The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-03-28

E lean code duello. 1t was
- between a member of the
United States senate,
John Randolph of Virginia, and Henry
Clay of Kentucky, secretary of state.
Back of the duel lay the conflict be-
tween two political theories, those of
President John Quincy Adams, sup
ported by Clay, and those of future
President, Andrew Jackson, supported
by Randolph. But the immediate cause
of the duel was a speech which RAN
dolphs had made in the senate.
The debate which produced this
speech was of minor Importance. 1t
had to do with a resolution calling
for the production of certain docu-
ments. But Randolph made it the &C.
casion for such a vitriolic speech as
only he could make. He aSSailed the
administration, paying particular at
tentiOn to the "close association in it
of the austere, correct and pious
Adams with the frequently drunken,
necessarily gambling Clay" and end
ing up with these famous words: Il
was defeated horse, foot and dragons
cut UP and clean broke down by the
coalition of Blifil (Adams) and Black
George (Clay)-by the combination,
unheard of till then, of the Puritan
with the blackleg."
Heretofore Clay had ignored the
whispering campaign against him, based
on his drinking and his gambling. But
this was a denunciation which he
could not disregard. He challenged
Randolph to a duel and as word of
the affair got out the excitement in
Washington was tremendous. Thomas
Hart Benton, senator of Missouri, by
permission of the principals, was al
lowed to attend the duel which was
held on the afternoon of April s, 1926.
1t was conducted with all the cere-
mony and formality Of the prevailing
custom in such encounters, but what
justifies its characterization as "strang-
est" was the conduct of one of the
rincipals-Randolph
Noted for his eccentricity and rum
ming true to form, even on the duel
ling field, Randolph appeared for the
encounter with a white flannel wrap
per over his coat. Despite the fact
that his seconds had haired the trig-
ger of his pistol, he insisted upon
keeping on a pair of thick buckskin
gloves even though these would de-
stroy his delicacy of touch and per-
haps cause him to fire before the word
was given. And that is exactly what
happened. AS he stood holding his pis-
toll, muzZle downward, it was dis
charged Clay's seconds Immediately
protested but Clay silenced them and
demanded that his opponent be given
another pistol.
When the word was given both men
fred but neither shot took effect, al
though Randolph's bullet nearly struck
Clay I'm the leg and Clay's bullet
passed close to Randolph's waist. Ben
ton Immediately rushed in and tried
to stop the fight, but Randolph angrily
refused. He had determined to make
a grand gesture and was willing to
tmperil his life to make it. So the
pistols were reloaded and again the
men fired. The secretary of state put
but the latter purposely fired high in
the air over Clay's head. At this, Clay
rushed forward with outstretched
hand. 81 trust in Cod my dear sir, you
are untouched. After what has Oc-
Cured, would not have harmed you
for thousand worlds!" he exclaimed.
"You owe me a coat, Mr.. Clay" re-
piled Randolph with a smile.
The whole affair is characteristic of
John Randolph of Roanoke, for surely
he was the strangest American of his
time and perhaps of all time. Gerald
w. Johnson in a recent biography of
him, published by Minton, Balch and
Company, calls him "a Political Fan
tastic" and perhaps fantastic" is a
more apt word than either eccentric"
or strange" when applied to his life,
both private and political. In his first
chapter, Introducing Virginian,"
Johnson says:
Once he tried to collect debt from
a distant cousin. The debtor attacked
MIN with KnlIe, ana dltnOugn the
effort to stab him failed, his coat was
cut. Randolph beat his assailant off,
first with the lash, and then with the
butt, of a riding whip. He escaped
from the fracas with no great phys
ical damage, but with a distaste. not
difficult to understand for his attacker,
whose name, by sad mischance was
likewise John Randolph. This was
the only name he acknowledged, al
though the neighbors distinguished
him by referring to him as "Possum
John" 1t was apparently after this
encounter that the creditor deter
mined to take action which should eff
fectually draw distinction between
himself and Postum John Randolph;
so thenceforth he signed his own name
John Randolph of Roanoke" He was
very careful about it. Even when he
initiated hasty notes and memoranda,
he wrote -. r. of r." rarely ~ R."
The encounter with 'Possum John
serves as an excellent intro
duction tic the man, for /. is no bad