John Randolph of Roanoke

On this day in 1827, two great titans of democracy literally came to blows. Senator John Randolph of Roanoke (pictured at right at the age of thirty) questioned the circumstances by which the new Secretary of State, Henry Clay, came to hold office. At the close of one of his eccentric speeches on the Senate floor, Randolph denounced the relationship between the president and secretary as "the coalition of Blifil and Black George, - of the puritan and blackleg." However, Clay was not able to shake this degrading remark as he normally could by responding oratorically on the floor of Congress as he could in the past. He concluded the only way to settle the affront to his personal honor was to send Randolph a challenge, which was accepted. The Virginia senator stated, "I have no explanations to give. I will not give any. I am called to the field. I have agreed to go, an am ready to go." According to General James Hamilton of South Carolina, Randolph sent for him on the night of April 7. Hamilton recalled that he found Randolph "calm, but in a singularly kind an confiding mood. He told me that he had something on his mind to tell me. He then remarked, 'Hamilton, I have determined to receive, without returning, CLAY's fire; nothing shall induce me to harm a hair of his head; I will not make his wife a widow, or his children orphans. Their tears would be shed over his grave; but when the sold of Virginia rests on my bosom, there is not, in this wide world, one individual to pay this tribute upon mine."

The two men met the next day, April 8 at 4:30 p.m., across the Potomac River in Virginia. Before the word was given to fire, Randolph's pistol supposedly discharged prematurely. General Jesup, a friend of Clay, exclaimed that if this occurred again the secretary would immediately leave the field. Clay retorted that the "gentleman might be allowed to go on." Once the Virginian's pistol was reloaded and ready, the word was given. Clay fired without hitting the senator, and Randolph fired his pistol harmlessly into the air. The two men left the field uninjured, and although not becoming best of friends, they did resume some cordial relations. In fact, before he died, Randolph travelled to the Senate Chamber to hear that magnificent voice of Clay's one last time.