The Late Duel.
The Times, 1824-05-17T00:00:00

Sir Eenry Hardinge has jpubiish6d thfefoli1bwng corrb- apondence: Mlay5. 12'lock~.-Lieutenant-Coondel Westerniliveredanoteto S;r.L HardiDFe from L,ord ,ondonderry. referring ColonelW. as the bearerofachallenge to Lord L. from lr. Battier, toSir Henry.-The message was stated by Colonel NV. to be foundedon thecircumstawce of Lord l; having ?lesired AMr. B. not to dine at the regimental mess, on the 24:h of November last; Sir Henry, without entering into the merits of the circumstance above-mentioned, expressed his opinion that AUr. B. ivas not entitled to require private explanation, or persosal satisfaction, from Lord L. after he bad chosen to adopt the unusual course of satisfying his feelings by appealing to the public: and, if that mode Of redress were nowv felt by Air B. to be insufficient, it was no afsir of LJord L.'s, 3nd that, after a lapse of five months, any claim which he might have had in the first in. stance, appeared to be lost by the deay, as wel as by the appeal to public opinion. Lieutenant-Colonel W. admitted that, in his opinion, there was no absolute necessity on the part of Sr. B. to send Lora Li. a chal- lenge afterwhat had passed, but that M1r. B.'s sense of the injury he had received, bF being desired to quit the ness-room in tbe presence of ladies, induced him to seek the present mode of satisfying his feelings, which had bees severely wounded by the silent. contempt with which Lord L. had treated him by not noticing his letters. This may be considered as the substance of the conversation which passed, Sir Henry proposing ts confer with Colonel W. at three o'clock, when the following letter was presented by Sir Henry:- No. 1. "32, Grosveror.place, Alay 5, 182L. " Sir,-I thiRk it necessary to repeat most distinctly to You that I cannot admit Alr. Battier's right to call upon Lord Londonderry for private satisfaction, after MIr. Battier's appeals to the public for the last four months. As you have also stated to me your opinion most unequivocally that there is no necessity eR the part of Mr. Battier to have recourse to the proceeding he meditates, I cannot reconcile it to my sense of honour and propriety to sanction any such measure, where both the seconds are of opinion that the principals need not meet. Disapproving, therefore, in common with you, of the proposed meeting, T shaU avoid seeing Lord L. til I have con- ferred with you at three o'clock. I am, &c. " Lieut.-Col. Western." 5Signed) " H. HARDINGE." Three o'clock, p. m.-At this interview Colonel W. stated, that an explanation from I o-d L., or from Sir henry informing him that there had been no intention on the part of f,rd L. to question 31r. B.'s character as a'gentleman, would satisfy him. Sir Henr', not admitting on the part of Lord L. Mr. B.'s claim to a private explanation after the preference shown by that gentle. man for a public vindication of his character, declared any such ex. planation to be inadmissible. And although he had avoided seeing Lord L. he stated his Lordship's readinessm to meet Mr. Battier, as expressea in the note brought from Lord L. bh Colonel W., the objection to the meeting being on the part of Sir Henry, and for the reasons already giver. At this interview every means of arrangement having been dis- cussed, Colonel 'W. delivered the following note :_ No. 2. " blay 5. " Sir,-Having sten your note, and admitting that there ist no absolute necessity for Mr. Battier to call on the AMarquis of London- derry-sentiments in which I the more readily partidipate from forner years of service with vou-and as Mr. Battier his placed his honour in my hands, I shall have no hesitation, after the conversa- tion that has taken place between us, to assure my friend that our mutual impression as the friendR of parties is, that after the publ- I city which has already taken place, no further steps are necessary. " Allow me to express my satisfaction that this unplesant busi- ness should have falen into the hands of an officer wEit whom Ihave formerly served, and for whom I always entertained the hilhest opinion. " I am, &c. (Signed) " C. Al. T. WVESTERN. " Sir H. Ilardinge &c. &c. &e." Five o'clock.-Sir hienry Hardinge's note, in answer to this, is the following, viz. No. 3. e" 32, Gfrosvenor-place, May F5. Sir,_T bave received your reply, and request You will inform mre of your ultimate intentions before the evening closes. " 1 am, &c. "Lieut.Cvol.Western. (Signed) " H. IARDfNGE." Half-past dix p.m.-Colonel W. having conferred with Mr. B., re- turnedtoSirHenryathalf-aftersixo'clock, requestingan explanation or a meeting. The latter was inmediately acceded to. The parties it was considered, could not meet beforehalf-after eight ornice o'clock, which was deemed very objectionable by both the seconds. A mis- apprehension, however, arose on this point, Colonel W. conceiving the appointment for the meeting tO hare been at nine o'clock the evening, and Sir Henry at nine o'cTock the next morning. Sir H. II. having communicated to Lard L. the arrangement he had made, wrote the following letter : No. 4. "32, Grosvenor-place, May 5, 10 o'clock, p. m. Sir-I have seen Lord L., and informed him of the message Mr. B. has sent through you, in reply to my second r ote. equiinng an explanation of Lord L.'s meaning in desdring Mr. B. to quit the mxess-room of the 10th Hussars, the 24th of November. " I request you to assure Mir. B., that it is a matter of perfect in- difference to Lord L. what MIr. B. feels or publishes; he can hbae no communication with him. The opinion I have expressed that Mr. B. has no right to expect the satisfaction he solidte, after five months' suspension of his feelings, I now repeat. Your exprewsed opiniotn that there is no necessity for the meeting which Mir. B. re- quires, I need not enlarge upon. Lord Londonderry hu ch.sen to wvave all the just objections which I think exist so the meeting you have requested; and I have now only to inform you, that his Lordship wvil be at nine o'lock at Hyde- ark-corner to-morrow mnorning, where I shall expect to see you andXIMIr, Battier. "Ihave the honour to be, &c. &c. "Lieut.Colonel Western. (Signed) " HE. ARDINGE." This letter was sent to Colonel \V. at eleven o'clock, to the addres lie had appointed, buit it did not find him there1asd we on the fol. lowing morningsentunder cover to Mr. Batig, who revedit about eight o'clock. 6th May, S9 o'clock, p m-Lord Londonde=reyazdSirs_R e v mained at the place appointed until twenty minutes after 9 o'cock, when Sir Henry wrote a pencil note tD this effect:_ NO. 5. "Hyde Parkcorner, top of Grosvenor-place, Alay 6, 20iminutes after 9. " Sir Henry Hardinge presumes there is some mistake. Lieut.- Colonel W. will find him there til ten o'clock. It will be inconve- nient to Lord L. to wait anyv longer. " Lieut.-Col. Western." The following answer was received from Lieut.-Colonel Western:- No. 6-Dated 7th (should be 6th) May. "Lieut..Colonel Western begs leave to state, that Alr. Battier and himself were waiting at the top of Grosvenor-place, from two minutes before nine till forty-fiveminutes past. " That seeing no signs of Sir Henry and his friend, they then got into the post-chaise again, and returned to town. Lieut.-Colodel W. wil wait on Sir Henry by 12 o'clock. " Sir Hlenry Hardinze." In consequence of this, Sir Henry rode to Colonel W.'s hotel in the city, who had, on the receipt of Sir Henrv's note of twenty mi- nutes after nine, hastened to Sir. Battier, and shortly after twelve o'clock Colonel IV. appeared at Hyde-park-corner. The misum. tderstanding as to the time of meeting was explained, and Col. W. immediately returned for Mlr. B., and the parties werefinally assem- bled at half after one o'clock. Having proceeded about four miles out of town, the pistols were loaded by the seconds, and as the loaded pair hed been brought out by Sir Henry, the choice of one of them was giver, to Colonel Thegroundwasmeasuredbyboth theseconds _tenpaces; theprin- cipals took their posts, levelling their pistolc at the same time on the word being given to fire. Lord L.'s shot appeared to pas6 to the right of hlr. B.. Mir. B.'s pistol missed fire. Lord Londonderry requested that Mr. Battier mightbave another shot. This was dectineil by Colonel Western on the pait of Ar. Battier. ColonelWestern proposed that the principals should meetand shake hands. Sir Henry declared it to be impossible. - Colonel Western having conferred with Mr. Battier, informed Sir Henry that Mr. Battier was satisfied. Sir Henry then begged the principals to advance, and informed Colonel Western in their presence,thatas Mr.Battier had received the satisfaction he wished to have, and had expressed himssdf satisfied, he (Sir Henr) had to make two observations upon the last publish- ed etter of Alr. B.:- In t)lat letter there is an assertion personally reflecting upon Lord Londonderry-that he had sheltered hinself under his rank from the consequences of an arbitrary act towards. Mr. Battier. That assertion the present meeting sufficiently disproved. Colonel W. and Mr. B. assented. The next observation whicb Sir Henry was obliged to make to Colonel Western was, that in the samne letter Mr. Battier asserted, that although Lord Londonderry denied having reae or perused a certain letter or letters conveying a censure upon the officers of the 10th Hussars for their conduct towards Mr. Battier, he (fIr. Bat- tier) knesw that Lord Londonderry had seen thc papers. On the part of Lord Londonderry, Sir Henry declared, that-the isertion con- tained in Dir. Battier's letter was false Mr. Battier asked if it was meant to mnake him out a liar ?-Sir Henry observed to Col. We-tern, that MIr. Battier must have been misinformed, but that lie could not qualify the expression4 and that Lord Londonmderry was ready to maintain his assertion by resuming- his ground. Mr. Battier inquired if it was intended to add fresh insult ? If such were the case, we had bettertgo on. Sir H.enry could only rejeat his former expression, that thesa.sser- tion was false, and that It was for Mr. Battier to take his course. ir. Battler said lie referred it to Colonel Western. Sir Henry said they had better withdraw, and not be long, for fear of bring disturbed. They withdrew (Colonel Western and Mr. Battier) a few paces, otr twv or three minutes, and Colonel Western declared ir. Battier satislied and that he did not intend to carry proceedingF any further. The partics proceeded to their carrias and returned to town. " Quarter after one o'clock, Mlay 7.-Colonel Western has read this document, and admits that he camnot state thas there is any part which is not accurate.-Written in bis presence and read so Iim. (Signed) " E. HARDINGE." "May 10, -182L "I adnuit the general substance and tenour of this statement to b*t correct. (Signed) "C. M1. T. WESTERN. 5Iay 14, lg24. (A true copy) "n. HARDIN';ls.'; [ From. a Sundacy sae SUDDEN DEATH OF LIEUT.-(WOyNEE, WESTERN. " Saturday night, 1i o'clock, May 15, 1824. 'Sir,_ have only this evening seen in The Mforning Chronicle of this day, a letter with annexed documents, purporting -to be a statement of the particulars of a recent coirespond&nc ibetween Sir H. Hardi e and Lieutenant-CDolonel WVestern, relative to a subiect an whichRl felt it necessary to require an explanatfon frofn thne iar, quis of Liondonderfy. The sudden death of my gallant friend yes- terday has placed me in circitmstances nf the most unparalldled em-o barrassment, for which I trust to the sympathv of every brave and libheral mind. The specious representation of 8ir JR. [ardinge pon. tains matter which, though totally at variance with the true charac- ter of the transaction, and deficient in mostimportantcircumstaslces, I cannot, on the spur of thenionement, as bearing the authentication of Lieutenantr-olonel Western's signature, deny or-refute.. But I have no doubt of being enabled to prove that my -friend's signature was obtained to a document which he had not thoioaghty exalised relying on Sir H. Hardlngl bei_g incapable of recording thMe parti, CUiats partially or untruly. While I endeavoart 6 rectify the imn pre^sson intended to be copveyed by the late *tement, I Fntrcatmny tricnds, pa-rticulflarly may mily friends7 to suwped4 their ju'gment. Thompson's Hotel, Gavendisls-squVre. THE LA TX DUEL.