“The company took their drink, however, all but Mr. Carneal, who went out upon the bow of the boat, and took a seat, where he was sought by Judge James, who desired satisfaction for the insult.  Carneal refused to make any, and asked the old gentleman if any of his sons would resent the insult if he was to slap him in the mouth; to which the judge replied that he would do it himself, if his sons would not; whereupon Mr. Carneal struck him in the month with the back of his hand.  The judge resented it by striking him across the head with a cane, which stunned Mr. Carneal very much, causing the blood to run freely from the wound.  As soon as Carneal recovered from the wound, he drew a bowie-knife, and attacked the judge with it, inflicting several wounds upon his person, some of which were thought to be mortal.

“Some gentlemen, in endeavoring to separate the combatants, were wounded by Carneal.  When Judge James arrived at his house, bleeding, and in a dying state, as was thought, his son seized a double-barrelled gun, loaded it heavily with large shot, galloped to where the boat was, hitched his horse, and deliberately raised his gun to shoot Carneal, who was sitting upon a cotton-bale.  Mr. James was warned not to fire, as Carneal was unarmed, and he might kill some innocent person.  He took his gun from his shoulder, raised it again, and fired both barrels in succession, killing Carneal instantly.

“It is a sad affair, and Carneal leaves, besides
numerous friends, a most interesting and
accomplished widow, to bewail his tragical end.”]

Such was the savage character of the debate, that even Mr. Calhoun, who was not generally discourteous, finding himself rather hard pressed by some of Mr. Hale’s arguments, excused himself from an answer, on the ground that Mr. Hale was a maniac!  The slave-holders set upon Mr. Hale with all their force; but, though they succeeded in voting down his bill, it was generally agreed, and anybody may see by the report, that he had altogether the best of the argument.  Mr. Palfrey’s resolution was also lost; but the boldness with which Giddings and others avowed their opinions, and the freedom of speech which they used on the subject of slavery, afforded abundant proof that the gagging system which had prevailed so long in Congress had come at last to an end.

These movements, though the propositions of Messrs. Hale and Palfrey were voted down, were not without their effect.  The Common Council of Washington appointed an acting mayor, in place of the regular mayor, who was sick.  President Polk sent an intimation to the clerks of the departments, some of whom had been active in the mobs, that they had better mind their own business and stay at home.  Something was said about marines from the Navy-Yard; and from that time the riotous spirit began to subside.