The Irish standard., 1908-12-19
QUARREL Between
TWO STATESMEN
Daniel O'Connell Left for the
Continent to Fight a Duel
With Mr.. Peel.
The Irish Leader Arrested on
His Way to Ostend to
Meet Sir Robert.

between Daniel O'Connell and Sir
Robert Peel, which almost eliminated
in duel, is taken from the Dublin
Freeman's Journal:
Just seven months after the untime-
ly death Of Mr.: D'Esterre. o'Conrell
found himself with another affair Of
honour" on hands. This time it was
with Mr.. afterwards Sir Robert) Peel.
then Chief Secretary for Ireland. The
affair. is a very tangled one, but will
try to unravel it. On Tuesday. the
29th Of August, 1916. there was an.ag-
gregate Meeting of the Catholics held
in Dublin, at which O'Connell express-
ed himself as follows:-"All I shall
say of him (Mr. PeeD, by way Of
parenthesis, Is that I am told he has.
iE my absence. and in place where he
was privileged from any account.
grossly traduced me. said, ut the
last meeting. in presence Of the note
takers Of the police, who are paid by
him, that he was too prudent to attack
me in my presence. I see the same
police informers here now, and I au-
tEorize them carefully to report these
my words that Mr.. Peel would not
dare. In my presence; or any place
where he was liable to personal ac-
count, use a single expression deroga-
tory to my interest or my honour"
The speech in which the above pass.
age occurs appeared in some Of the
Dublin journals Of Wednesday, and on
Thursday morning, 31st. Sir Charles
Saxton, as the friend Of Mr.. Peel; wait
ed on O'Connell to ask for explanation
OF it. Sir Charles published in the
pal pers Of Saturday a long account of
the interview. and Of one with Mr..
Lidwell, who acted as the friend Of
O'Connell. In which he says-that the
latter feared some legal proceedings
were intended, more particularly rs
his commentary on words used IN
Parliament was breach of privilege
On Sir Charles assuring him that
nothing Of the kind was contemplated
OConnell admitted that the report Of
his speech in the Dublin Chronicle"
was substantially correct. Sir Charles
tfen makes a statement rega1iing his
interview with Mr. Lidwell. all which
was contained in "memorandum"
which appeared in the newspapers Of
Saturday.
Meantime. Mr.. Lidwe1l. wrote thus
to o'Connell on Friday
"My Dear O'Connell-Sir Charles
saxton called on me twice while was
absent from this. The last time he left
note to say, when he would hear I
was at home he would again call on
me- / expect him every minute; and
therefore write this to you to have
horses ready. as I will appoint the first
field adjoining Celbridge. in the County
Kildare, and an immediate hour COR
meeting. which 1 must naturally think
re is now coming to require"
o'Connell's reply was:-"My D,ar
Friend-Do Just as you please. I only
think the County Kildare ought to be
the place; I care not where there.
Everything will be ready expeditions
ly. My family would be less alarmed
if we postpone it till morning: but do
just as you please.' This letter was
written. from Harcourt street, not from
Merrfon square. l-,-
When Mr.. Lidwell read Sir Charles
Saxton's memorandum" on Saturday,
he wrote statement to O'Connel'.
which of course, could not appear uf,-
til Monday. The following are ex-
tracts from it,
Sir Charles Saxton wished O'Ccnneli
to be the challenger. Mr.. Lidwell
thought he should not, and he thus
gives his reasons. in his statement:-
II then told him that the asperity of
the language you had used respecting
Mr.. Peel, while under the Impression
of receiving illtreatment from him, had
been SO grossly offensive, that con-
s!dered you to be the aggressor; that
the English language did not admit #
ar expression more CALLING and debas-
ing. than to say OF any man he would
not dare to do in the presence Of
another what he did in his absence:
that it was q broad and unqualified
charge. Of cowardice. which a denial
or an offer to prove unfounded was not
sufficient to repel; that though it may
tend. in some respect, to set UP the
individual so abused, yet 1t did not go
to punish the insult that this impress
sion was so strongly fixed in my mind.
that ! told you, that If you persisted
in wishing to send hostile communi-
cation to Mr.. Peel must decline sny