The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 8, July 1904 - April, 1905 Page: 264
xiii, 358 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
During the canvass both Vance and Graham ridiculed Walker
and ignored Carson, until after Walker's withdrawal, when Vance
turned his batteries upon Carson. Among other things he charged
Col. John Carson, the father of his opponent, with having been
untrue to the cause of the colonies in the Revolutionary War. The
old man was present and angrily denounced the charge as false,
and would have attacked Vance then and there but for the inter-
ference of bystanders. Vance said to him "You are too old, but
you have a boy who can fight for your reputation."
Vance was afterwards called upon to retract and apologize. He
refused to do so, repeating the charge in the most taunting man-
ner. The result was a challenge to fight a duel. When the time,
place, and terms had been agreed upon, Carson went over into Ten-
nessee and engaged the services of Davy Crockett to drill him in
pistol practice, and to pass upon the quality of his weapons.
Crockett was present at the duel. It took place just across the
State line, at Saluda Gap, South Carolina, in 1827. Vance fell
mortally wounded at the first shot, and died at midnight. His
last words were "out, brief candle!" He was the father of Zebulon
B. Vance, the famous war Governor of North Carolina, and, later,
United States Senator from that State.
While public opinion sustained Carson, he ever afterwards pro-
foundly regretted the affair. As an evidence of the esteem in which
he was held, he was elected to Congress from that district in 1827,
again in 1829, and again in 1831. He was regarded as the best
impromptu speaker in Congress, and, by his constituents, as the
most eloquent speaker that had ever been heard in the mountains.
Up to his last term in Congress he was a trusted friend of An-
drew Jackson, and was often his chosen leader in the House when
his administration was attacked. He was an ardent advocate of a
tariff for revenue only, a strict disciple of Mr. Calhoun, even en-
dorsing and supporting his nullification policy. This, of course,
estranged President Jackson, and in the campaign of 1833, he was
defeated by his old opponent, James Graham. His health had be-
come seriously impaired and he was unable to canvass his district,
where public opinion was overwhelmingly in favor of Jackson.
An illustration of his power as a public speaker, even in his en-
feebled state of health, is found in the old story of how he captured264
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 8, July 1904 - April, 1905, periodical, 1905; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101033/m1/271/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.