The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1892-08-26


and Clay reserved fire. A second shot wa
arranged. Clay fired and missed Ran
dolph shot i'm the air, and Clay rushed up
to him exclaiming 81 trust in God, sir,
you are untouched. After what has oc-
Cured would not have harmed you for
worlds"
The duello in those days, and for long
after, was no laughing matter. 1t isquite
evident, however that il was we'll I'M
even then, that ridicule was likely
to he brought upon duelists who failed in
nicely of conduct. Thus a British code
published in 1924 declares that no more
than three fires" should ever be allowed in
a duel, lest on the one hand it should be
reduced to the level of II common fight, or
on the other that the principals should be
ridiculed for incapacity.
1t is notable that in America more duels,
or at least more that are well known, have
arisen from political quarrels than from
almost any other cause The one cited
between Randolph and Clay was caused by
Randolph's remark that the administra-
tion under which Clay was secretary of
state was a "puritanical, diplomatic, black
legged" one.
1t is also notable in the same connection
that Jefferson Davis, who was duelst,
drew the distinction between political and
personal quarrels. The occasion was the
last duel between congressman that arose
from congressional debates 1t was at
Bladensburg on Feb "a. 1851, that Edward
Stanley, of North Carolina, fought Samuel
w. Inge, of Alabama, because of express
sions used in adebate on the river andharbor
bill. Charles Lee Jones was Stanley's sec
ond, and after one shot was exchanged he
interposed an objection to further HOSTILE
ties, saying that Stanley had entered the
quarrel because of what he considered a
personal insult. jefferson Davis, who was
Inge's second, responded that his princi-
pals remarks were political and not per-
sonal. This was considered a sufficient ex
PLANTATION and the quarrel ceased.
There had been many other meetings
which ended less happily before this was
accepted as an honorable explanation.
Jonathan Cilley, of Maine, was killed in a
duel that has been famous ever since,
which arose from certain criticisms which
he made on the floor of congress on the ed
itorial utterances of James Watson Webb,
the famous editor. Webb challenged him,
sending William j. Graves, of Kentucky,
as his second, and Cilley fatty refused the
challenge on the ground that Webb had
guage used in debate. This led to quar-
rel between Graves and Cilley, and Graves
sent Governor Henry A. Wise as his sec
ond with challenge. The exact point of
etiquette involved in the quarrel was that
Cilley refused to say whether or not he had
any idea of rejecting on Webb's character
or standing as a gentleman. Before the
duel, and after the first and second inter
changes Of shots, he refused to be cate
chised on this point, and at the third shot
he was instantly killed.
This, as was said was one of the most
famous of American duels, ranking per
haps next to the historic encounter in
which Aaron Burr killed Alexander Ham
ilton. Indeed, it is commonly believed that
the popular indignation over Cilley's death
was one of the main causes of the absolute
discontinuance of dueling in America, al
though as was said, this was by no means
the last duel, even among congressman
Before it occurred duels took place so fire.
quently that even d list of the most nota-
BILE ones would occupy columns of space.
Andrew Jackson was an avowed duelst,
engaging in several encounters on the
'feld of honor" and killing one of his enc
mics, Charles Dickinson, in the most de-
liberate fashion possible after Dickinson
had fired There are few persons today
who would not call the deed a murder but
it was then considered a sufficiently proper
act. Dickinson fired first, woundng but
not shaking jackson, and staggered back
in astonishmeut. His second, General
Overton, called him back, and he resumed
his position at once, but turned his eyes
away. jackson aimed and pulled his trig-
ger. The hammer stopped at half cock,
and he deliberately aimed again, fired and
killed Dickinson. This was in 1905. Aft
erward he was elected president of the
United States.
As was said, the last code published
the American one of Governor Wilson's
is far less bloodthirsty in it's provisions
than those which governed earlier encoun-
tiers. In the Middle Ages those fights
which were supposed 20 reveal by their
issue ''the judgment Of God" were many
of them almost incredibly brutal. One,
| for example, was between MahuOt and
Jacotin, two peasants, at Valenciennes.
They fought with quarter slaves, both be-
ing thoroughly creased, and using ashes
in their hands to keep grip on their blud-
geons Mahuot threw handful of sand
into Jacotin's eyes, and got the better of
the fight at first. Jacotin, however pres
ShbAJ VhHCW ulihf lulnpou Ou MS DOugt put
out his eyes and then knocked out his
brains, Jacotin had previously killed a
relative of Mahuot, and this fight was to
settle the question whether the first kill
ing was an assassination or the issue of a
fair fight. AS he succeeded in killing the
| second Philip of Burgundy decided that
the first was a fair fight, and Jacotin was
therefore acquitted of all blame.
The Irish code of q century 400 was NOT
quite as bad as this, but it was sufficiently
cruel. It's thirteenth rule, for example,
was, mo dumb shooting or firing in the
oil. L. Cd bio En-, W.. .la