Descripción
[3]pp. on a single folded sheet. Folio. Old folds, tiny repaired tear in lower foredge of first leaf, tape repairs to top edge and folds of second leaf. Hinged to modern paper backing along left edge. Overall very good. An interesting entry in the long tradition of political duels among New York state political figures, one of whom later became a New York City alderman and staunch Loyalist. This document describes in detail the duel between controversial New York political figure Oliver DeLancey (1718-1785) and Dr. Alexander Colhoun. On a separate, previous occasion DeLancey had created drama by insulting the mayor of New York, Edward Holland; DeLancey rode by Holland in March 1749, remarking to him, "were it not for your post.I would lay my horse whip over your back and whip you as long as I could stand over you." Later in the summer, on June 23, DeLancey was speaking badly of Governor George Clinton - calling him "a Damned Rogue, a Damn'd shifting fellow & the worst Govr" - while drunk at dinner at the home of Andrew Ramsay. Upon hearing this, Dr. Colhoun demanded better manners, and a duel ensued at DeLancey's home in which Colhoun was stabbed but not killed. DeLancey apparently stabbed Colhoun while the latter was already lying on the ground, a breach of duel etiquette. During the course of the duel, DeLancey also injured another doctor, Richard Shuckburgh. Oliver DeLancey was the younger brother of James DeLancey, appointed Lieutenant Governor of New York by the King, but whose commission was withheld by Governor Clinton for six years. At the time of the duel the elder DeLancey was chief justice of New York. After the duel Governor Clinton attempted to indict Oliver DeLancey for sedition, but was unsuccessful. Clinton apparently remarked that DeLancey seemed to be "protected" from legal consequences by his chief justice brother. Despite his ungentlemanly and disrespectful behavior, Oliver DeLancey would later serve as a New York alderman and a member of the New York assembly. The two depositions in this document are by John Marshall, a deputy mayor, and by one of the participants in the duel, Dr. Alexander Colhoun. Both depositions are signed by the deponents and by Simon Johnson as New York Justice of the Peace. Marshall states that after the duel Oliver DeLancey sought him out to relate his side of the story. DeLancey did not go to the mayor, he told Marshall, because "the Mayor & he had some Differences." Apparently DeLancey did not feel like telling Marshall that he had viciously insulted the mayor three months earlier. Through his testimony to Marshall, DeLancey claimed that "Doctor Colhoun Demanded Satisfaction & drew his sword & saith you must kill me or I you." DeLancey claimed that after Colhoun "made a Thrust at him which Thrust he said [he] put by - & [he] then made a Thrust at the Doctor & wounded him in the Breast & that the Doctor fell down." Marshall ends his testimony by stating that after the duel DeLancey "appeared to me to be in Liquor." Dr. Colhoun's testimony recounts the events leading up to the duel, including DeLancey's comments about the Governor at Ramsay's tavern. His testimony is worth relating in full: "City of New York: Alexander Colhoun of the said City Doctor of Physick of full age being duly sworn Deposeth & saith that on Fryday the Twenty third Day of June last past, he Dined at the house of Andrew Ramsay in this City, with Messrs. Oliver DeLancey, Philip Vanhorne & some others that after Dinner some of the Company went away but Dep[onen]t, Mr. DeLancey, Mr. Vanhorne, Mr. Ricketts & Mr. David Johnson remained there, & Mr. DeLancey in Conversation about his Exceley. the Gover. of this Province said these words, to wit, the Govr. is a Damned Rogue, a Dam'd shifting fellow & the worst Govr. that ever was in this Province, and that all the people about him are a parcel of Damned Scoundrels, upon which the Dep[onen]t said to him Mr. DeLancey keep within the Bounds of good Manners. That Mr DeLa. N° de ref. del artículo WRCAM55817
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