Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-03-29


tors of public journals for what he had thought
| proper to say in debate upon the Aoor aud
! that he did not decline upon any personal OBJ
! jections TO Col. Webb as gentleman" Nc
Graves asked whether thought that answer
satisfactory? | replied, that Il certainly was
satisfactory that the reasons for declining
10 receive the note were very proper that
no more could be asked aud that all he had
to do was, TO return the note to Col. Webb,
with this answer Of mr. Ciey lie said inr
Ciey's answer was verbal, merely that, TO
prevent any error in stating it TO Col. Webb,
and to avoid all controversy with mr. Cilley,in
regard TO its substance or terms, he would
get him to put il IN writing. And he left me,
as thought, for the purpose of obtaining
from mr. Cilcy Ur,htn dnsOer. ] returned
to my seat, aud neither saw nor heard any Of
the interviews between Inr CIlley aud mr.
Graves, nor do know when or where they
occurred, or what transpired at them. except
what have becn since told by mr. Grnves.--
On the morning Of the 22d, mr Graves in
formed me that he had called on inr Cilloy,
and requested him to put his answer in writ
ing that mr. Cilley had requested bim first 10
address him (mr Cilley) a note, inquiring of
him what he had said TINT he had written
20 him note, (tbe first in their correspon-
dcnce.l and handed it to him in person and
that for answer he had received the first note
Of mr Cillcy, which he then exhibited to me-
Mr. Graves was highly inccnscd ut the tenor
Of this note. and confess that il greatly sur
prsed me, after what mr. Graves told me he
had said verbally in their interviews. Mr.
Graves regarded the note
! First. rs dtnying ,chdf he had alleged 10 his
.bieads Mr. Ciiiey had said 10 him M conrersd-
lion.
! Secondly. as eontempluous and insulting
/. 10 Col. HtbL, ,ohose mole he had borne.
Thirdly. As placing Mr. Grares himself IN
the hmndiaiing altitude n suppiieation 10 him
(.Mr Cittey) 10 retiere HIM (.W Crdres) from
IAN unpleasant situation"
! Fourthy. rs saying, in effect, ~ do mol re-
cognise Cor. WEEB 10 be a gentleman, sir,tm
! respect YOU as one" thereby inpiting Mr.
Graves 10 substitute himself for Col. Webj.
! Such was the construction which mr. Graves
put upon that letter; and cond not sec,ond
cannot now, what other construction he could
have put upon it, taken in conncxion with the
conversations which he averred bad passed
previously between them. il seemed wholly
irreconcilablc with, and contradictory to, what
Lad passed between them verbally. But, np.
on due consideration, he determined to otii-r
mr Cilley again IN opportunity to explain.--
lie prepared his second letter, and sent il tn
mr. Ciley by the honorable mr Menefec, ms
| he has since informed me. know nothing
of what passed between wr Clley and mr
Menefec.
/ During the sitting of the House on the 22d,
between the hours Of 3 p. IN. and p. IA,
think, mr. Graves came to me with mr. Cillcy's
reply, in which he denied the right of mr.
Graves 10 PROFOUND The question in his second
note, ard rcguce:cd inc 10 bear to mr. C'ley
= n challenge, which he had already written,
and which he placed in my hands. eE-
pressed my reluctance 10 be the bearer told
: him would confer with him again upon the
subject; and returned to my seat to attend 10
the discussion of the bill in relation TO the
Disturbances on the Canadian frontier. ] ad-
dressed the House tbat evening soon after
which il adjourned.
Mr. Graves walked with me from the Cspi-
tol to my boarding-house. then repeated
my objections to be The bearer Of his ''i,aF,
lcngc, snd insisted that ! would not bear il
that evoning--that wanted time for reiec-
ton that could not do that service, under
any circumstances, except for an inilmste
friend, who would make like sacrifice, and
incur like responsibility for me that re-
gardcd him as such friend, who had in fact
shown every disposition 10 stand by me upon
trying occasions; but hoped that something
might yet be done to cvoid the alternative he
had chosen and that must be permitted 10
delay the delivery of il until the next day, IT
| delivered it all ] prevailed 90 hin, TO wait
until tho next morning, when lie called upon
me again, said that nothing had occurred 10
change his dete rmina,on; took the CT ailenge.
aud changed its phraseology; { ! have srt "a
copy of the first he put into my hands. nor do
n recolect its terms y and insisted that
should deliver it before the House met, on
the Odd of February. wssprevaiIcd on 10
do 80 and accordingly, few Minutes be-
fore IL n., on Friday, the 23j, ] called OF mr.
Cilley's boarding house, and handed him the
paper.
4 When went into the stting-room at mr.
Bertis, | met gentleman whom l took 10
be mr. Williams, the Senator from Maine
We COW ersed few minutes, and in a short
time mr. Pierce,the Senator from New fIamp-
shire, came in, followed by mr. Cilley. DE-
rectly after salutiDg these gentlemen, mr.
Williams FIRST, and mr. Pierce soon after hin,
retired into an adjoining room, leaving mr.
Cilley and myself alone. Informed him that
| bore to him note from mr. Graves. lio
said, 81 will receive il, sir" ! handed him
the challenge; lie read il, and said, ''mr
Pierce, or some other friend, sir, will hand
rnr Graves nv answer" bowed, and re
parted. went Immediately TO the House,
and, in the evening, after It's adjournment, mr.
Jones cnme to my room, and handed mr Gil.
|, lcy's acceptance to mr Graves, as described
in our joint statement. Mr. Graves, expecting
to haze to fight with pistols, had come l., my
room to examine a pau | had, and see whe'h-
er they would suit biu lie had not been
practised in tho use Of any weapon, he told
be, and desired me 10 have my pistols PIT u.
order 20 90 out with him next morning, and
instruct him how to usc them.
\ Soon after nn Jones furnished me with the
terms Of the meeting, left my room with mr.
Y Menefec, who had come in just as mr. Jones
and were parting. about p. m, tl'nk, to
show the terms to some Of mr. Grnvcs tfionds
4 and 10 submit to them whether they should
4 he accepted. They were condemned as bhr-
n bsrous, and such "a might properly be de-
cli,ed; but ii was thought that they we're in
/ tended to intin,idaie, that the distance wsP
So great rs, IN come measure, to mitigate the
! severity Of the weapon, and, hsre'o-c, was
advised that they shon'd be accepted. 10.
deed, il wns thought that the acccPtsncc OF
such terms might avoid tho duel altogether,
;nasmuch az the plain object cl such propo-
VI ..tlox .,.ok< fIS 6u</ Iff0f IA