Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-06-03

two tickets should be rolled up ard pa, iatu a
nat, the one blank, the other marked with ri d,
letter L that he who drew the blank should
take ms choice OF the two cups and swallow
ITS contents and he who drew the letter y,
should be bound at the peril Of his l'o
and honor to swallow the confer Of the
other cup. Lacy's answer to lis pro-
position was. '' will not dri poison
To accommodate you, nor will hazard nv
life with you in any manner Whatever
Graves second proposition: was, I" l. Captain
Lacy insists ON decision by bodily exertion.
he shall be accommodated. under pledge of
honor that be will afterwards meet Col.
Graves on equal ground, and lodge no nfnr-
nation, aor take advantage of such honorable
proposition as he may make" TO this pro-
position, Lacy answered in the negative,
saving again he would hazard his life in M
other way than fist fight. Here G,aves, I'm
der the iDflaence ofpassiOn, said, " | am not
nor will not he afraid of you: asd to prove it,
am willing tn 90 with you into The woods
alone, and las stated hy Lacy and his two
friends. Graves friends being both Indicted
with him were excluded by the court from
giving testimony,l put final end to the con-
test with knives" Here there was "A clashing
Of evidence, for it appeared that one of Lacy's
friends had acknowledged ont of court that
Graves words were" | am willing to go into
the woods with you alone, and have no weapon
but knife" which Lacy also refused. Those
propositions formed the basis the six counts
,aid in the indictments, to which the defendant
pleaded not guilty.
The author of this publication, who attend
| ed throughout the trial, and took particular
notes of the evidence, deems it just to- state.
what was admitted by every one present, thar
| there never was greater display of acute and
correct reasoning and feeling eloquencc,
than was heard from both Mr.. Tyler aud Mr.
| Stevenson, The latter Of whom closed the ar
gument on the part of the defendant. The
case was certainly one Of deep interest, and
| opened wide { Id for the display of genius
| and eoqucnce. Subsequent to the transaction,
Graves had, in qualifying to a commission az
Lieutenant Colonel, taken the oath prescribed
by the anti-duellng law which he had also
done 10y Qualifying "A member of the Lee
gisiature. To find him guilty then, would
nol only have been to dislranchise him, but 10
have stamped on him the crime of perjury
Th" business of his cause, however, cumbin.
ed with the evidence and genius of his coun-
sci in explaining the testimony and ex-
pounding the law, was so strong as Ia con
vince, not only the mind Ofevery Juror, but il
Is thought every unprecedented man who
heard the trial., that the defendant WAS not
guilty, Off any one count laid in the indictment,
winch was pronounced by The Jury, who re-
manned bat few minutes in retirement On
readlS the verdict of the jury, which was
doue by the clerk in audible voice, there
hurst forth from the audience, acclamatuns Of
10y, surprising any thing ever vitnessed-
An involuntary ciappins Of hands, stamping on
the floor, with expressions of general satisfac-
ton resounded throughout. The Court, see
ing from what source those accIan4ations
sprung, bore the interruption for moment !;
when silence was commanded, all Immediate
ly oheyed, not one intending TIE smallest CON
tempt of the Court.
The highest praise is due to Messrs. TYLER
and Stevenson for The feeling and deeply affect
ing e!oquence with which they concluded
Their arguments. They seemed convinced,
that the defendant had been wrongfulIy op-
pressed f; thar con, lotion would not only pro-
due his own destruction, but throw upon his
offspring lasting stigma. go highly were
the feelings of those gentlemen Wrought upon,
that they burst forth in strain of Language
which even the prciudiced foes of Col. Graves
ould not withstand, and tears seemed ire
slstby Ia flow from almost every eve.
SPECTATOR OF THE TRIAL,
From an adjoining county.