Evening star., 1920-11-28

sort during those early
days of the government, on
which forceful. impetuous leaders in
the legislative. executive. military or
diplomatic life of the infant republic
settled implications Of veracity or
courage by the appeal final from the
rhetoric Of words to the logic Of arms,
several famous dueling grounds ex-
listed close. by Washington and the
one at Bladensburg became interna-
Sonally famous.
1t was referred to frequently in
Congress under cover of the maGnilo-
quent but. ~portentous elsewhere"
which meant that the impasse OF orzr5
tory was TO be blasted or hewn down
and the tsuth impressed al. the point
expounded by the convincing power Of
gunpowder-and thus would the de-
manded satisfaction" be accorded.
Men whose names stand out con-
sspicuously in American historyrLin-
Decatur. Randolph. Clay, Andrew
JackSon-recognized the popular ap.
peal to the code duelio" by accepting
challenges. participating in duels, or
even sacrificing their lives in this
then-supreme test of courage.
y kk* =
IN the field OF honor par excelence
~ at Bladensburg more than fifty
Senate and House fought there. One
Of the most historic of such enceun-
ters ended the life Of the hero, Com
nodore Stephen Decatur, whose
achievements rank with those OF John
Paul Jones, Oliver Hazard Perry,
David Farragut and George Dewey.
THE more happily-ended duel between
Henry Clay. then Secretary. Of State.
and John Randolph. senator from vfr-
ginia, has made famous another field
Of honor" on the Virginia shore of
the Potomac near the Little Falls.
Before the city Of Washington was
founded Bladensburg was a seaport OF
importance. where cotton and tobacco
were loaded for direct shipment to Eng
land. 1t had "a commercial life half a
kentury before the Declaration Of In
dependence was dreamed Of. Here was
the old George Washington hostelry.
opened in 1872. where Washington and
Patrick Henry lodged the first night OF
their. horseback journey from Mount
Vernon to attend the sessions OF the
Continental Congress in Philadelphia
In the best room of this inn slept
Mistress Martha Washington when, In
the autumn of 1775, she was riding In
state in gilded chariot drawn by four
Virginia thoroughbred horses, as befit
me wife Of a manor lord OF colonial
Virginia, to visit the commander-in-
cnfet OF tne ragged continental AIIuy AT
Cambridge, Mass.
II was a corner. of that historic bat
tieground of Bladensburg bordered by
Blood run" that for many years was
the most noted dueling ground in the
world On the old stage route from the
capital to Baltimore, a scant half mile
over the District border. to the right Of
the road, was a jungle henmed IN by
hills on three sides and the other
screened by tangled thickets. Through
L ii
fateful dark and bloody ground
which first came into its baleful dedica-
ton as early as 1914. when Edward
Hopkins Of Maryland. an ensign of in
fantry in the Army of the United states.
was slain at the point Of a sword.
The character Of the ground today -
Entirely changed. On either side Of the
old. dueling ground have risen a ceme-
tery and subdivision. The old inn to
which the high-sprited duelists and
encounter Of honor to pledge friendship
in the flowing bowl or to smoke pipe
of piece is still visited by tourists.
Probably no duel ever shocked the
National Capital as did that between
Commodore stephen Decatur and Capt.
James Barron on March %. 1890. The
tragedy had a wonderful background Of
romance and color. The intrepid sea
tighter. known as the 'Bayard OF the
seas Decatur was the social lion Of
bay and had received the thanks OF
Cingress. He had wiped the Barbary
plates OFF the map: he stood out as
me great naval red star OF his period
ne il was who arose one night and pro-
posed the toast: "Our country-may she
always be right, but our country right
or wrong" He had recently bought
twenty lots in what was known as
Presidents Square and had complet-
cd the erection of his home, then con-
.,dcred palace. fronting Lafayette
square. This house is still standing at
-he southwest corner of Jackson place
s-d ii street.
Decaturs wealth was chiefly prize
"'oney from his captures of British ves-
seis in the war Of 1872. The walls OF
his residence were hung with pictures
of his engagements with the Macedcn-
ian. II was in this house that he died
as result OF the duel Handsome.
rich. idolized. at the height OF his
fame. Decatur was but forty years of
age when killed.
i :: ::
ONE of the most chivalrous men OF
any age or country, Decatur ac-
knowledged the authority OF the
fn"llo In adjusting private differences
md would have adopted Its policy in
Yai-ship against ship. He had been