Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1838-03-15
Hsn Ne SyssAi=yfss Gssss.
THE RvEE.
| We have s..s furnished with III. felIos-

We have bssa furnished with the foliox-
ing sos Pesiis.iieas
sfssiias.sa ci;s, ya.ges G.
SiR; I eneioss yeu three printed
paragraphs. cut from newspapers, hav-
ing relation TO the inquiry 'xiih which
the committee Of which you are chair.
man has been charged by the House Of
Representatives. The frat Is taken
from letter written from philadelphia;
the second from n letter written from
this city; the third 10 taken from the
editorial head of the New York Cou.
rier and Enquirer; AID all OF them at
!ribuiing the death Of air. Ci.iey 10
my counselS and eon,rivances. The
posiiiveness with which the writers OF
these paragraphs detail the circunsian-
ces which enable them 10 charge me
With the death Of Mr.. CiIlcy, may pre-
sent them as proper witnesses 10 be ex-
amined IN relation 10 that event; and,
IT so. / have 10 request that I may be
allowed TO be present at their exsmi.
naiica.
In the mean time. justice 20 the
dead. who can no longer speak for
himself, and due regard 10 the object
oi these coinciden: movements from
three cities. induce me TO say that. so
FAR as my, name IL concerned. there is
not one particle OF truth in the state /.
ments OF these paragraphs. So far from
counseliing with Mr. Cilley, and pre-
venting him from admitting The true
report Of his conversations with Sir.
Graves, 1t happens to be the fact that
never saw MIR. Ciiley. 10 know him,
but once IN his life, and that at the
commencement OF the session, when
he did ire the honor 10 call upon me
IN company with Mr.. Pierce, of the
Senate; and that no communication Of
any kind. written or verbal. direct or
indirect, personal or political, has ever
taken place between Us. Instead OF
contriying and creating this duel, il SO
happened that my first knowledge Of il
was received in my chair in the Sc
nate. on Friday. from Mr.. Haight, the
Sergeant-at-arms, who mentioned IL to
me AZ town talk; my next knowledge
Of il was from Mr.. Pierce, Of the Sc
na,e, and at MY place in the Senate, so
that l was IN arrear Of the town talk on
The subject. With respect to this won
derful rifle firing. Of which am re-
resented to have been the superinten-
deaf, and TO have expressed such high
admiration, il happens 10 be the fact
that have not seen a rifle fred in
twenty years. With respect TO MIR.
Graves. whose death am charged ~i,h
so anxiously eontriving, il so happens
that do not know, the person OF that
gentleman; that not q word Of any kind
has ever passed between US; that do
not know that he has ever spent tho't
upon me. and am certain that his exist.
enee even was unthough: of by me al
the time that l am charged xiih plan
ming his death. With respec. 10 MI.
Duncan, with whom am charged with
being in consultation nearly all the
week. have no recollection Of haying
seen him until after mid day on Sa.
turday, when he and others stopped at
Mr.. Jones's door. which is next door 10
mine. on their way out. and when my
counsels can be stated by others more
appropriately than by myself.
Reserving any further details for a
more suitable occasion. ] have to re-
quest you 10 lay this letter. with its en-
closure, before The committee Of which
you are chairman, for such action upon
It as they may think proper to have.
Respectfully, sir. your obi serv's.
THOS. II. BENTON.
To the Hon. MIR. ToUcEY, Chairman.