.(^ Mh3;i n\i2^ wm LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 1 1 III Hill nil nil II 011 836 842 3 ♦ t)^»DmAlfCeA % VIEW OF THE WHoIe GROUND:" BEING THE WHOLE eORRESPOXBEXCE BETWEEN Mr. JOHN M. M'CARTY and General A. T. MASON. \ ^ DISTRICT OF COI.UMBIA-....S£l>TEMIi£B.*^.1818, V ' i 7 i / « TO THE PUBLICi. In April 1817, at the Loudoun election, my quarrel with Gen. Mason first commenced. In requiring my oath (on that occa- sion) with regard to my qualifications as a voter, he acted not only in compliance with the usages of the country, hut in con- formity to a constitutional right.. ..and consequently I had no inclination to complain of the act itself; nor should [ have noti- ced his condtictf had it proceeUod, and to what part I did not reply — This is my valedic- tory- to the public on the subject. JOHN M. M'CARTY. Williamshirg, Dec. 13, 1817". =* If I had alludiMl to the calumn}' of which lie complains, J surely should not have said that I never sanctioned that cahnnvy Rgainst *' any other njan ;" for vvhat had <« any other man" ta «!(> with it ? I'lie politeness of his letter, added to its complimen- tary style, entitled it to some, answer, but I could not in truth con- tradict the '* impression" promulgated by Messrs. M'Intyre and Hciskell, although it is well known I had no agency in t. In conchi-ion, I can ojily repeat, on this subject, what I have already said, ♦< that every man who, directly or indirectly, avow- edly or tacitly, lends his name, or gives liis countenance, in any manner or ffU'in, to the insiiiuation uhich some scoundiels have pro[)agatiodiice thai impression, is a vile calumniator." It is not difficult >o j)prceJve the drift of the despicable and cold blooded assassins, whose foily and wickedness were the cause of the open rupture between Mr. Mercer and myself. Having failed in their object on that occasioii. they are now with truly demoniac apirit, seekini^ to involve me witli somebody else, in the tmpe that my life may fall a sacrifice. This would be a glorious triumph for th'-m. it would suit (he base envy and malignity of their souls. And I can, in brief, assure tiiese wretches, once for all, that it is the only triumph of that kind tijey have any chance of obtaining over me, even if they should be able to lind a man, with the repu- tation of a gentleman, depraved enough to become the willing w- stniment of their hellish purpose. AUMISTEAD T. MASON. Selmcij 22d Beceniher, 1817. . . [No. 6.] TO THE PUBLIC. Tiie publication of General Mason of the 53d December, im- poses upon me the unpleasant task of speaking of myself in a news- paper ; therefore I pray tiie indulgence of the public. I had thought t'lat my answer to General Mason, connected with the explaisation I had given of it, left no doubt of my meaning, t /"([uaily despise the bully or the boaster, and I have a contempt ibr a " war of v.ords." It certaifily wa.. the expectation of others, as well as myself, that General Mijso.i would have called on me for honorable reparation, for the language I used to him at the Loudoun election. My respect Tor liii^ public feeling makes it my duty to say that I never sought a q-iarrel with any man. I shall jiot notice the foul and contempiil i^ trash M'hich his interna! strife fnas thrown before tlm public." JOHN M. M'CARTY. Brown*s Hotel, Alexa}i,uria, D:.-. of CoL Jfun. 21, 1818« [No. 7.] TO THE PUBLIC. It can now no longer be doubted that the infamous calumnies * At this stage of the controversy, Messrs. Ludwell L'» and iGeorge Graliani, offered their friendly mediation " to effecruate, jf ]>()ssii)!e, that return of mutual harmony so desirable." lie ac- cepted tiie mediation, and thus endeavoured to be placed on a friendly footing wiih me, and that too at the very time his pub- lication was in the pj'ess pronouncing uie an " hired assassin,'? a f* desperado," 53:c. &,c, J. M. M«C. 7 wliicli liavc been published against me, under the sanction of Mr. John M'C'arty's name, have been connived at, if not ^ecivtly en- couraged bv him. It were FUjjerfluous to add, that bv the very act of avowing his acquiescence in those calumni<\e, he has render- ed himself obnoxious to all that I havesaid, and repeated,, of every msL'i who was so base and unprincipled as in any way to partici- pate in them. But as he appears to be a litflc dull of apprehen- sion on this subject, no doubt for the reason gi\ en in the proverb, that "there are none so blind as tliose who will not see," I shall be more explicit with liim in the progress of this address. In his recent publication, which is dictated by the most dishon- orable and dastardly motives, and which is false and base from be- ginning to end, he says, " it certaiidy was expected by otliers, sa well as himself, that I would have called on him for honorable re- paration for the language he used to me at the Loudoun election." I give him all the credit be can claini for havijig acted like an ac- complished blackguard aiid bully on that occasicm. But he seems to haxe forgotten the chastisement he recei«ed on the spot, and the OTily one which such a fellow deserved. He seems to have for- gotten that for his impertinence, I, in the presence of a crowded court-house, pronounced him to be an impertinent scoundrel : And that for his indecent and abusive language, and for taking an oath,* which ahme ought to disiionor him forever, 1, in the pre- sence of the same audience, consisting of more than a hundred persons, publicly pronounced him to be an infamous rascal, a per- jured villain, ^c,f And after all that, he now says he expected me to call on him for Ixmorable reparation for the language used on that occasio!!. If he in reality indulged such an expectation, of which however I do not believe erne word, he must have strange idoas of what honor requires ; he must be a stranger to the princi- ple, and this indeed is the best apology that can be offered for his recent most dislionorable conduct. At the time of the quarrel between Mr. John M'Carty and my- self. I was an unmarried man, and before I left the hustings, and after I came down, I announced without reserve, and to the Rev. John Mines, am^-rig ■ tliers, that I did not feel myself aggrieved by whiit had passed, as I had fnlly balanced the account with Mr. John ArC;irt> , and that I should not prosecute the quarrel f;.rther : but that if Mr. John M'Carty thought to acquire a reputation at iny expe' s , by challe'ging me, I would disappoint hius, fori woold most certainly fight him, [jrovided he challenged me v hile I remained single; observing at the same time to Mr. Mines, * He had previous to this contested my vote in coiigr.ss, bo- fore the committee of elections, who unanimously decided tiiat it was as pure as any on the poll. J. M. M'C. I This language was never heard of until it appeared in the Genius of Liberty . what he really said on that occasion was only a puerile retprt. J. M, M'C, that a feingle man might, but that a marneU pnan ought not to £ght a duel. This determination on my part was publicly known, and I have no doubt that Mr. John M'Carty liimself was well ap- prized of it; and that it had no little influence upftn his conduct on that occasion, and upon his subsequent conduct. ' That he came from Alexandria, his place of residence, prede- termined to provoke a quarrel with me, under tiie expectation of recommending himself by it to the notice and favor of the Federal party, I have now no doubt. But after having gone that far, he thought it prudent to halt, discovering, to borrow a simile from ene of his friends, that he *^had got the wrong sow by the ear." Finding that he could not, by fair means, acquire the reputation he had sought at my expense, he lends his name to the jbasest misrepresentation of our quarrel, by which it was attempted to produce the impression that I had shrunk fri)m him in that quar- rel. What would have been the condu t of any truly honourable man upon seeing his name employed by unprincipled scoundrels to subserve the purposes of faction, of falsehood a. d defamation ? He would at once, promptly and voluntarily, have forbidden his name to be thus employed. What was the conduct of Mr. John M'Carty ? He silently acquiesced in the use made of his name. And why? because he thought in that way to acquire the reputa- tion ^^llich he had been disappointed in obtaining at the hustings. A man who can thus, like a thief, attempt to steal a reputation, must indeed want one, and he must moreover feel that he cannot ac- quire one in an lionest and manly waj. Observing his apparent acquiescence, I wrote to him to know whether he sanctioned the calumnies which his name had been em[doycd to strengtlien. He replied most distinctly and ^^unequivocallifi** to use his own rx- prossitm, that «' he never did sanction the calumny of any printer against me;" and he authorized nie to publish liis letter. I did so. IVhat then is his conduct ? Regardless of the solemn obligations of private confidence, which are held sacred and invi-dahle by all honorable men, he without my consent or knowledge, treacherous- ly publislies my letter, and involves me in a vexatious lawsuit with a dirty fellow, for whom 1 suppose he is also to be a good witness. He mDrcovcr accompanied the public ation of my letter with some remarks of his own, in which he endeavors to explain away the obvious ujeaning of his answer, hoping by the ambigui- ty of his remarks to support the attempt already made to produce the impression on the minds of those who were unacquainted with the case, that I had really shrunk from him on the occasion allu- ded to. U then became my duty again to denounce in most une- quivocal terms every man who in any way would uttempt to create that impression, and to point them more directly at Mr. John M'Carty, provided he had participated in that attempt. Those terms however could not aj)ply,nor were they intended to apply to him, unless he had participated in that attempt. His having taken them to himself proves his guilt. And stung l>y the language which ills own vanity and folly had brought upon him, lie sets nut from Willlamsbiirc:, two htindpcd miles distaiif, to seek re- vcn.Ejcfor what lie so jtistly merited. He had already declared that he had published his <* valedictory/"' And if after that he pretend- ed to be aggrieved, what was left for him ? Let men of true couraa^e and really honorabl'^ feelings and principles answer. But the. length of the Journey and some sober reflections on the way, and i must be permitted to add, a knowledge of the man with whom he had to deal, tempered his rage, and by the time he readied Alexandria he concluded it was most prudent (and prudence is the better part of valor) to try another silly valedictory, and to pre- sent himself in Leesburg, as if panting for battle, at a time when he well knew that my oath of office and other imperious circum- stances would prevent me from taking any otlioi' notice of him than this: which is indeed the only notice t!iat under any circum- stances, I ought to take of him. Yet this man (if you believe hiin) ** despises the bully and the boaster."'^ In his second «'valedictory" he does not say, hut insinuates, as if afraid ef the assertion, that I shrunk from him in the contest at the Loudoun election. The insinuation is false, infamously false, as Mr. John M'Carty who makes it, wdl knows; and I am not casuist enough to distinguish any moral difference between a false insinuation and a false assertion. The man who can for any purpose or under any influence, descend to either, is a liar. The former, however, is the more despicable crime of the two, if there be any difference, because it betrays a sneaking, cowardly disposition to do in an underhand, clandestine njanner what it is afraid to do openly and in the face of day. It isd'ieto candor, however, on this occasion, to stale my convic- tion that if Mr. John M'Carty had been left to himself, liis whole conduct would have been different. I have already said, and I repeat that I have no doubt he came from Alexandria predeter- mined to provoke a quarrel with me. But I am also convinced that he was incited and encouraged to do so by a set of scoundrels, who^ feeling the inclination, wanted the courage to do it them- selves. I am equally well convinced that he intended his answer to my letter as a full and satisfactory one; that he meant to with- hold no'hing, nor to insinuate any thing against me; and that altliough he had been willing to acquire a littl ■ reputation, in an underhand and clandestine way, by an acquiescence in the ca- lumnies which had been published under the sanction of his name, yet when he was awakened to the impropriety, and perhaps the danger of such a course, he gave the ex!)lanation asked. But it so happened that just about the time tliat I received and published his answer, Mr. Mercer, who had until then been re- lied upon as the champion of his part» , gave way. And the men who had been pricking him on, mortified and chagrined at the disgrace whicft he lias brotjght upon them, and their party, ea- gerly caught at the opportunity of widening the breach between Mr. John M'Carty and myself, in the hope that be would wipe 40 off t!)P dishonor oniiedastarilly conduct of Mr. Mercer, wTio after all his vaporin?, had so vvocfiilly disappointed the hiarh expecta- tions \vhirh had heen indulsjod^ of him, and which Ms whole con- ihict had been calculated and desis;ned to exciie. Flushed with this hope, they doithtless did not fail to ply Mr. John M'Carty well; and he, from laxity of principle and excessive vanity and folly, rea- dily jra^einto tlie plot, and surrenderin.t^ himself into their hands, bf,< J'.me their dupe and instriimejit. — and he is now pitted as the shahr-bag i>n.he party. It cannot be denied that they have made a very judicious selection, for he is of no importance to society, and happen what may. he will not be missed by any man or set of mru: and he is as likely to accomplisli i heir object (if his nerves do not fail him) as any other desperado that they could pick up. But it is impossible to reconcile such conduct with the principles of hoiipr ; and however Mr. John MT/arty may flatter himself with the favor of the federalists for the service expected from him,, he may rest assured that tlie honorable men of all parties, and the impartial men of all the worhl, will never regard him as any thins; better than an hired assassin. *\As we love the trea- son, wliile we hate the traitor,^" so those who might rejoice at the act whi'h he is incited to commit, would detest him for the com- mission of it ; and even the conspirators agains tmy life, who are using him to execute their designs, would laugh at his folly, and as far as their hearts are capable of it, despise his depravity if the deed was done. I cannot help feeling greatly humbled to find myself compelleil to treat, in ami respect, as an equal, a man Avho has permitted him-, self to l)e used as the vile instrument of the basest and meanest of men. It must b^ acknowledged by all men of all parties, that there is no one point of comparison b(itwcen Mr. John M'^Carty and myself. And I might without censure, in conformity with the earnest entreaties of niy friends, at once assert the inequality and disclaim all further contt-ntion with him. And, but that when en- tirely ignorant of his real character, and estimating him as a man of lionor and ti-uth, t admitte«l him to the rank of a gentlemati, I Mould now class him, as he descves to be classed, with M"'Intyro and Heiskell. with whom he has associated himself, and leave him th?re. 1 have howover taken difierent grouml, and having taken H, f will not desert it. I have agreed to regard him as an equal JO one respect, and S n/nv disdain to take any exceptions to his chiu'acter, no matter with how murh justice and propriety I might take them. All I aim at now is to satisfy the world that 1 am »vit the jiggressor in this affair,* and that I am acting only in seU-defonce: of (hat I ;.m well satisfied mvself. and with that conviction I can meet anv consk|uences, be tl:ey what they may, Avithout feat' of s^lf rppr-<;a('h. ^* ilc fays he is not liie " agcressor in tiiis affair.'"" He must cousc?pie»itly, tlien. be the aggrieved man; and he therefore never . ! ouhl have expected r challenge from me. J. M. M'C. 11 As Mr. John Miteand gouge with any hlaclignard in the street, he. shrinks instinctively IVoni honorable IS fomltat. To bis norturnal orcries in tlie alloys of Alexandria let liim then return, ami sctk there, anx.np; his c\'itf) all these farts befoi-e them, wiio can pre- tend to donht the peerless verneity or the chivalrous sj)ir!t of Hr. John M*Cariy ? But J diMdal.M further to conmicnt upon sucli conduct. One word more and 1 dismiss this Rnhjcct. I have already stated that my business has been nuich inlerrupteil by thoexpccta- tion that Mr. John M'Carty would be incited to challeni**- me, and by my invariable and well known determination to figiit him^ if he did : hit which he never dared to do. His real character has novj fully developed itself, for it is now most evident tliat he has been afraid to do it ; and that (lis own conviction that I should r.ot, and that T would not challenge such a fdlow as he is, has made him insolent. Again to repeat what I have so often published, tliat I would accept a challenge from Mr. Jolin M'Carty and fight him, mi.t'^ht now, when it is clearly ascertained that lie cannot, by friends or foes, be goaded into a fight, be considered as a mere i>raVrt - tnim will be found to overcome his natural and incuralde bash- J'ltlness, I will at jmr e give them notice, that by hjs declinirg to avail himself oi the pledge I gave to fight him if he cha!!eiigtd me, and by the nnpreccdevtcd and really Iv.dicrons tnin lie has taken, 1 consider myself aLso!v(;il entirely from tliat pledge. And I give tlieni further notice, that they have lost their last chance of sacrificing my life by the instnimentalify (d ajiolitical myrmi- don, for I never will again consent to put my life in competition with that of such a v.orthless fellow as Mr. John M'Carty. Tg( his coivardice 1 owe llio peace and ha])piness of my wUe, .14 arid ta^nily, but on a s'unilar occasion I might be brougl)t in contact with a man of courage, for every unprinciplid scoundrel is not a coward. I do not hesitate to acknowledge tliat I felicitate myself upon thus terminating this affair ; for although 1 would have fought Mr. John M'Cart), as I had pledged mvself to do it, if he had challenged me, yet I certainly preferred to avoid a conflict with him. as by any conflict with a man of his character I had every thing to lose and nothing to gain. I sliall now resume the prosecution of my business, in the hope that thdse vviio have made such violent, but unavailing eiforts to urge on their boasted and boastful champion, having seen him fal- ter, and sfixink from the work he had unclertaken to do, will now, in mortification and despair, if no l^etter principle can actuate their bosoms, abandon their designs against my life and leave me in peace. ARMISTEAD T. MASON. • 'MliFdu 1SJ8. , [Hera ttirn aated the firs'tl)aper controvel-sy . The second v/as c-aaimen- cedby Gen. Mason on the 1 Ith May, by his addressing an insolent let- ter-l/'Dr. Tebbs.J TO THE PUBLIC. During the period ofmyel*"ctioneering excursion through Lou- doun, and sinre the terminaUon of my List controversy with Geii. A. T. Mason, the Getiius of Liheity, a paper under his immediate jmtronagi', has been frequently crowded with the bitterest invec- tives against n^e ; hut they appeared in such a form that I co(dd make noinfpiijies concerning them — A few days, however, after m^ election as a tnember to the House of Delegates, a piece ap- peiired in the same fjaj.ier. signed "Juriscola," the author of wh'ch, fronj its genoai character of falsphood and scurrility,! de- Bvaiided of tlie Editor, and shall make no other apology for not chastisaig him, that' to inform the peojjle of Loudoun that this suborned agent vyas \Vm. H. Handy! ! ! Shoi-tly after Mr. Handy was given up as the author of <» Juriscola, I was informed that I\!r. Handy had some days before obtained a pair of duelling jjrs'olsTrom George M. Chichesie;, Esq. This intelligence was ancrerded by some c immmiirations between Mr. Chi'er, he should have the hardihood to attempt a vindication of !uscbaracter,and should circulate falsehoods worth replying to, I may probably answer them. Perhaps he may entrench himself behind etU quette. It is possible I may have violated etiqtiette ; but the man who viould voluntarily come forward and elicit a duelf and then shrink from it because (he terms proposed were "equal and hon- orable," will find etiquette but a feeble biilyji'ark to secure him from the imputation of coivardice. JOHN M. M'CARTY. T^ondoun, May Slsf, 1S18. [No. 2.] 1,, . TO THE PUBLIC. i he piece which issued on Saturday last, from the Genius of r-iberty, IS it.tended to give a false idea of the late communica- tions between Gen. Mason and myself. It is true I did sav I Woidd challenge Mr. Chichester if he loaned those pistols to Mr, iiamiy tor the purpose of being emjdoyed against me ; and I also eaia that I would challenge Gen. xMason if he had loaned them 17 fbr the same purpose, but for our last publication. Afiy other statement than this has resulted eiMiei* from a misapprehensioit of my Ian.ii;uii.s;e, or avillavmis (ksign to calumniate me. But for the letter to\Dr. Tebbs, I should not have challenged him ; for ht had previouslfi declared he ivoiild never fght me. A few weeks, however, after this declaration, he said he would fight, and in- vited me, through Dr. Tebbs, to cliallenge him : I did so, and he rejected the challenge, liis editor now staccs that he will now figiit me. Here arc four statonnnts clashing with each other, and the last is made after he knew I would receive no communication from him, either " directly or indirectly," and after 1 had published him. I gave him permission, in my last publication, tox'a?tn^ and bluster with impunity, an of my challenge." But mark the contradiction that immediately fol- lows. J, M. M'C. f Observe — he could not accept a challenge (not even one to fight fifteen yards), unless he could " receive the Governor's ac- ceptance ot his commission." This he well knew he never could receive, as the Governor had refused to accept it a short time be- fore. But when this condition is complied with, he says, *< I will accept a challenge (not my challevge), and meet and figlit him on terms^ &.c. (not imj terms) — for he observes in the << sequel of hia narrative": "It is unnecessary f»ir me to mention the terms I then meant to propose ; they were mentioned on the same morn- ing to two or three gentlemen, and among others to John I. Har- ding, Esq. and to Joshua Osburn, Esq." This, 1 think, w:i.<) *< rending the veil of secrecj " which he in his letter to my friend, Mr. Dulany, was so anxious to preserve " with regard to this whole matter" — and confirms what has already been said of him, <« that he had been boasting in a way well cah ulatcd to en- list in ilia cause the civil authoritv." J. M. M'C. • possible rpspect and despprate enough. Indeed I never desired any advantage over Mr. M'C'arty in that way: all Lever desi- ret} in a duel with him was security against assassination. The idea that I am so excellent a marksman has originated entirely in his own fears. So far from it, I actually have not shot a pistol for fourteen months. In the course of the day, on Tuesday, I rode to Leesburg. Mr. Dulany's promised communication had not arrived. It was then suggested to me, that Mi-. John M'Carty would pretend to construe my refusal to permit him to prescribe the terms of ihe duel, int« a refusal to fight him, and tliat he would proceed im- mediately to Alexandria and resort to a newspaper publication to that effect. I could readily believe Mr. M"'Carty to be capable of such conduct, particularly as I knew, from liis character, that he would eagerly catch al the least chance of escape. But I thought he had bettei- advisers tlian to be permitted to take a course so ridiculous. After some consultation with a friend or two, |t was determined to wait that5day for Mr. Dulany's expect- ed communication ; and if it did not arrive, to send off an ex- press early the next morning with my letter to him. f^ate in the evening t)«e following letter was received from Mr. Dulany : and although it bears date Alexandria, 20th of May, it was received in Leesburg, on the evening of the 19th. To GEORGE RUST, Jr. Esq. IDrar Sir, I am desired by my iriend Mr. John M'Carty to say that General A. T. Mason having unequivocally rejected his communication, precludes the possibility of his receiving any further communication, either directly or indirectly, from the General. Very respectfully, Alexandria, May 20th, 1818. JAS. H." DULANY. Early next morning (Wednesday) a young gentleman of great respectability and intelligence, set out express for Alexandria, with my letter to Mr. Dulany. lie went to Alexandria, but rosdd not finder bear any thing of Mr. Dulany or Mr. JohnfM'Carty. Mr. Duianij's letter being dated Alexandria, had induce.:! me to search fortijeni thei-e. On Thursday evening the messen<;*^r re- turned from Alexandria to Leesburg. Ey this time Mr. M'Carty , niter having eluded the most vigilant pursuit, had ventured to shew himself in Leesburg. And it now appears that be was seen in Aldic, thirty four miles fi'om Alexaidria, on the evening cf t!je 19th, and morning of the 20th, when I had been led to pursue him to Alexandria. it had been better for liini if he had kept himself concealed a little longer. — For no sooner did the bearer of my letter to .'-'r. Dulany return from Alexandria to Leesbuig, than did njy friend Mr. Rust, witli a [)ro.i^ptitinlc and decisioi) of character which o letters to Mr. James If. Diduny, the one from Mr. Rust, the other from General Mason. Mr. AVCarty asked me if they zaere the same that Mr. Rust had in his possession the evening be- * I'll •» purport," of it was at this time no nvcvrx, andgeiicral- ly admitted to be a refusal to light on '*anv teims." J. M. M*C. 20 .fivrc ; I told him iJicywere — upon which Mr. M"€arty refused to read or ■receive the letter. I then stated to him that the purport of General J['Iason''s fetter zidus that he would waive all objection to the form of his challenge, and fia,ht him on his own terms. Mr. M'^Carty saidit reus too late ; that he Tvould receive no communication from General Mason. Mr. M''Carty ad' mitted, in a conversation with me, that General Mason was not bound to ac- cept his challeni^e on the terms prescribed, but that on such an occasion General Mason on^ht to have waived etiquette. The above mentioned let- ters were left roith -me by Mr. Rust, and the above conversation with Mr. M'Carty had early on the morning of the 22d day of May, 1818." At the request of Mr. George Rust, Jr. I state that 1 was present when Mr. Rust presented the a f)regoing certificate to Dr. Wilson for his signature ; that Ifr. Ritst as well as the Doctor read it ; that the Doctor admitted the correctness or truth of it, but declined signing it, for the reason before stated by Mr. Rust. SAMUEL M. EDWARDS. Anil \v!i3% let me ask, was it too latpf(»r Mr. M«Carfy to receive \x\y jtroposilion to resign my conimission and meet him on his onn terms ? U that time no puhlication had appeared. My pro- {iosition was made before he had announced or even devised the the very ingenious and novel subterfuge of declaring he would receive no further comniunication fi*om me. But upon what au- thority or jyrjnciple could he pretend to refuse my proposition at any time? Did «»' etiquette" {(»rbid it ? He tells us '• he violated etiquette" i;j proscrihiug the terms upon which he would agree to fight. Bow came he then so su{!(lcn!y to become a stickler for *•' etiquette?" *» On such an occasion I think Mr. M'Carty ought to have waived etiquette.'" But " eliquL-lte'' !md nothing to do with it. It was rank cowar- slice, and uotliinp; else, tiiat mudc him refuse. And this will now !;e acknowh^iged by every candid man in the community. 1 cer- tainly had a right, in the first instance, to object to the form of his clial'engf, (admitted by himself to be objectionable,) and af- terwards to waive that objection. Mr. M'Carty has not the poor exeiise. ujnin which he would now be glad to rest his hopes, that having dechired he would receive no fui-thevcommsn'.ication from ine, «• etiqtrettc" (which ho never violated) obliged him to reject my proposition, lie has not even that poor excuse, for I had made my proposition long before J heard of liis declaration, as will he seen by reference totho dates of my lettei-to Mr. Dulany, iim\ of hi? to Mr. Rust. Minri, thiit iolrcas not huuvd to accept h'.s challenge on the iirm.'i prescribed.*"-^ If, titen, he knew I was not hound to accejit it ou suh terms, and that it was not such a chidlen.2:e as I ought to accej)t, he must have anticipated that I would ohject tu those terms, and he must ha\c prescribed them with the particnlai- view of escapini^ tlie consequences of sending such a challens;c a?i I ought to have acce{)tcd. To ensure success to this artifice, he attempted ahi'Uptly to break off" the correspondence, precipitately fleti from the neighbourhood, and for several days eluded my inowt vigilant pursuit. And when at last he was overtaken, he rc' e(h'd fi'om his own terniJj and pcremj)torily refused to accede to any that could be nroj)oscd. He chose rather to avoid a fight, however dis2;raceful, by stepping at once in the ncwspapei s, and misrepresenting the whole transaction. Comment upon such conduct would be a waste of w<)»ds. Before I heard from Mr. TJust that Mr. M'Carty refused to read my letter to iNSr. Dulany, or to receive any communication from me, 1 had jirepared a letter to him. Upon receiving that information from Mi-. Rust, I Mould have stopped short, for I was more firmly ccmuuced than ever that Mi-. M'Carty wnuld not fight if he coiild possibly help it Extremely anxious liowe\ ei- to av "id a newspaper controversy; perceiving that he, notwith- statiding his great "contempt for a war of Vvords," was endea- voring to give the affair that turn; believing still that he might be •< kicked into a fight," and resolved to leave him no excuse, I determined to make anotlier effort by sending the letter. And if nothing else would do, to agree to become the chcJlenger rather than rtnew a contest in the newspapers, which I (eaied wouhl be considered as disgraceful to us both, although I was CG;iS( ious of having done every thing in my power to avoid if. My last communications were to this effect, and I givetlicm m the words of Mr. Rust, who was the bearer of them. On Friday morning, the 22d of May, I called on Gen. Mason, to inform him that Mr. M'Carty refused to receive his letter to Mr. Dulrioy, and also refused to receive any communication from liim. Before 1 arrived, Gen. Mason had prepared a letter to Mr. M'Carty, whicli lie shewed me. In that l(;lter lie stated that he would agree to resign bis conmii.-sion, accep| * liiS i positively deny. — 1 never made bu( h an aduiission to t)r. ^V ilson, as will appear from that gentleman's oivn slutement,, connected with the secoivi statement of iMr. Edwards — both of which may be seen in the Lecsburg ^Yashingtonian of the 23U of June. * J. M. M«C. 28 Mr. M'Carty's challenge, and fight nim at three feet, or three inches if he preferred it, provided he could he secured against Mr. M'' Car tyh firing before the rrordraas given, and thus assassinating him* It was accompa- nied by a written memorandum addressed to me, requesting me, if Mr. M'Carty rejected that proposition, to inform hin^. that Gen. Mason would, in order to terminate at once and forever a di.sgracefully protracted quar- rel, resign his commission and agree to become the challenger (if he could be assurvid that fllr. M'Carty would fight on any terms which would not enable him to commit assassination with impunity) — that it then would be. Mr. M'Carty's right to prescribe the terms of the duel, a right which he would not attempt to take from him.' Gen. Mason said that notwithstanding Mr. M'Carty's declaration that, he would receive no communication from him, he would make another ef- fort to terminate their quarrel without going into the newspapers, {for at that time no p^ihlication had ajypeared, nor did any appear until Friday^ evening)\ and that if Mr. M'Carty rejected those propositions, he should have done aii he could to avoid a newspaper controversy, and Mr. M'Carty might lake the consequences of In's own conduct. About 12 or 1. o'clock of that day I inquired for Mr. M'Carty, and was informed he had rode out : about 3 o'clock I called on Mr. M'Carty with the abovementioned comiTtunications, and told him I Vi'ished to have some private conversation with him : he at once replied that he would converse with me on any other subject than thatoj" Gen. Mason's communications. I then told him I had * This offer tu ilgiit Mie (as he calls it) is exactly like the of- fer contained in the <• written mcmnraRdnm" whicli imnicdiatdy succeeds it. His fighting;, in Ix^h^ would depend upon his re- ceiving security that ( would not " fire before the word was ,s;iv en, and thus assassinate him.'* What security was it pos- si!)Ie for me to give that I would not *' fire before the word was given,'''' other than that wljich he deems insufilcicnt ? Observe— »< It would have been worse than madness and foil if to have put my life in the ])ower of a cowardly and unprincipled assassin, with no other security than his honor.'''' But independently of his own assertion to that cfierta the circumstance of his asking security shows that '< my honor^^ would not have been received as " security against assassination ;'* and as that was the only pledge which it was possible for me to give in such a case, his two last oHcrs, certified to by Mr. llust, so far from being con- sidered as an agreempnt to fight, can only be regarded as ex- jjvessive of hts determination not to fght on « any terms. ^^ That covvardice urged him to demand such <* security," is obvious— for if he had really si!|ipo!>ed me capable of *» assassination." he could not possibly have believed that I would have invited him to the field to commit the act in the presence of witnesses, when I coiili! have assassinated him any day I chose, and escaped the p'^tialties of the law. But if he believed himself secure from this mode of attack, many opportunities of <« assassination '*^ would have occurred on the field, even if the fighting distance had been stipulated at »' fifteen yards." J. M. M'C. f It was Friday evenitig Mr. Rust called on me. At that time I had corrected tltc proof sheet of my publication, and a few mi- Jivitcs after, it was sent me fiir circulation. J. M, M'C. 29 communications from Gen. Mason for him, which he positively refused t« receive or hear any thing from the General. GEORGE RUST, Jr. It thus appears tliat my letter to Dr. '^Tcbbs was riroduced by a threat from Mr. M'Cai'ty t(* cliallcn/^)^ M»-. Georc^e Mason (bi- che.-fer or myscit', if eillier of us had lent my pistols to Mr. Handy. That Mr. M'Caity, notwithstanding; his wanton and positive threats to rliall'Mij^c me, fait* led, as he did last winter, "when it came to tlic test ; and would not liav*' clsaliensfed me, but that he discovered I had unqestionable pioof of his having used that threat: That thus compelled to challenge, he adopted a mode of 'hal- lens^ins^ wholly unprecedented, and which he knew and admitted to be objectionable : That when he found him challenge, objectionable as it was, •would be accepted, he most disj^raeefuliy receded from his own terms, and would not fiixUt on any that could be proposed : That 1 never did refuse directly or indirecti}' to accept a chal- lenge from Mr.Jolm M'Carty, but on the contrary that ///fs^/ncf- ly and repeateclly t-dd Mr. Duiany, the beaeev of" his challe»i.a:e, that I would resii-jn my commi'^sion, accept a challensce from Mr. M'Carty and fiejht him; but that I \vou]d not permit him to [irescribe the terms of the duel, which he, being the challenger, had no riglit to do : That I afterwards agreed to resign my commission, and then to waive all objecti')n to the form of Mr. M'Caity's challefsge, and fight hitn on torms which he and every other pei'soji should acknowledge wer'C in every possible respect [jerfectiy eqjial, and desperate to the last Carty could not be brftiJght out to fight on any terms, And y/tatthe very period of time that he thrice refused to fight on any terms, he was printiog a libellous handbill, iii which he charges me with cowardice. Can such a man have any respect for the good opinion of society? Can he have any sense of honor or shame! After this I do pre- sume that we shall hear no tnore of tiie heroism of Mr. John M*Carty : not even from the njost virulent of my enemies ; and that he will be the only man left, as he has always been the first and loudest, to boast of his valor.^ I have gone into this very minute detail ofall the cir-cumstan- ces, to guard as much as possible against future misrepresenta- tions of the subject, and because I am resolved never rnoie to take any nr)tice w^bateveritf Mr..Ioho M'C'arty, or any thing that comes from him. I felt it due 'o mysi Ifanl to my friends tomako tisis developemeut;, before I dismissed forever a subject; ivl'ich i am extremely iDorfified at beifig again compellpcl to tourli at alK 1 shall thcrefoie rcrtaiiilv dicliju^t-. meet Mr. John iM'Cartv iu the iiewspapt'fs : nothiu.g shoi-t of absolute ncressity ever made me, in any ijistance, take t!;at fu'ld against him. I shall not even reply to his handbills v\hich are now beCoie the public. 1 know not in wb«t tirms to apologize to the public, to my fi'ionds and to my family, for having ever condesreiKied to notice 3Vlr'. John iM'Caity, Every gentleman, who lias ever had the lui- miliatine: misfortune to have !>ee.n invohod in aqtiarrel vvitjj such a man, wiii diily appreciate tiie difficolti^'s 1 have had to encoun- ter in the cf-nti'sr, ;uid will, I knov.', be disposed ti; excuse mc if I have somrJimes erred. It was aptly remarked by a federal quaker, of this county, who was candid enough to confess the truth, ''that Mr. John M'Carty would never liave been noticed if I liad not kicked him out of the ashes." 1 indeed felt myself re- sponsible for having given a consequeticc to him ^^hich he other- wise never would have had ; and he, intoxicated with it, had become a nuisan( •• to the neigliborhood. As some atonenient for Tny fault in giving him that consequence, I have arrested his career in his attempts to distui'b the ()eace of our society. I Lave shewn this ass in lion's skin to be quite a harmle s crea- ture. He can mo longer terrify timid women and children. I liopc even the candid quaker will excuse me for having <' kicked Mr. John M»Carty from the ashes,'"" since ] have put him back 3gain where I ff)und Iiim. i\nd if [ am to blame for ha\ing ele- vated him, by a mistaken admission, to the rank of a gentleman, it must be acknowledged ;hat 1 have, with much [)aii s, reduced liijn to his formei* and proper kve! ; asid 1 liave now done witK i?im forever. ARxMlSTEAD T. MASON, ^clma, SOth Muj, 1818. [No. 4.] TO THE PUBLIC. It will be recollected that my publit ation bearing date May 21, appeared on tlie 22d of the sanje month. On the day of its date, Iio .vever, it was seen and read by several of my frievsds, one of whom was Mr. Wilson C. Seldon, Ji*. who would certify to tlio fact were it necessary. In that publication, and in the one which was exiorted from me a few days after, by a handbill, .signed "Editor Genitis Liberty," it will be seen that the course I have pursued, with regard to general Mason, in both of those- addresses, was dictated by the most incontrovertible proofs of his coxvardice. Although those proofs were before sufficiently <:onfltisive, jet they are now, if poss:bI«', n»ade more transparent in general iMason's long •« promised narrative of facts," which appeared in the Genius of the 9th June, and vvliich commences v/ith an exonliiiin, Gontainiii,a; a w/mu?f.^ and pileous '"Xnfii ap- peal to the public," for being •• forced by tlie most exfraordiiia- ry circumstanccvj to appear befoi-e tlie public" "to fi^-lit his bat- tles" with his favorite weapons pen and ink. as Ije could iiofc £;'nnMuut the '* extraordinarif circumstance^'' of fij^litinii; tliem with pistfds " at the distance of three feet.** His exordium em- braces also some strictures on my want of " eixlow ments moral ov intellectual f*' which are so strikiiij2;ly applicable to himself, that I cannot pass them wrtljoui comment. These remarks, however, pri'sent hut a miniature likeness of hisn, who, but a short time since, wMiilc an excellent custdmer at dii'ty inns, was the wretch- ed and pitied victim of inebriation ; and whose profanations of late years, may perhaps find some apolo!2:y in that paucity ot* talent which rendered him so conspicnously dumb in the senate of the Unitpd States ; and which intk^ed was anticipated by many of his own party, who best knew him, when his elevation to that distinguished station was proposed. It is said that on one. occasion, while a member of that body, he endeavored to sustain the dignity of his constituents hy participating in the discussion of a question of some momciit ; but notwithstandirg the soof/u hig encouragement and the benevolent assistance wisirh he rc- cei\ed frmi a distinguished federal member, he ch»wnish!y ac- knowledged, in his difficulties^ that that was no " field for him," and in making known his determination to leave the senate, he honestly implied tliat his dearth of brains had indu- ced that determination. And yet after this lumvions display of his intellectual powers, wliich is known frouj Maine to Geor- gia, you find him unblnshingly animadverting upon X\\(^ po\erty of another's mind. In my last I commented on the statement which is now to be seen in general Mason's " !a«t appeal" of 9th June, in two certificates, signed by Oi-. Tcbbs and \Ir. Humphreys. Dr. Tehbs I have long known as an acquaintance and a friend, and my knov»'ledge of his chai'actei- convinces me. that he has innocently misapprehended the nature of my thr-'^at relative t'> gen. Misou ; for it is not reasonable to suppose that I at tJiat time would threaten to chall nge a man wliom \ Itad n few weeks befoi'c published as a <» disgraced cov/ard," and in the face of his public declaration that he would never fight me. As I have previously stated. I remarked that I would cirallenge' gen. Mas(»n, if he had lent pistols to Mr Haiuiy. for the purposo of being used against me, but for our last publications. But it is of no consequence, for the certificates in their {.resc-nt and in- correct form, are not at all injurious to me ; and fir the sake of argument I will admit for a moment their correctness. Ti)cy both com urin stating, that I threatened to challenge him, *« if he had loaned pistols to Mr. IIandy,/ci?-//ie purpose oj being used a2;ainst me," This Wi.s theconditiou ujion which I was torha'longc him j but I was entirely exonerated from any obligation to rail on him upon that ground; because Jic says in Lis letter to Dr. Tcbbs, «' His true I did not know, or even suspect that the pistols were for Mr. HamUf.^* What then do Hiese certificates avail General Alason ? Nothinj^ except that tliey place liim in a most ludicrous situation, and fore ibiy exempliry the truth of the old proverb, ** that a drowniuj^ man will catch at straws." He insists upon it that r was bound to execute the threat contained in the cer- tificates, because he positively denied having loaned the pistols to Mr, Handy. If, as the certificates state, I was pledged to challenge hira, if he loaned his pist(ds for a particular purpose, it certainly c.mnot be believed that I was under any obligation to challenge him. because he said he did not « know or even suspect" that they were intended for that purpose. According to his mode of reasoning, I was bound to challenge him for lending them, and bound to challenge him for not lending them. This logical conclusion affords a happy specimen of the <« in- tellectual endowments" of this qiKindam senator. But he fur- ther remarked in his letter to Dr. Tebbs, « that if he had known all the circumstances, he should have lent the pistols to Mri Handy." Fliis remark does not come under the threat ascri- bed to me in the certificates ; for by them I was pledged to cliallengo him, if he had already committed a particulai* act, and not pledged to challenge him for his avo%val that he would have committed that act '» if he had known all the circinnstances."' So that in no possible way can those certificates, to use his own iiVords, have *' entrapped me in my own toils." His insulting and unprovoked communications through Dr. Tebbs, forbidding ail communications between us, "either di- rectly or indirectly," except a <* direct challenge," can only be regarded as a direct iiivitaii on to me to challenge him. In ac- cepting that in\itati m. and in pi'escribing the terms, I in a for- mer publication said that «< I might possiUij have violated eti- quette." But tlie most mature reflection on (he subject has not enabled me to discover any diJference l)et\veen an invitation to challenge and an invitation to fight. The former generally leads to tlie latter, and an, ijivitation of the one, is in fact an invita- tion of th'^ other. This great << stickler' for " morality" can« not then deny tliat his communication was " morally" a chal- lenge at least ; a;i,l I am suppoited in the opinion that I Iiave not violated efiquclte by every gentleman acquainted wiih the laws of duelling, with wiiom i have conversed. When 1 receiv- ed this invitatio!!, 1 at once determined on my course, aud spoke in the presence of Or. 'i'ebbs of the character of the chaUcnge I (should send him in return. The Doctor replied, that he did not v^ishto hear ray determination, as a knowledge of it might possi- bly disqualify him fu!- taking his seat in the legislature. 1 conver- sed no more with him on tlie subject, but instantly wrote to my .?».*iend Mr. Dulauy, explained to him the circumsiances, arid re- quested his imnsediate attendance. — In a few days he arrived, and became the bctirer of the challengi- wiiich Gen. Mason has 33 jfejected. The conversation I had witli Mr. Humplireys, and which is in haste quoted in his second certifcatCt related solely to the threat which is contained in his Jirst ; but Gen. Mason at- teinptfi to produce the belief that I hes'itated about calling on him after I received his letter and message through Dr. Tebbs. This pitij'ul falsehood betrays, in proper colors, the real character of the boasting and contemptible puppy, with whom it has been my lot to come in collision. In one part of his " narrative of facts," he says, *' never did a poor devil do an act with more paiufiil reluctance, and with more awful and appalling apprehensions of the co/isez/wencM, thai» did Mr. John M'Carty put his trembling hand to an evasive chal- lenge against me." In another part he says, <* as it was not such a challenge as I ought to accept, he must have anticipated that I would object to those terms." Cogent reasoning this : I << anti- cipated" his rejection of the challenge; and yet fplitmy "trem- bling hand" to it with fearful and aj>pal!ing apprehensions of the consequences in w^hich his anticipated refusal to fight would in- volve me. Again — »< On 17th, the challenge was Iianded me by Mr. Dulany ; it dictated the terms upon which Mr. M'Carty, the challenger, would agree to fight; the first time this, I venture to affirm, since the age of chivalry began, that the challenger ever pretended to dictate the terms upon which he would agree to fight." It will be seen by what has passed, that 1 was amply justified in prescribing the terms ; but there are precedents which will incon- testibly prove that the terms have been presented by the chal- lenger, and that too when the challenge was uninvited. One example will be a sufficient illustration of the fact; and I state it on the authority of a gentleman of the highest respectability. Col. Magee, while stationed at Natchitoches, and acting as lieutenant in a corps of artillery, was challenged by a gentleman to fight him, with bi .ad swords. No objection was made by Col. Magee to 'lis prescribing the terms, and they met and fought. In the hope of imposing on the vulgar, and with them to extricate him- self from his present dilemma, he exultingly introduces into his ** narrative of facts" all the circumstances of a duel he once fought, and « upon terms as desperate as Mr. M'Carty could have wished;" which terms, he says, would have been prescribed if I had challenged him in the usual way. The result of this duel shows, indeed, tlie equality as well as the desperation of the terms. They stood, he says, fifteen yards apart, w ith two pistids each, and were to advance and fire at pleasure By his first fire, " Mr. Noland was severely wounded," and he re- ceived that gentleman's two fires and " escaped unhurt ;" and yet he considers the terms as desperate and equal. If I had chal- lenged him to a contest of th;»t kind, and he could have gotten clear of his commission and fought, he would, most probably, have again " escaped unhurt'* on the field ; and I have shewn in a previous publicatiph the strongest reasons for jbelieving that ir • Si ^e had survived, m^, the duelling law would have beeii repeale4 ■with regard to him<, while if I had killed him it would have heen evforced against me wiJh all its horrors; and hence I invited liim to meet me on' terms whJch Would have ensured dissolution to both. He now says that his principal reason for rejecting the chaUenge was that " lie had no security that a man of my cha- racter would not fire he^)re the word wajs ^istWf and this was the, reason which was withheld from my friend^ Mr. Dulamj, in cori' sideration of his feelings.*^ As he had stated that ho would <' ac- cept a challenge of the usual kind," ^nd that mine would be ac ■ «:!;epted " upon his being informed that it was modified," Mr, Dulany addressed a Fetter to his friend, Mr. Riist, about 9 o'clock the next morriin^ (l8Ui May.,) but which, ii) consequence of bad ■^veather, was not delivered until the 19th, abbttt S o'clock., But dome little atJvantage is now wished to be gained by the date of this letter, and that too after Gen. Mason's own acknowledg- ment that it was received on the 19th. Observe, « mine is dated on the 181h, (he should have said antedated) his on the 20th" — this brings to mind again the oW proverb, n GEORGE RUST, Jr. Esq. Deau Sir, I am desired by my friend Mr. John M'Carty to say that General A. T. Mason having uiiequivccally rejected his communication, precludes the possibility of his receiving any further coinmunication, either directly or indirectly, from the General. Very respectfully, Alexandria, May 2()ih, 1818. JAS. H. DULANY. This letter bi'ing despatched inhiWting all commuiiication, «*di-. rer tly or indirectly," Mr. Dulany was no longer acting as my friend, and wishing^ before he returned to Alexandria, his place of residence, to visit his estate, near Middleburg — I accompani- ed hinT part of the way thither. On tVc 21st, I returned to Lees- biirg, and had no stipner arrived there, than I found it reported that gerncal Mason had now agreed to ft^ht, provided the governor tuoidd inform hini of the accepta^vcc of his commissien, and that ^ letter to that effect had been sent to Alexandria to Mr. Dulany.* This intelligence only strengthened my first determination to re- ceive from luin iio communication "'directly or indirectly," and I accordingly (as was known by Gen. Mason after he rcn-ived *Gen. Mason will find it difficult to produce a prrcedeht to sustain him in the hope that he will be rescued from the imputa- tion of cowaidicp, by the letter which he sent to Mr. Dulany three days after he i!ne,'[Uivocally rejected my chaltenge, and after the receipt of Mr. Ilulany's letter a»suring him he would receive from him "no conrmiinication either directly or indirectly." Thus it appears that he sent the letter, because he knew it woiitd not hq received. And after all this vaunting about it, it is discovered to be nothing more than a dcMerate rejection of my challen^^ ^5 >lr. Dulany's letter) rejected his frieiurs atlempta' tn comninn.e with me relative to himself, and proceeded to stigmatise him be. fore the public, with the bdioiis epithets he deserved. Rut let us examine those communications no\y before the public, and upon which he has rested all his hopes of temporal salvation. Wo aro informed by himself, that at sunrise on the 19th, two days after he had refused my challenge, he prepared a letter to Mr. Dulany, (antf dated only one day,) and which he no doubjt hopes the public will, in pity to h'm **last appeal" consider os an acceptance of my challenge. But let the epistle apprar in all the splendor of its "sunrise" auspices — ♦* And 1 now inform you, that as soon as I receive the governor's acceptance ofviy comjnission^ I will accept a challenge from Mr. John M'Carty, and meet and fight him on terms which he shall acknowleflge are equal." I know not hovy to express mij contempt for the cowardly ivretch who would thus prestme lipon a commisiion^ the resignation of which he <» ten- dered '* during the last wintfej', and the acceptance of which wa8 refused by the (Grovernor; for it was returned ti» him, and he is again shielded by that impenetrable ceat of mail. If, when Mr.Rust mentioned 4his letter to me, I had received and read it, I should only have seen that what I h aid previously heard of it was correct, and should then have regarded it as 1 do now, a cjivardly suhter^ fuge. I wanted no greater triumph than I enjoyed iu liis entire prostration. I had xtiy foot upon Imncck, and 1 could not let hirti rise from the degraded state to which his cowardice had reduced fiim, upon the delusive promise that he would fight me, provided he could « receive the governor's acceptance of his commission." He might as well have said he would fight me, provided he could obtain his wife's consent. Publicity at this time had been given vio the subject. It had no doubt c^e this reached Richmond '*by express,'* and independent of the personal ipBuepce which on such an occasion he might have with the governor and council, someof whom are his intimate friends, they were bound by legal and 7)1 ora/ obligations not to accept his cortimission/or the purpose of enabling him to fight a duel. He therefore well kncv,- that the condition upon which he said he would meet me, o;i *< desperate terms/' could n£ver be complied with, and consequently his "sun- rise" epistle can only be construed as a positive and dchberate rejection of my challenge.— -Can the subject admit of a solitary doubt ? Can it be believed that the {governor Would, at this time, " accept the resignation of his commission," for the purpose of enabling him to fight a duel, whoii he refused to p.ccept it last winter, when there was no danger of his being involved in a duel (he haying declared that he woiild mibmit to a gioss insult rather Than challenge me) J It this ** maral " man had ever intended to accept my challenge, he would have considered his commission as ♦< morally" resigned as soon as he sent it to the govcinor, and de- tcTmined no longer to hold it. That it would have been "morally" re?igne(!» no one can flonbt,and tho terms of the duel would havo 56 ^cured us Irotii from the operation of legal penalties. This itr one view of the subject, admitting that his receipt of thegoyevn- or's acceptance of his commission was necessary to legalise its resignation ; hut it is susceptible of another, which will involve him still deeper in disgrace. Why make the receiptor the^o* vernor^s acceptance of his commission the condition upon which he would fight on «' equal term? ?'* It he had been disposed to fight, even at this late, hour, he would have said nothing about receiving the governor's acceptance, for he well knew that it was Hot necessary to hear from tlio governor on tlic subject, and that his commission was legally resigned as soon as he sent it to him, accompanied Uy a letter of resignatiAn important « written rtii»tnbraiidum'* accom. panicd the letter, ■which is also embraced in Mr. Rost's iliird certificate, and by him tbus described : ♦* If Mr. M'Carty rejected that proposition, to inform him that Gen. Mason would, in order to terminate at once and forever a disgracefully protracted quar« pel, resign his commission and agree to become the challenger^ if he covld be assured that Mr M^Carty Tvonldfght on any terms lohich would not enable him to commit assassination withimpnnityi Mr. M This written memorandum is a copy in substance of the letter recited l)y ^Iv. Rust. The condition upon which he would fight, is the same in both, and the reasoning I have applied to theono Mill suit the otlitr. My challenge contained the only terms which would have placed me on an equality with Gen. Mason. % was warranted in prescribing them by the character of his pre- vious communication, and as he, both in the letter and "written memorandum," considers my honor no security against assassi- nation, he cannot believe that he ever thought oj accepting thoss terms. . Before I dismiss the two latter evidences of valor, I can as- sure Gen. Mason that if- 1 had ««en or heard of them three Weeks before I did, or indeed on the very day that ho refused my chal- lenge, I shnuld have considered them both as positive rejections of that challenge, I'iie anonymous cei tifcate contained in the <ey were the same Mr. Rust had tlte eveniiig before: that he told him he believed tliey were, he haviii,':^ just received them from Mr, ]