15 FEBRUARY 1845, Page 12

ANNALS OF A DUEL.

Hitherto Mr. Fenimore Cooper's exploit of filling three volumes with the passage of an American liner from Cowes to New York has been unrivalled. But the annalist of a late protracted affair of honour between two United States Senators comes close upon him. " Annals " is the only word that can adequately express the long-drawn story of this duel, which is spun out upon the principle for which Mr. Cooper was supposed to enjoy a patent. The extracts we subjoin from successive communications of the Washington correspondent of a New York paper keep the reader in a state of breathless suspense till he reaches the catastrophe, even when he has them " all of a ruck ": what then must their effect have been when distilled at the rate of a drop a day, like the fragments of Sue's " Mysteres de Paris" in the feuilleton of the Journal des Debatsf Our own penny-a, liners have been thought sometimes to make the most of an affair of honour, but they have something yet to learn from their Transatlantic brethren.

" Thursday Evening, 9th January.—We have an unpleasant rumour here, that two Members of the House, Mr. Chngman of N.C. and Mr. Yancey of Alabama, left the city this evening for the purpose of fighting."

" Friday, 10th January, four o clock p. m.—The duel apprehended between Mr. Clingman and Mr. Yancey has probably taken place. No information as to the matter was sent to Baltimore until ten o'clock today. The telegraphic reply was that nothing was known of the matter there. It is feared, therefore, that the duel was not arrested by the interference of the Maryland Police. Mr. Yancey was ac- companied by Mr. Hager of S. C., a son, I believe, of the Senator ; Mr. Clingman has no second with him, but expected to obtain one in Baltimore. Mr. Yancey did not go so far as Baltimore. Mr. Clingman is a single man; Mr. Yancey has a family."

" Saturday, 11th January.—Some excitement has prevailed during the day, both in and out of the House, in consequence of the absence of Messrs. Clingman and Yancey; between whom, since the delivery of Mr. Yancey's speech, a difficulty has been apprehended. Rumour says they have been pursued; but whether they have been arrested, or whether a duel has occurred, we have no information. " P.S. No news this afternoon from Messrs. Clingman and Yancey, though their friends left the city this morning for Baltimore, to endeavour to settle the matter in controversy." " Monday, 13th January, four o'clock p. m.—Messrs. Yancey and Clingman were in the city last evening, and went out this morning to the neighbourhood of Ross's Tavern, twelve miles from the city, for the purpose of fighting. The re- sult is not yet known.

" Postscript, half-past four o'clock.—There is no doubt that Mr. Clingman and Mr. Yancey went out to fight this morning. They were to fight at Rossbury, Bladensburg, on the chain-bridge, it is supposed. They did not, of course, say where. I learn that the meeting was to take place at three o'clock today. We have no authentic information as to the result as yet."

" Monday night.—The duel ended, very happily, without injury to either party.. One of them, I mean the challenged party, was the gayest man at a very convivial party tonight According to rumour, there was one fire, and a pretty close one; Mr. Cn's ball passed over Mr. Yancey's head, and Mr. Yancey's ball struck

at Mr. C • 's feet, Explanations were then mutually given, and the parties BM.* hauda.'