n came from Thomas Whately. Temple at once made a demand
upon Whately to exculpate him. This of course Whately could not do,
since he had not inspected the letters taken by Temple, and so could not
say of his knowledge that these were not among them. But instead of
taking this perfectly safe ground, he published a card stating that
Temple had had access to the letters of the deceased for a special
purpose, and that Temple had solemnly averred to him, Whately, that he
had neither removed nor copied any letters save those written by himself
and his brother. This exoneration was far from satisfying Temple, who
conceived that it rather injured than improved his position. Accordingly
he challenged Whately and the two fought in Hyde Park ring. The story
of the duel, which was mingled of comedy and tragedy, is vividly told by
Mr. Parton. Whately was wounded twice, and at his request the fight then
ceased. Temple was accused, but unfairly, of having thrust at him when
he was down. But it was no conventional duel, or result of temporary hot
blood. The contestants were profoundly angry with each other, and were
bent on more serious results than curable wounds. It was understood that
so soon as Whately should be well, the fight would be renewed. Thus
matters stood when Franklin came up to London from a visit in the
country, to be astonished by the news of what had occurred, and annoyed
at the prospect of what was likely to occur. At once he inserted this
letter:--

TO THE PRINTER OF THE PUBLIC ADVERTISER:"

_Sir_,--Finding that two gentlemen have been unfortunately engaged
in a duel about a transaction and its circumstances of which both
of them are totally ignorant and innocent, I think it incumbent
upon me to declare (for the prevention of further mischief, as far
as such a declaration may contribute to prevent it) that I alone am
the person who obtained and transmitted to Boston the letters in
question. Mr. Whately could not communicate them, because they were
never in his possession; and for the same reason they could not be
taken from him by Mr. Temple. They were not of the nature of
_private_ letters between friends. They were written by public
officers to persons in public stations on public affairs, and
intended to procure public measures; they were therefore handed to
other public persons, who might be influenced by them to produce
those measures.