Show I f l famous American Q Duels I fI 5 I S I i 4 I t- t r.-N r. H k r 1 p Rig F i tl Fv i V h A J ti d r o 4 Li is it I r r j te 4 By ALFRED SORENSEN T A AA dinner party given Iven In London In 1772 by General Oglethorpe who took quite a prominent part In the settlement of Georgia a discussion arose over the question whether hJ duelling was consistent with moral duty Dr Samuel Johnson who was one of ot the guests maintained that a man had a n right to defend his honor Turning to Boswell his biographer he asked What would you do If It you were affronted I should think It necessary to fight was his reply That solves the question said Goldsmith No sir sirl I l emphatically declared Johnson It does not follow follow fol tol- fol- fol low that what a man would do is therefore right He who fights a duel does not fight from front passion against his antagonist but out of ot self defense to avert tile the stigma of ot the world and to prevent himself from being driven out of society I could wish there were not that superfluity of ot refinement refinement refinement refine refine- ment but while such notions prevail pre no do doubt bt a aman aman aman man may lawfully fight figh a n duel Henry Clay who fought two duels one duels one with Humphrey Marshall I and the other with John Randolph held held virtually the same opinion as Doctor Johnson and advocated ad the passage of ofa ofa a bill by the United States senate against duelling duel duel- ling ne He admitted however that the man with witha a high sense of ot honor and nice sensibility when r the question Is whether he lie shall fight or have the finger of scorn pointed 1 at h him m Is unable to resist and few very few are found willing I Ito to a adopt opt such an alternative During the We days of chivalry In the southern states It ft required great moral courage not to accept t il a challenge and there were very few re re- John Randolph whose duel with Clay was wasa a R bloodless affair was challenged several se times but declined owing to religious scruples When he stood In front of Clay his trigger hair-trigger pistol was accidentally discharged muzzle downwards before the word to fire was given In the second round Clay missed his mark and Randolph fired up In the the theal al air Thereupon they made up and shook hands Randolph was frequently branded as a R coward and was once publicly posted by Gen n. n James Wilkinson In the following Insulting language In Justice to my character I denounce to the world John Randolph member of congress as a prevaricating base calumniating scoundrel r I poltroon and coward Notwithstanding this great provocation as well as others of ot a like character Randolph stood firm In his determination not to tp engage In affairs of ot honor In replying to Wi Wilkinsons Wilkinson's kinson's challenge Randolph concluded his Ills note by saying I cannot descend to your our level leyel This Is my final answer This was the cause of Wilkinsons Wilkinson's vitriolic posting postIng postIng post Ing of the congressman from Virginia In 1785 Gen Nathaniel l Green twice declined to accept a challenge from Captain Gunn G of Georgia who thereupon threatened to personally Assault him But Gunn failed to carry out his ibis threat as General Green sent him word that he was prepared to defend himself as as he always carried pistols j Gen Sam Houston turned down several chal chal- lenges I If they quarrel with me one that Is their privilege said he but I shall try to take care that they do me no hm harm l Fabius Stanley and ZecharIah Johnston United Slates States naval officers had a misunderstanding In 1850 and the former sent the latter a challenge Johnston refused to fight thereupon Stanley posted him as a coward In Ina n a Washington hotel and was vas court and dismissed from the navy General Barney whose coura courage e no one ever doubted was challenged by bY General er but bUI Instead of accepting ha he had the moral mural to have the challenger court In 1884 1854 John ohn T S. S Wise member of congress fr from Virginia In replying to those who expected him to resent some sev severe re newspaper assaults b by y fighting a duel with Page McCarty McCurty said sald McCartys McCartys Mc Me Carty's abuse of or me has no more mor effect than a 0 dog barking at nt the moon His comes comes too late Time lime has been when I have been fool enough h to Indulge In such folly Tolly but with age uge and with a broader view it rf life and Its Us responsibilities I have hidden bidden f rewell to the McCarty t of type Je manhood 1 Sir Walter Raleigh after he had killed sev several men In duels and had declared that he be would never tight fight again was challenged by a R young youn man to whom he lie replied If It If I could as ns easily wipe from my conscience the stain of killing you IRS as I t can this spittle from my face tace you sh should u rl not knot not live another minute Although duels In various arlous forms and with rules rule differing from time to time date back to remote ages ages when the memory of man loan not to the contrary It was not until early In the Six Six- i century of the Christian era that duelling was adopted In Europe as a It method of settling so called Bo-called affairs of honor In accordance with an established code So prevalent did duelling become In France that Louis XIII Issued an edict against the practice and sent many ninny duellists to the scaffold This severity however did not much abate the sanguinary encounters but early In the reig of ot Louis XIV qute quite a e number of ot i L I I II I II I r I 1 r a iii I rii IiI 1 r r r rr 10 r 1 noblemen whose courage was unquestioned made madea a compact to refrain from the fighting of duels Their stand caused a falling off oil In these combats combats combats com com- bats and In 1644 1044 Louis XIV SIV organized a n court of chivalry alry to pass Judgment on affairs of honor which up to that time had been settled by a n resort to arms Today there Is a R law In France making the killing In a n duel punishable as a homicide In recent years duels have e been of ot rare occurrence In France generally resulting harmlessly and regarded as a Joke carried out for notoriety In the the i United States States especially especially in the South and In California duels California duels were very common up to the close of ot the Civil war army and navy ofil- ofil officers officers cers and politicians being the most frequent par par- Today however a meeting to shoot It out on the field of ot honor Is an unheard-of unheard event and would be a page front sensation One of the most determined and desperate duels ever fou fought ht In the United States was that In which DeWitt Clinton and John Swartout exchanged exchanged ex ex- 7 changed shots five times It was the result of ot differences and bitter quarrels between the political followers of Clinton and the adherents of ot Aaron Burr DeWitt Clinton was admitted to the bar of New York at an early age ne and Immediately en entering entering the school of ot politics he became nn an apt pupil under the tutorship of or his uncle George Clinton Republican leader leoder and governor who made him his secretary and appointed hIm to other secretarial positions George Clinton was a n deputy In the New ew York tOIk provincial congress a brigadier general brigadier general In the Continental army ormy was successively elected governor of New York torl from 1777 to 1795 then served In the legislature e was again aln elected governor In tn 1 1800 00 and was made vice Ice president of the United States In 1801 i filling that office until his death eight years later Inter DeWitt Clinton ros rose rapidly to eminence nce and ond power Jower In the Republican party and had fully as ns distinguished a career as us his talented uncle When he was twenty eight years old he was wa elected a member of the lower hou house houe e of the thele le legislature an and the following year eor he became n II state senator From that time to the end of hl his life he was with brief Interims a continuous office holder He lie was United States senator from 1801 to 1803 when lie He resigned to accept appoint appointment ment to the till of ot mayor of New York city After serving four years In this position he was removed but was reappointed ed two years enNi later lIe He was n again aln put out of this office In 1810 but was reinstated and continued to serve as as- mayor until 1815 Clinton wa was an unsuccessful Presidential can In 1812 From irom 1811 to 1813 he hold held the honor honorary y office of ot governor lieutenant and In 1817 he was wa elected governor was WitS re-elected re In 1820 declined to be a candidate two years Inter litter and was ag again ln elected In 1 1824 und and In 1826 His brilliant and remarkably successful career was cut c short by death while still In office Clinton was a pub spirited public lc citizen At the ver very beginning of his career he was an on earnest J advocate ocate of public Improvement It was owing to tv tolila his lila efforts that the Erie canal was built and this great gleat achievement added much to his popularity Clinton and Burr Durr became enga engaged ed In fierce political disputes In which offensive personalities were the outstanding features John Swartout an Intimate te friend and def defender of more or less mixed up In the quarrels of nf the two leaders Swartout who had himself been hard hit by e 3 f Jf Clinton's vituperative references took up an active defense of ot Burr and charged that Clinton's vicious attacks were based on personal and selfish motives This angered Clinton who denounced denounced denounced de de- de- de Swartout as a liar a n scoundrel and a villain Such vilifying Ill tying epithets were more than Swartout could stand and he accordingly challenged challenged chal chal- Clinton who promptly accepted The shooting match took place In 1802 on the ground at Weehawken N. N J J. J where the famous duel between Burr and Hamilton was held In 1804 and where Hamiltons Hamilton's son had been killed In a duel In 1801 On reaching the designated spot Swartout Swartout demanded that Clinton should sign signa n a written apology Clinton Indignantly refused to todo todo todo do anything of ot the kind Just before taking their places Clinton remarked I wish I had the prIncipal principal prin prIn- cipal here He Be ref referred to B Burr rr who if It he had stood before Clinton at that meeting might not have lived to kill A Alexander Hamilton Swartout was seconded by Colonel Smith and ond Clinton by Richard Riker The first shots were harmless s Riker In accordance with the Instruction of ot his principal now requested Colonel Smith to ask Swartout If he was satisfied I am not not was his answer Another exchange of ot shots were made without effect and again Swartout was not satisfied A third exchange resulted without Injury and Swartout upon being again asked If It Ithe he was satisfied replied I am nm not and I shall not be until the apology Is made which I 1 have demanded His defiant attitude was certainly that of ot Macbeth who shouted Lay on I And d d-d d d be him that first cries Hold enough 1 l' The prepared apology dictated by Swartout was n again aln presented to Clinton for his signature with the declaration that It If he refused to attach his name the tIght fight must go on to the finish Clinton Clinton Clinton Clin Clin- ton declined to sign any paper regarding the matter In dispute and ond said that he had bad no animosity against Mr Swartout and would woud willingly willingly will will- shake slake hands bands and agree to meet him on the score of former friendship This offer ITer was declined and the combatants resumed their positions and fired the fourth shot This time Swartout was wounded In the left leg about five Inches below helow the knee He lIe was not disabled and Insisted upon proceeding with the contest sn saying that It was useless to ask him to quit At this stage of or the affair Clinton linton once more asserted that he entertained no animosity Furthermore he stated he was sorry for wh what t hn had occurred and th then n offered to shake hands and forget forJet the past While this conversation was In pro progress ress the attendant surgeon extracted the bullet hullet from Ie leg For the fifth time he faced Clinton and was again wounded In the left Ift Ie leg n a few Inches above the ankle Still standing and determined n as ever he called for another shot Thereupon Clinton refused to comply and walked away awny Swartout said he was much surprised at nt his action In neither apologizing nor affording full satisfaction While Clinton was In the United States 8 senate he became Involved In another affair of honor fn rn the course of or an animated debate he ha had used language e that was offensive to Senator Dayton of New Jersey Tersey who was a 0 friend of Burr Durr The next lay day Dayton sent him a n challenge e which was accepted without any winded long-winded correspondence ence They met on October 24 1803 1503 and upon Clinton making a n satisfactory explanation and offering an apology y the duel was called o off IT Two years after this Incident Swartout t fought a n duel with Riker who was severely wounded Hiker became a jud Judge e of ot the city recorders recorder's court of New v York and served on that bench for tor ninny many years |