
ing variet for worthless. drunken.
blackguard scoundrel.' Should Andrew
Jackson have intended those epithets
for me, declare him worthless scouu-
drel, a poltroon and coward-a man
who, by frivolous and evasive pretexts,
avoided giving satisfaction to gentle
man which was due to a gentleman
whom he had injured. This has pre-
vented me from calling on him in the
manner should otherwise have done,
for l am well convinced that he is too
great coward to administer any one OF
those anodynes he promised me in his
letter to Swami. His excuse / antici-
pate, that his anodynes have been in
such demand since L left Tennessee that
he is out of the necessary ingredients to
mix them"
On the instant Jackson challenged
Dickinson. He did not wait for the
publication of the letter. Before the
day closed Dickinson accepted. Gen.
Overton was Jackson's second, and DIR.
Hanson Catlet was the friend of Dickin-
son. 1t had been quick work. Dickin-
son had arrived in Nashville on the Goth
of May; ON the Dist he wrote his letter to
the ReVieaO, and on the Odd he accepted
Jacksons challenge. The seconds i'm
mediately conferred. They agreed that
the duel should be fought at 7 a. H.. on
the 30th, mt Harrison's mill, on Red
river, Logan county. Ky. Jackson was
averse to postponing the light for a week.
He wanted the matter settled before the
publication of Dickinson's letter, and
suggested that the duel be fought that
very night. Gen. Overton urged DIR.
Catlet to change the time. The doctor
said that Dickinson had not pair of
dueling pistols, and it would require
time to procure a pair. Jackson de-
nounced this as o subterfuge. AT his
request Gen. Overton wrote the doctor
a note pledging himself TO give Dlckin-
son the choice of Jackson's weapons.
No answer came, either that night or the
following morning. Jackson grew i'm
patient Overton wrote second note,
renewing his offer and asking for answer.
DR.. Catlet replied in barely civil note
that it would be inconvenient to after
the day already agreed upon. This
settled the point in dispute. On May
"a the seconds signed the following:
cit is agreed that the distance shall
be "a feet, the parties to stand facing
each other. with their pistols down per-
pendicularly. When they are ready the
single word fire is to be given at which
they are to fire as soon as they please.
Should either party fire before the word
is given, we pledge ourselves to shoot
him down instantly. The person to give
the word to be determined by lot, as
also the choice of position. We mutu-
ally agree that the above regulations
shall be observed in the affair of honor
between Gen. Andrew Jackson and
Charles Dickinson, Esq"
There was intense excitement III Nash
vile. The coming duel was no secret,
although the time and place were known
only TO the friends OF the parties. The
publication of Dickinson's letter on the
Doth famed the excitement. Bets were
made upon the result of the meeting,
the odds being against Jackson. Dick
inson himself wagered that he would
bring down his man at the first fire.
Harrison's mills were days ride from
Nashville. On the morning of the Doth
Dickinson arose at daybreak and silently
began to prepare for the journey. His
young wife awoke and asked him why
he was up so early. He replied that he
had business In Kentucky, and that he
would surely he home on the following
day. He tenderly kissed the fd3d little
woman, mounted his horse and galloped
away, accompanied by DIR. Catlet and
half dozen of the young bloods of
Nashville. 1t was a pleasure party.
When they stopped for rest or refresh
ment Dickinson amused his retinue by
displaying his wonderful skill with the
pistol. Once, at distance of twenty
four feet, he fired four balls, each at
the word of command, into a space that
could be covered by silver dollar. Sew
eral times, at the same distance, he cut
string with his bullet. He left sew
cred string hanging to hickory post
near tavern, and, as he rode away, said
to the landlord: "Show that to Gen.
Jackson if he comes along this road"
He also laid wager that he would hit
his antagonist within half an inch of
certain button on his coat. Parton,
whose report we have condensed, de-
scribed the party as frisking and gallop-
ing along lonely forest roads, making
short cuts that cautious travellers never
attempted, dashing across creeks and
rivers, and making the woods ring with
merriment
Very different was the demeanor of
Gen. jackson and party. Overton was
an old Revolutionary soldier, versed in
in the science and familiar with the
practipa of duelino He had rafiectad