From the ALBANY Argr
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| From the Albany Argus.


A AJESUITICAL APOLOGY FOR DUELlNG. I.
Henry CIay's recent letter to citizens Of West


mo-eland county, Pennsylvania, on Guelling, has


been termed by those who lcok at it closely most


ingenious, and therefore The more dangerous pal
! iaton for duclling. Even at his advanced age,


bordering on seventy he does not take that dec ded


stand against dueling which the public sentiment


of the age had right to demand He pointedly


refuses to say that he shall not fight another duel.


Here the words Of MIR. Clay, written this very


month of August; and we wish the moral-Ioving,
truth-abiding, and duef-hating freemen Of the Uni
ted States to notice every line:


"You ask me whether, ii | were challenged to
fight duel, | would rs jrct the invitation ? Con-
sidering my age, which is now past sixty-sevcn.
feel that should expose myselfto ridicue if
were to proclaim whether would or would not
fight duel 1t is certainly of the most un-
likely events that can possibly be imagined and
cannot conceive case in which l should be
provoked or tempted to go to the field Of combat;
6ut cannot foresce all the eOnting geneies achieh
may possibly arise in The short remnant of ma hfe
and for the reason which have already stated, of
avoiding any exposure of myself 10 ridicue, 1 cGu-
mt reconcile ii to my sense of prOpriety to make
declaration one 1rGy or the 0ther."


Look at that closely, and we ask all to say, if
they do not perceive that the folirs and passions
Vi edIIy yOutn SILL IuFk unQeT the heaQ SnltencQ
by the frosts Of sxyscven winters.


The New York Morning News thus pertinent
ly sets forth the dangerous influence of this most
insidious letter:


"Mr. Clay virtually throws all the great inflr,-
rnce of his sanction and example-all the weight
Of his position, talents, character, and popularity,
popularity. at least, with the main bulk of the ,
persons occupying those spheres in soci.ty to !
which dueling is chiefly confined Ion the other !
'ide of the wavering scales of public sentiment, on
his subject. MIR. Clay can never know how ma
~ young men, whose opinions were in the pro- !
yrcss Of maturing into the ripe results of sound ,
md settled principles, will be made decided duel
sis for life by the influence of this letter. The !
orce and general social diffusion of right scn,i-
nen on this subject, afford the only counteracing
influence against that of the false and bad pubic ;
opinion by which dueling is sustained, and men
made to feel fancy themselves compelled to give
md accept challenges to this foul and foolish game
# murder.


Lrt it not be said in reply, that Mr. CLAY in !
his letter does declare strong reprobation of the
practice, and that it is at worst a mere pirce of
'atry non-commiltalism on the question. Ninety
line duelsts in hundred make similar decIarn-
always TO reservations which Who'll
v nullify all their meaning or worth.n