The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1838-05-01


a tone Of mutually sffectionate confidence
and frsukness. Treachery TO the generou
feelings which he invoked, in an appea
thus made, by falsebood, rank, repeated
aud wiful, miDgling with such appeal, a
it were in the very same breath, is certain.
/ ly fitting climax TO the rest Of his conduc
I in this dreadful business. In his statement
he makes the following as his leading
points:
!. That the weapon was barbarous and
deadly.
Yet he expresses to Jones the opinion
that The parties will not be able to Int each
other at the first shot. Mr.. Graves re-
marks that it was chance shot to hit a
man at such distance. The absurdIty of
regarding The rifle AT eighty yards (selecred
by a challenged party, unacquainted, and
to be presumed unacquainled with more
usual dueling weapons) as more deadly
weapon than the pistol at ten or twelve
Yards, is self evident. And he himself be-
fore the third shot announces hi, intention n
to propose to shorten the distance at the
next shot.
2. He (Mr Ciley) precipitated the time
of meeting when the second of Mr.. Graves
was avowing a want of preparation, and
a desire for delay. Yet in reply to a cross
question by Mr.. Jones, whether he did not
say to him on the preceding evening that
he wished .he meeting to take place as
soon as practicable, and only wished delay
to enable him to procure a rIfle.-Mr. Wise
has to answer affirm atively.
3. The rifle sent on Saturday morning
by Mr.. Jones, appeared an insulting taunt,
and had highly exasperating effect.
Yet Wise is compelled to answer Mr..
Jones, that he had himself requested him,
on the preceding evening, to inform him
where one could be got; has mo doubt
that ii WAS in consequence of that conversa-
ton that Mr.. Jones sent the rifle TO his
room :" and has I" no hesitation in acquit-
ting Mr.. Jones of any improper motive in
the manner of rendering that rifle J" If
that did then have the effect of creating a
feeling Of resentment and evaporation,
and the others speak of its having been
in that lght,) woe, then, thrice
heavy woe, indeed, upon the head of him
who caused or permitted it to be regarded
in such a point of view, and to produce
such an effect!
A. Mr.. Cilley might have Withdrawn his
second shot, but instead of it fired a delib-
crate shot with the evident worst purpose
and feeling, at Mr.. Graves's life.
Yet it is proved by all the witnesses,
that precisely the same thing was done, in
similar manner and time by Graves at the
first shot, aud that in neither case, as both
were in the act of firing, would it have been
possible for either 10 have withheld his shot.
8. The duel was fought on the question
of veracity.
Yet this pretension is utterly disproved,
md, amongst other overwhelming evi-
jences, by The distinct language admitted
by Mr.. Wise to have been used by himself
on the field.
Omitting his denial of any hostile rela-
tion between himself and Ciiley, and one
or two minor points, how can even Mr..
Wise, after such u conviction, ont of his
own mouth, ever dare to look his constitu-
ency agap in the face.
Before concluding / ought to add that
Messrs. Bynum, Duncan, Schaumburg,
Jones and DIR. Foltz, appear all in h,gh-
|y honorable light in the evidence, as men
Of heart and head. The censure of Jones,
reported by the committee, is evidently Il
mere matter of form. He was very averse
% eug aging in the affair, and onl y yielded
o the most urgent requests MIR. Cilley hav-
Hg already determined upon the accep-
lance of the challenge, and the terms ofthe
combat lie has, understand, been very
much affected by some censures which have
,een cast upon his conduct, as wanting iA
proper frmness and clearness of purpose
Cilley's friends are, however, generally per-
ectly satisfied that he could not possibly
rave done more, and that to Withdraw Gil
ey from the ground would have been i'm
possible under the circumstances.