The home journal., March 31, 1859, Image 1

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-. t.-r n THE JOUnMAL.
8 1KVn NGILL &- CO.;. ... Now York.
JOHN P, HGFNEll,,. ..Wlnclienter.
'T J. (JOMMtNOS.u.. 1'ullttlionia.
JOHN B. RHODES,. ... ....holhyville-
L. I. GILUEriSLEEVEf.,.,...Fayouevilloi.
A. M. TEN ISON NaaiivilU.
. I. '
Subcription for a shorter time
thin oqe'year must bu paid In advance,
' lloYeafier' no club subscrlpiion
tos? Iho'n the regulnr price (2) will
:be recicivcd,; However, when a club of
five siibscri'pes'.in .sorjt us, we will allow
a 'extra top? gralia' tOp tlio qter-up of
tbe'Ctiib.' , ' ')
ftaiSingle c'onioe sold at 10 cents.
.'BSWhoVi1 credit Tur tho papor is giv
'en to the ,e nd of iho yenr tlirea dollars
will-". iritariaU chergeU. i ' .1
Clubbing Vf. will . supply either
ilarpert Magszlne,' or Ctahsra's, or Go
doye and ilie Home Jounml, one year, Tor
fuuMlollurs. '-Arthur's Home Magazine,
or Peterson's, and the Home Journal, one
fcyearV'ftr ,3' 25,
AN OLD MAID'S LIFE.
' 'A jviiti-r on this sulyactiinyu,. (but
ylih rnther doubtlul corrifortJAnJ
ihougli at its cnJ it may bp somewhat
lonnly! though a nejvaot'e and , not a
dauL'litcrVttrmmayguido the fuiliny;
stppi though mo8t likely it will be
strangers only who come about the
dying bed. closo tun eye that no bus
band ever kiiisud', and ilmw the shroud
kindly over the poor withered bronst
where nd child's bond has over lain;
till, such a life is not to ho pitied, for
it is a completed life'. It has fulfilled
its appointed course, and returns to
the Giver of all breath, pure as he
gavo it, Nor will ho forget it when
he counteth his jewels."
-ivnTtri'
Subgcrtbers receiving their paper with
a red cross markion.thein will understand
it t.Q ueat) ht unloss they pay up their
duos' to uslhoir paper will be disgontin
ud. We have about 75' name's that will
undoubtedly be erased Unless this cross
nark is heeded. Paper alone costs about
.$11 per Week, cash, "and we are unable
.amf uh willing to submit to this drain up
,on obr pocket unless we ore sure thai our
submlssori 'bd appreciated.'
Postmaster's throughout the country will
An n. n fnvor.'as well as bo doin? llieir
.dutyio inform us wlion a subscriber re
.fusesvhis paper,, or when the pnper lies
dead at llieir olfice.. .
A Word, to Aim-renticbs. Appren
ticesTiip is the most important stage of
Jife through which' a mechanic is call
ed ., to ','pasHi" it , is emphatically the
spring season of hia days the time
whe'fk he i sowing the seed, the fruits
of Vvliich he is to reap in after years. If
he.. spares no labor In its proper cul
ture he is sure of obtaining an abun
dafijj harvestj but if, in the, culture of
thq rrieiital soil, he follows tho exam
.pie of many in tilling the earth, and
carelessly and negligently does his
woi'l like tboin, lie will find the seed
ing;tima past, and his ground only
bringing forth weeds and briars. Let
the?! young apprentice bearjn mind,
wrn'hp commences leurning any bu
siness, that all" hopes of success in the
future are doomed to fade away like
the "morning 'mist;" unless he improve
tho irolden season. Let him bear in
T m
mind that ho can become master of
.'his business only through the closest
application and the must persevering
industry; and that unless he does mas
ter it, he may bid farewell to all the
visions of future prospects and success.
The apprenticeship is the foundation
of the , great mechanical edifice; and
surely if th? foundation of a structure
be not firm, the structure itself crumb
les and falls to the earth. Then,
yong friends,' persevere; be studious
and attentive: study well all the difle
rent branches of your business, both
practical and theoretieal and when
the, tipie shall come for you to take an
active part in life, you will not fail to
be of use, not only in your own partic
ular business, but in society..
FROM A" MARRIED WOMAN.
Mo., .Editor: .
1 want you to enlighten me on one
point that is, il you can, though 1
don-'t think you know moro about the
matter than 1 do and perhaps not so
much. How is it that courtship is so
much" pleasanter than marriage?
YYhen 1 was Miss instead of Mrs., my
sweetheart' was quite attentive he
Siroucht mo home all that was nice in
.books', and nick-nacks: now a ring,
now, a gilt-edged plume of poetry
concert' tickets' .were ,as i co.rnmcnf as
peanuts. Well, one day, I was jiist
.iboT enough to give up all these for a
plain gold ring, and an empty name,
became Mrs. V. Oh.Gimini, Mr. E l-
HOTf 'LMUIt l mill ra" uuiniomin.
k .,:;.i
. In Harper's Wcokly of tho 1-Jth,
wo find tho following comments on
tho late homicide at Washington;
! "An injured husband has but three
ways of meeting the injury: "lie may
laugh at it, or ho may challenge his
enemy; this is the French method.
Tho first recourse nilbrds but little
consolation, and requires unusual
philosophy, the second may superadd
physical to moral injury, lie may sue
the adulterer for damages. This is
the English plan. It involves pa
tience, delay, exposure and disgrace.
It parades 'the injurnd party to the
contumely of tho world. It seldom
yields substantial prolit, and when it
does it must bo painful to use money
obtained at the cost of "the virtue of
a wile. ! inaiiy, the injured husband
TF-isrisr., ' MAliOIir aiV 'l
;i'V yji 4 Li u' .! -' 1 1 .'i -i-
1rtliiuc,)..t.How.Jourmkr. w.Pn thetH.At slnV rate, the remarks being in tho. foi
1850.
.1)
Wtat)rtliluciKntif.HiiJoUrikr.
TO
The happiest hours I ever knew, ' '
I spent them, by thy side, - ,y '
And the dearest hope of all my life
To have'thf for a bride. 1
But those liop,iy hours, alaal are gone-r
Those happy hour of yore, , t
And o li 1 it makes me feel so ad, "
To know they'll coma no more. '
To know lluit one I loved so well,
So treacherous pould prove . (
Could spurn u huart wfrich blimfut
thought' ' ' "
You give it love of love,
And the hope is find, ilasl it
That once my bo.uiu ihrilied, ,
And 1 could almost wish me dead
To have my feeling stilled
To cease to think of one n hoae life
Is doarur than mine own
Ami li.nl 1 gained thed for a wifo,
iS'o grunier bliss I'd known.
But go! ilia troubles of my breast
1 will not plaintive eing, .
But bill my spirit await the rest
1 Impo the I'uture'll biing.'
COMMODORES DECATUR AND
BARRON.
TIIEIK FATAL IH'KL.
Tho duel between James Barron
and Stejihen Decatur, both post-cap-tains
in t!io American navy, took
place on the S2J of March, 18ii), at
Kladcnsbui'g, near Washington.
This was I ho most melar.choly of all
the fatal combats that ever came oil
upon that celebrated duelling ground.
D.icaturwas in the vijror of his man-
! hood, and in t!ui zenith of his fame.
may take tho life of him who has in- T,l3 briiliitnt heroism ho had disidav
juredhim. Tins is the American sy,. sevcral..trvj ocotwions ,d
tcin, and lulierly it has been followed! , ,, , , , " , ,
in many parts of Europe. Terrible ! '""J' tCst,!'1 mHtU ol . 1 1,3 m!l,,
as homlcido is, this method must, on and made him the glory of t.ie navy
tho whole, be admitted to bo that j and ihe pride of tha nation. When,
most ciiectual, llie wisest, and the therefore, tho intelliar'noe cradually
spr
gloom overspread the land, and a na
tion was bowed in sorrow over his
imm iuuU..un:u..iiuui iB' iMni.a, that Djcatnr bad alien, a
iiusiiaii'-i. j
' i here can lie no excuse for tho j
adulterer, lie commits a throe.-fold
crime: a crime against the woman
whom he misleads; a eiime against
the man whom he dishonors; a crime
airiiinst society which he disorganizes.
Each of the three cells for condign
punishment. In these latter days ex
perience, proves that in nil such cases
society will Justify the inllictions of
the last penalty by the husband.
grave.
The causes which led to this fatal
encounter had been accumulating for
a series of years. In 1S07, Conitno-
ilo'tell me. as Mr. Tennyson says,
?Tho. bow., and tho why!", that's n
,dWjto0!.'r '.: LAt'HETTA.,'
jrhb''s4rae' curious anomaly has of
teb.'jitrucli'.us, and our curiosity has
" been so strong nt times, that we our
, seJWiv'e felt hair lnclipcd to marry,
' in'order to solve the mistery. We have
'ho'weVer," hitherto contented ourself,
: bytcousultlo j Jnost . of .tho greatest
pfiifosopbers on' the subject, but, as
.utusi,' got i W fe vr ideas we had on it
foiitterly .obfuscated by Uieii expla
naioo7thai we tried the women, but
get atiQ mole1 Xiwildered:'.' We shall
be iaiar ne'er Jroni ny jcorrespon
dent Wba iblnlu she kh'owsl We hon-
eialyvaw-we don't " " "
.'i nt
)TRiAr P'i LpvRw AH arts, contin
tiAfo improve ml flourish bat the art
of , lore.- 'the, thing U ' matter of
trslde. sale and calcutvt'onYaod If our
tlme.wM to product Ovid, he would
DtVef be popular unless he became
arauctioneer. " f " ,.
Jf , thoo Votifdst conceal thy secret
All that thou canst do i
take with probability, attempt with
prudence, pursue with diligence, and
supjiort interening accidents with
ope and patience.
WriUru lor tiie Winchester Home Journal.
HUSH THEE, HKAKT-
I!Y MIIS. KMII.tK C. S. Cllir.TO.V.
Hush thee, hearl, and cense thy sobbing,
Cense mr aye thine every moan,
Now thy daily life of plodding
Liuih through the world, alone.
Onca exalted unto heaven,
All lil'u's swuot's with rapture lasted,
Diedied to earth to misery given
All thy (I re me s of bliss are wasted.
Hush thee, Jjtonrt, an. I coaso thy sighing,
Sweetly blossomed hope for thee,
Now in autumn graves are lying
Flower!, that nevermore will he!
(Joins of Hope so fondly cherished
Never moro will 1 caress ihee!
Like tho Dead Sea fruit tliou'st perished,
Thou hast curst instead of blest me.
Hush iIikc, heart, and ceaso thy weeping,
Truly thou art r.ow forsaken,
And thy joys in Lethe sleeping
Never, never will awaken!
Yet 'twero folly to remember
All thy woight of crushing woe
Life's a long and drear December
And its verdure is but snow.
Hush thro, heart tho false hath broken
All th claim thai bind the soul,
And the words of mockery spoken
Slill forever lovo's control,
Whiin thus hound unt oanother,
Caring not for love nor me,
It were well, hilse one, to smother
Each fond thought that speaks to thee.
Thou hast crushed a fuilhful lover,
Thou hft!l wrung a heart with pain,
But thisspcll of anguish over
Love may ne'er deceive oguin!
Mine is not a heart to Hotter
Like a bee from bloom to bloom,
And tho words to thee 1 uller
Live to guide me to the tomb.
I could tell theo that I scorn thee
For thy promise false and light, . ,
I could even coldly warn thee
That thy day will have its night;
But I leave theo one who rifles
Every sacred vow once spoken,
Finds lull soon how childish trifles
Leave the hearl all lono and broken.
Nashvillk, TESx..'March 23.
doi-e 15 ti'i'on. than 1:1 command ot ttie
Chesapeake, left the port of Norfolk,
Virginia, with his vessel so uuprepar
ed for defence that, on -meeting tho
to under-1 Irtish ship Leopard, hh was compcll-
ed to lie. to, submit ins vessel to searcn
and allow .several of his seamen,
claimed as Ih'ith deserters, to be ta
ken from his decks, without liring a
gun. J'liis alfair roused great indig
nation throughout the country, and
was one of the causes ol the last war
with Great Uritain. A Court of Inqui
ry, which was convened to investigate
the conduct of H vrron on the occa
sion, deemed thai the facts were sulli
nlpnilv i'i-nve to entitle them to the
j
consideration of a court martial. A
court, martial was subsequently held,
and the result was, that Commodore
Uarron was suspended from tho ser
viuc. Commodore Decatur was a
member of both tho Court of Inquiry
and the Court martial.
This was one cause of Barron's en
mity; for ho considered that Decatur
having formed and expressed an opin
ion from hearing the evidence before
the Court of Inquiry, could not sit on
tho Court martial with a miud unbias
ed, and therefore he ought not in hon
or to have sat as one of his judges at
all.
Another cause, was this: Commo
dore Uirron, shortly after his suspen
sion, went abroad a:i I resided in Eu
rope lor several years. During his
absence the war of HI 2 broke out, in
which the otlieers of the American
Navy had Irequent opportunities for
meeting tho vessels of Great Uritain
on the element which they hitherto
claimed as peculiarly their own,
and tho result was that they had
fought their vessels into the rcpcct
of the world, and covered themselves
with glory. After the war was over
and peace declared, Commodore Uar
ron applied for restoration to his rank
This Commodore Decatur opposed.
Ho insisted that ho "ought not to be
received agaiti into the naval service;
that there was not employment enough
for all thfiofiicers who had faithfully
IV.. I ti t.inrn 1 h : f ('tin
n,rM Morris, the distinguished i discharged their duty to their country
editor of tho Horn Journal, and the
universally admired poet and song
writer has been appointed United
Stiitr-B Consul to Havre. No butter
or worthier or more gallant man taan
Gen. Morris cun be found in this or
any other country. " We hope to hear
from him across the sea. A lyre like
his should never, bcs'hmt. Union and
American. . .
. , ., , - ,
! Rixhon Elliitt University of the
South. The Kt. Ucv. Stephen Elliott,
of Ihe Diocese of Georgia, arrived in
this oiiy, this morning, from Mobile,
niH Will leave ort the eastern train to-
. . . - .
Uishop Tolk und Elliott have raised
in New Orleans.(but without calling
on the citizens of that place,) the sum
orfJ50.0H0, for the University of the
South. No single application has
been refused. They rxpect to raise
the three millions for endowment very
soon. Montgomery Mail. . i
ffronf thine enemy, reveal it not to thy
' 'r"V ' r
A heart once Riven should not b
... -L 1 . ..e I. or.. I ,!.,.( il ti-nnlil
III IIOJ OUlll lil
be doing an act of injustice: to em
ploy him to the exclusion -of any one
of them." f In endeavoring to prevent
his readmission, be conceived he "was
performing a duty ho owed to the ser
vice, and that he was contributing to
the preservation of its respectability,"
Such were the relations of the par
ties up to June 1810. - At tbat time
Commodore Dscaiurwas tesmiiif- in
Washington , City, .and Comriiodore
Uarron at Hampton, near Norfolk, in
Virginia he having returned to this
country in 1819. ' Decatur still con
tinued to oppose, tho roadmission of
Barron to the Navy, and in doing so
no' doubt expressed his opinions freely
anu unreservedly r,99uB. muiviuu.,
ingenious in fomenting quarrels fof
othersTf Mackenzie's; Jliitory,
"coatrired to make these opinioos the
ween thern.At alny rate, the remarks
of Decatur1 were o reported to Bar
ron as to draw froin him the following
letter, which was' the first of a series
of long communications between them
marked With 'gwmt' asperity on both
(ides,nnd finally resulting in the mem
orahle meettlnff 'of the S'd of March
following ! . , w !
IlA(rTOi VaI Junb 12, 1819
Sir il have heert informed In Nor
folk that you have said that you could
insult me with impunity, or words to
that effect. If you have said so, you
will, no doubt, avow it, and I shall
expect to hear from you.
' " Jamb Bmn.
.i
To this Dcoatur replied, "Whatever
I may hnvo thought or said in the wry
frequent timl free conversations I have
had respecting you und your conduct, I
feel a thorough conviction that I never
could have been guilty of so 'much
etrotism as to say that '1 could insult
you' (or any other man) 'with impu
nity.' "
Uarron apparently accepted this as
a general disavowal, for in replying
ho says, "Your declaration, if 1 under
stand it correctly, relieves my mind
from the apprehension that you had
so degraded my character as I had
been induced to allege." But Deca
tur was not disposed to havo his reply
construed as a general disavowal.
lie therefore writes, "1 request you
to understand distinctly that 1 meant
no more tbun to disclaim the specific
and pirticulir expression to which
your inquiry was directed. As to the
motives of several gentlemen, they
are a matter of perfect indill'erence to
me, as are also your motives in mak
ing such an inquiry."
This noto was dated June 2!).
Four mouths now elapsed, and the. af
fair appeared to be at an end. But
during this period Decatur had sent
the correspondence to Norfolk, where
it. had been read by Barron's friends
and commented upon. This caused
a renewal of the. communications be
tween the parties. Barron, under
dale of October 23rd, speaks ot the
rancor" exhibited by Decaturtoward
him; of the "cruel and unmerited sen
tence." pas-ed upon him by the court
of which ho had been a member; and
of the hopes ho had entertained, after
an ' xile of nearly seven years, that
Decatur would have now suffered
linn to enjoy the solace tbat his lacer
ated feelings required, lie adds, "1
am nl-'.o informed that you have
tauntingly and boastingly observed
that you would cheerfully meet me in
the field, and hoped I would yet act
like a man." lie characterizes such
conduct toward one situated ns be is,
and oppressed as ho has been chielly
tln-mi-rli D.-eatur's means, as unbe-
.... - -
coming an ollioer and a gentleman.
lie considers Decatur as having giv
en the challenge, which he accept.
"I Hatter myself," says he "from your
known personal courage, that you
would disdain any undue advantage
which your superiority in tho use of
the proband the natural defect in
my vision, increased by age, would
give you."
Decatur replies in a letter of great
length. He had not sent the corres
pondence to Norfolk, he says, until
three months alter Us conclusion, ii
it had alienated his friends from him
such effect was to be attributed to the
correspondence itself. The papers
spoke for themselves; ho had sent
them without written comment.
lie declares that there has never
beeeiiany personal difference, between
them; but that ho entertained, and
still does entertain tho opinion, that
his conduct us an officer, since tho af
fair of the Chesapeake, has been such
us ought forever to bar his re-admission
in the service. He then gives
the. facts on which he grounds this
opinion; that Barron had stated to
the British Consul Pernatnhuco, that
if the Chesapeake had been prepared
for action he would not havo resisted
the attack of the Leopard, as he knew
tbero were deserters on board his
shin: that the President of the United
States knew there were deserters on
board, and of tho intention of the
British to take them; aiid that the
President caused him to go out in I
defenseless state, for the express pur
pose of having his ship att acked and
disgraced, and thus attatng the favor
ite object of involving the United
Statesii) a war with Great Britain,
Decatur's informant added, "I am now
convinced that Barron is a traitor; for
1 can call by no other name a man
who would talk in this way to an En
glishman." .
Decatur then pointedly sugge.ts
that, as the affair of the Chesapeake
excited the indignant feelings of the
nation and, was one of the causes
that .produced' the wary it behooved
Barron to take an active part in that
war. for hie ow sake, patriotism out
jof jbe geJPk 'JWJJ j ViSllS'J
being in tho. fort-most ranks on an oc
casion which so emphatically deman
ded his best' exertions, he remained
nbro .d, without manifesting any dis
position to return home, although ' va
rious opportunities were daily occur
ring, and though urged by his friends
to do Ha."" ' '
With refgard to Barron's considering
himself as challenged, Decatur says:
"I never invited you to the field, nor
have 1 expressed a hope that you w ould
call me out. 1 stated that if you made
tho cal J would meet yonj but that,
on allsoores, I should bo much better
pleased to havo nothing to do with
you. 1 do not think that fighting duels
under any circumstances, can raise
tho reputation of any man, and have
long since discovered that it is not
even an unerring criterion of personal
courage. I should regret tho necessity
of fighting with any man; but in my
opinion, the man who makes arms his
profession is not at liberty to decline
an invitation from any person who is
not so far degraded as to be beneath
his notice. Having incautiously said
1 would meet you, 1 will not consider
this to be your case, although you may
think so; and if I bad not pledged my
self, I might consider the case. As t o
my skill in the use of tho pistol, it ex
ists more in your imagination than in
reality. For tho last twenty years I
have had but little practice, and the
disparity of our ages, to which you
have been pleused to refer, is, 1 believe
not more than live or six years."
"From your manner of proceeding
it appears to me that you havo come
to the determination to light some one,
and that you have selected me for that
purpose; and 1 must lake leave to ob
serve, that your object would have
been better attained had you made
this decision during our late war,
when your lighting might have bene-
Itted your country as well as your
self." To this long letter Barron replied
t lit.it a much more laconic answer
would have suited his purpose, which
was, to obtain at his hands honorable
redress for the accumulated insults
which he, in particular, of all his en
emies, had attempted to heap upon
him, in every shape in which they
could be offered. No consideration
(says he) no power or authority on
earth could or ought to have forced
any liberal, high-minded man to sit in
a case, which ho had prejudiced, lie
pronounces the report that he had
said,"H'thc Chesapeake had been pre
pared for action be would not have
resisted the attack of tho Leopard,"
a falsehood a malicious, ridiculous,
absurd, and improbable falsehood-'
which no man would credit who did
not wish to make the public believe
him nn idiot.
With regard to his absence from
the country during the war, he says
that Decatur, in searching the Navy
Department for charges against him,
might havo found there his letter ap
plying for service, ns soon as an oppor
(unity offered, after his suspension
expired. But his letter of applieation
for service had not even been honored
with an answer, and what hope had
he for employment?
In speaking of Decatur's efforts to
bar his readmissiou into tho service,
he says he has a motive., not to be con
cealed from the world. Respecting
the challenge, he says, "It is true you
haver given me a direct, formal and
written invitation to meet you in the
field, such as one gentleman of honor
ought to send to another. But if your
own admissions, that you would meet
me if I wished it, do not amount to a
challenge, then I cannot comprehend
tho object or import of such declara
..... , . i . ..i .i
lions, All 1 ueiiiaiiti is 10 oo piaceu
on equal grounds with you."
On the subject of dueling I perfectly
co incide with the opinions you have
expressed. I consider it as a barbo-
rous practice, which ought to lie explo
ded from civilized society. But, Sir,
there may be cases of such extraordi
nary and aggravated insult and injury
received by a;i individual, as to render
an appeal to arms on his part abso
lutely necessary. Mine I conceive to
be a case of that description."
Decatur responds that he was not
challenged nor does he intend to chal
lengo him. "I do not consider it es
sential to my reputation that 1 should
notice any thing which tuny come
from you, the more particularly when
you declare your solo object in wish
ingtodraw tha cballengo from mc is,
that you may avail yourself of the ad
vantages which rest with the challcn.
ged. It is evident that you think, or
your friends hr you. that a fight will
helo vouj but in lighting, you wish to
incur tho least possible risk. Now,
air, not believcintr that a fight of this
nature will raise me at all in the pub
lic estimation, but may even have, a
contrary effect, I do. not, feci at all dis
posed to remove the-difficulties that
lie in your way If wo fight, it roust
bo of your seeking, and you roust take
all the rUI and all the inconvenience
which usually: attend the challenge
III duum voova. ( 1 ' J I '
now to inform you thut I shall pay no
farther attention' to any communica
tion you may make to me, other than
a direct call to the field.", ;
", To this Barron, replies, January 16,
1880, " Whenever you will consent to
meet me on' fair and ' equal grounds,
that is, such as two honorablo men
may consider just and proper, you aro
at liberty to view this as a call. The
whole tenor of your conduot to me
justifies this course of proceeding on
my part.
Oh the 21th Doca'ur accepts the
call and refers Barron to his friend
Commodore Bainbridgn as author
ised to mako all neoessary arrange
ments. Baron replies, February 0,
that Decatur's communication found
him confined to his bed with a bill
ious fever, and it was eight days af
ter its arrival before he had been
able to read it, and that ns soon as he
was in a situation to write, Decatur
should hear from him to tho point.
Uarron probably wrote a final note,
but it is not published, This then
closed the correspondence.
The contest was likely to prove an
unequal one. Decatur was esteemed
to have no superior in the use of the
pistol. His skill and precision were
the theme of common remark. Be
sides this hi; had been n duelist nl-
I most from his boyhood, and was well
versed in all tho practices and tech
nicalities of the code. It is related of
him that, when a young liutenant,
having been treated with great dis
courtesy at Philadelphia by an ollicer
of an India ship, he challenged him,
by tho advice of his father. Before
going to the field, Decatur declared
his intention not to indict a mortal
injury on his antgonist, but to wound
him in the hip. lie did so, escaping
himself unhurt. Ho had been engaged
in other dilliculties, and always with
success.
On the other hand, Barron labored
under one great disadvantage. He
was near-sighted. In conflict where
so. much depends on a quick and ac
curate aim, ho was thoroughly con-
, i
sciotis now muen mo cnances wero
against him in consequence of this
deficiency, to say nothing of his own
want of experience and Decatur's
acknowledged superiority as a marks
man. This circumstance will account
for the persistent endeavors exhibited
bv Barron in bis correspondence to
draw tho challenge from Decatur,
that he might secure "the privilege
allowed to the challenged party in
relation to the choice of weapons,
distance, etc." If he could succeed in
doing this, he hoped to bo able to
name such terms as would, in some
degree, remedy his own deficiencies,
and place him as nearly as possible
on an equal looting with his more
skillful antagonist. But this could not
be done, lie plainly saw that if he
expected to meet Decatur at all, ho
himself must give the challenge and
take the risks. In wording his invi
tation, therefore, ho expressly stipu
lates for such terms, in effect, as he
would havo had tho right to name
had the invitation come from Decatur;
terms by which no advantage would
result to Decatur from his nearness of
vision and want of experience. Tor,
he says, "Whenever you will consent
to meet me on fair and equal grounds,
that is such as two honorable men
may consider just and proper, you arc
at liberty to view this as a call."
The greutdilliuulty, therefore, was
1 to make such arrangements for tho
meeting as under the circumstances
would be considered "fair and equal. '
From the laet that nearly seven weeks
intervened between tho date of tho
last note and tho day named for tho
duel.it is inferred that ihcre was much
negotiation between the seconds be
fore everything was shaped to the
satisfaction of each. . Tho arrange
ments, however, were at longth con
cluded, the lime fixed was the 2v!d
of March; the place, the ground near
Blaudensburg; tho weapons, pistols,
and the distance eight paces.
It was also provided that each par
ty, after being placed, should raise
his pistol nnd take a deliberate aim
at the other before the word fire was
given. 1 his, tt was considered, was
due to Barron on account of Lis de
fective vision, and was deemed to be
placing them as ucarly on an equulity
as possible.' ' " -
Of the' spirit and intentions with
which they went into the contest Ii'tH"
is kno wn. It is said of Decatur, that,
when be received the challenge, he i
turned to Commodore KoJrew. alter '
M.t; t. nJ remarked that nothing
ceuld induce him fhe !if f
!..,. H. wBeeq'iew'7 siaieu io
Mr' Wlrfr ho w ,n ni confidence,
. - ue fij ot wisn io rneei oarron
-nrf that "the duel was' forced upon
bJrh." 'On the morning of tbe duel,
Hambleton. "he , was quite cheerful,
and'did not appear to have any desire' m
to tako the life of his antagonist; in. t i
deed, he declared that he should bo,
very sorry to do so. . .'. , .
Tho parties met on the 22d of March
1829, in the same field upon whioh
Mason had fallen thirteen months be
fore. Commodore Docatur was ' at
tended by Captain William Balnbridge
as his second, and Comfnodoro, Barron
by Cnpt. Jcssce 0. Elliott. Several "
other gentlemen were also present,' "
among whom were Captains Rodger
and Porter, Dr. Washington and Mr ''
Hambleton. ', ' .
After the principals had been pla
ced in their respective positions, each
with pistol in hand, and ready for tho
contest which was to result so disas
trously to Decatur, and to spread such .
sorrow over the land, Barron address
ed Decatur and observed: "Sir, I hope,
on meeting iii another world, we shall
be better friends than in this. Dc
catur responded: "I have never been
your enemy, sir." Nothing more was
said, but each now waited the word.
While standing thus, only ten pace
distant, each covered by tho pistol of
the other, the word was pronounced.
Both fired, and fired so nearly' at tho
same instant, that there seemed to bo
but one report.
Both fell. Decatur was apparently
shot dead nnd Bui i on, to all appear
ance, mortally wounded. But Decatur
revived after a while, and was sup
ported a short distance, when he sank '
down again under his antagonist.
Then it was, as they lay on tho
ground weltering in blood, with their
heads not ten feet apart, that a con
versation took place between them, of
which it is to be regretted that only
fragments havo been preserved. The
interview was inexpressibly affecting,
reminding one, says nn eye-witness,
"of the closing scene of a tragedy
Hamlet and Lar ries. Barren proposed
that they should make friends before
they met in heaven, for he supposed
they would both die immediately. De
catur said ho had never been his cne-
that he freely forgave him his
my;
death,' though he could not forgive
forgive those who had stimulated him
to seek his life. One report says that
Barron exclaimed, ''Would to God that
you had said thus much yesterday!"
Their last interview ' was a friendly
one, and they parted in peace. Deca
tur knew ho was to die, and his only
sorrow was that ho had not died in
tho service si his country."
As Decatur was being placed in the
carriage, Barron said to him: "Every
thing has been conducted in the most
honorable manner, and 1 forgive you
from the bottom of my heart."
Decatur was conveyed to Washing
ton, w here he expired just before elev
en o'clock on the same night, at his
residence, near Lafayette square.
His house is still standing. It is the
same that was occupied by Mr. Liv
ingston, while Secretary of State in
the administration of President Jack
son, and subsequently by Mr. Van Bu
ren, w .ilo Vice President of the Uui
ted States.
Barron was also borne to Washing
ton, where he was confined by his
wound until the 10th of April, when,
being able to travel, be left for his
home ut Hampton, in Virginia.
RATJlcJU UBEEN.
A youth in love with a maid,
Each night 'neath tho window stood,
And there with his soft serenade,
He awakened the whole neighborhood.
But vainly ho tried lo arouse
FroiL her sleep with his strains io be
witching; -While
he played in front of the house, ,
She slept in the little back kitchen! '
Mr! Jonea having taken to himself "
a beautiful little wife, expected to
pass the remainder of bis Ufa in hap
piness, but he says bo never stays out
Into at night, without being subjected "
to a spiritod and prolonged curtain
lecture. He does not, ho says, agree
with Sholly, that "a thing of beauty it
a joy forever," but is rather inclined J
to think that "a thintr of beauty is a
jam forever. , Perhaps be married for
money; Poor Jones I ' : ' ' . ,
A man who has' no bills "against
him, belongs to an order of uo-bil-ity .
in more than one sense. . v. k '..
' Boy n1 vinegar," when theTe
Is iuch "mother in them they are always
tbarp. . . t ' ;
' , r, .. ,
Prejudice is as a thick fog, through '
which light gfearna fearfully, serving ,
rather to terrify than to guide. t . . .
1 ii i ii , . .m
Why is it that young ladies hare a
greater fear of lightning than those of j
the sterner sex? Because they are ten- 'a
sible of their power of attraction. . .-.-
.mm . . . : ... . I ' . 1
tram at oreaKiaar, remamsr Mr.
, In South Carolina not frf
y'orce lias ever beea eatsd9 . . .