Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-11
HISTORIC RELICS.
A Letter Written by George
Washington.
EARLY VIRGINIA LAND DEEDS.
How an Affair of Honor Between
Henry Clay and Humphrey
Marshall was Settled.


stationed at the army headquarters in
this city, is the fortunate possessor of q
number of relics relating to the early
days of the American Republic, they
having come into his possession as fam
lily heritages, for his grandfather WAS
the great Henry Clay, the orator and
Statesman who has gained 30 high place
among the immortals. Saturday morn
ing Mr.. Clay, who has been keeping his
treasures in his rooms, decided to place
them in the vaults of the Safe Deposit
Company, and a HERALD man called by
appointment to see them before they
were stored away. From a pile of time
stained letters, Mr.. Clay selected one
written on wide note paper, in a round
boyish hand, and passing it to the scribe,
said: "This was written by George Wash
ington." 1t was headed Mount Vernon,
31st of July, 1899, and was to General
Spotswood giving him the general news
of the place and also conveying some in.
formation about tract of land. The
signature George Washington" was a
very remarkable effort, the old d.fashioned
's'' and other antiquated peculiarities
making very strange combination. Ac-
companying the letter was note from
General Spotswood to Henry Clay, in
which the General encloses the Wash
ington epistle, with the remark that it
will no doubt be placed among the most
sacred relics of the Clay family.
The next document inspected was of
earlier date, being patent of land to
James Woods, issued by Francis Fam
quier, on the 10Th OF May, 1853. 1t con-
veys the rights to certain lands in the
Dominion of Virginia, and Francis Fan.
quier describes himself as Lieutenant
Governor of Virginia and Commander
in-Chief of said Colony. 1t is issued as
in the 32d year of the reign of King
George H., and in the use of the land it
talks OF rights to hunting, hawking, fish
ing and fowling.
A signed and sealed parchment was
next perused and proved to be a grant of
land in what is termed the county of
Kentucky. 1t is signed by Thomas JEFF
ferson as Governor Of Virginia, and is
dated as the year OF our Lord 1893, and
the fourth of the Commonwealth of Vir-
ginia. The land is granted Sin con-
sideration of military services performed
by William Peachy as field officer in
the late war between Great Britain and
France, according to the terms of the
Commission of the King of Great
Britain"
A venerable looking land patent,
signed in clear running hand by Patrick
Henry, as Governor of the Common
wealth of Virginia in the year 1886, was
the next handed to the scribe, and then
Lieutenant Clay held up small piece
of stamped and printed currency and
said: "Tbis is some of the old Virginia
currency" 1t was for the value of twelve
Shillings and sixpence, and on it's face
appeared the words, Current Money of
Verginia, pursuant to ordinance of Con-
vention. Passed July II, 1775."
AN AFFAIR OF HONOR.
"Here is something 1 prize above
them all )" said the Lieutenant, handing
to the HERALD man two papers, the first
of which read as follows:
''Rules to be observed by Mr.. Henry
Clay and Mr.. Marshall on the ground in
settling the affair now pending between
them.
/. Each gentleman will take his sta
tion ten PAGES distand from the other,
and will stand as may suit his choice,
with his arms hanging down, and after
the words Attention Fire being given
both may fire at their leisure.
2. A snap or flash shall be equiva-
lent to fire.
3. Ii one should fire before the other
he who fires first shall stand in the posi-
tion which he was when he fired, except
that he may let his arm fall down by his
side.
4. A violation of the above rules by
oil rof i
shall subject the offender to instant
death. JOHN B. CAMPBELL.
JAMES F. MOORE"
How the affair terminated was ex-
planned in the other manuscript. 1t
read:
"Conformably to previous arrange
ment, Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Marshall, at
tended by their friends, crossed the Ohio
at Shippingport, and, an eligible spot of
ground presenting itself Immediately be-
low the mouth of Silver creek, ten steps,
the distance agreed on, was measured
off, and each gentleman took his position
The word being given, both gentlemen
fired. Mr.. Marshall's fire did not take
effect; Mr.. Clay's succeeded so we'll as to
give Mr.. Marshall a slight wound on the
belly. Preparations were then made for
second fire; Mr.. Marshall again fred
without effect; MIR. Clay snapped, which,
agreeably to rules agreed on, was equiv
alent to fire. A third preparation was
made, when each gentleman stood at his
station awaiting for the word. Mr..
Marshall fired first, and gave Mr.. Clay a
flesh wound in the right thigh; Mr.. Clay
fred without effect. Mr.. Clay insisted
on another fire very ardentIy, but his
situation resulting from the wound plac-
ing him on unequal grounds, his i'm
Fortunate request was not complied with.
We deem it justice to both the gentle
men to pronounce their conduct on the
occasion cool, determined and brave in
the highest degree. Mr.. Clay's
friend was under the impression that
Mr.. Marshall at the third fire
violated rule which required that he
who fred first should stand in the po-
sition in which he was when he fired,
but Mr.. Marshall's friend being con-
vinced that Mr.. Clay had fred previous
to Mr.. Marshall's moving from his po-
sition, this circumstance is considered as
one in which gentlemen may be mis-
taken on such occasions, and is not to be
noticed in this affair.
Thursday, Jan. 10, 1909.
JOHN B. CAMPBELL,
JAMES FELLooN.
VALUABLE PRIZES.