Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-03-31


1t may be remembered by the reader. that it
has been said that Mr.. CiIIey, before the duel
with Mr.. Graves, requested lady, Mrs -,
residing with the family Of Mr.. Williams, ofNlaine,
at Washington, in the event Of his death to write
Z letter to his wife, and if possible to call upon
her personally on her return to the East, an re-
late their last conversation The lady has fulfilled,
in part, the request, and the following is a copy
Of her letter TO Mrs C.lley:
Washington, Feb. % 1893.
Ny Dear Mrs. CilIey Nothing but heartfelt
sympathy could promp, me to this painful duty.
What cap say, what ought l 10 say! In the hour
Of affection all earthly consolation fails. But
there is fountain which is never drv-your own
experience will lead YOU to it. You have sought
IT. YOU have found there the waters of eternal
life; may you now find its waves bearing you up
under the overwhelming affection that has come
upon You Remember, Father in heaven ne
yer willingly aftiic's gricvcs his chIldren-and
what VIC know not now, snail know hereafter.
There is balm in G:iead-;herc is Physician
who can bind up the broken heart. To Him, then
look in this hoar OF sorrow. Remembering Ike
sPmpa;hiscs with Us, and those He loveth He
chlstcnch. Knowing you are surrounded by
friends who are far more competent than 10 give
you religious consolation, and rccolecting what
your departed husband said IF do not survive,
my wife has religion to comfort her.. will now
turn to other things, which trust may mitigate
your so-row, If auG,t can do it. Oar hearts
rent with grief for vou, ana ourselves. We feel
loss to lie irrepairahIe deceased friend.
By his kindness and worth had made an impress
sion upon our hearts, never to be ef,ccd We all
believe him to have been most unwI!iIngly drawn
into this f,ta! affair and believing he firmly did,
that he performing his duty, hesitate not
! in saying, his feelings and conduct throughout
! 81, Lot,
possible for human being to possess, cvincc.
The evening previous he came to my room and
talked with nc for haitian hour. ! urged him
TO view this step IN all It's bearings. did all
could 10 oissuadc him from it. His purpose
fixed; doing, he said, he knew his mother, his
wife, would wish him to do. | asked him If he
a!izod eternity near. He replied that his
religious views differed from minc-that he belle
we'd fully in the immortality Of the soul. and that
God would finally restore all t. happiness. He
felt, he said, that his life had not been what ii
ought. Itol! HIM we were all sinners, and Sa
viour had been given rs. that we, by repentance
and filth in Him, might be saved. He said he
knew il. TIe asked me for my prayers, and for
my mothers: and be assured he had our most fer
vent ones. He desired me. if he should not sur
vivc, to tell you (and he hoped should sec you)
that he had endcavOrcd TO pursue that course IL,
all things, which you would approve, and his own
conscience dictated. lie ;old me he should write
fear shall not. | can account for it in no other
way, but by his having mistaken faith that he
would survive the encounter. need not assure
you every attention will he paid his lclcss re-
mains, that friendship can dictate If it bad been
in our power to have restored him, the me!ancho-
ly duty Of writing this, would not have fallen to
me. That pleasant smile that was ever on his
face in life, fingers on his marble features
What his friends say Of HIM, and they are praises
that one might cnvy)I will not now speak OF, as
it will but aggravatc your wrctchcdness- Permit
INC to saw, Incvcr mourncd Il friend moro sincere
", or sorrowfuy-and having in some sight de-
gree known his worth. aud appreciated H. DO tho
more heartily weep with you. Your little ones
were often spoken Of by him, and in that last con-
vcrsation, they were remembered with all the
pride and affection Of fathers hears. ] will not
say more knowing you cannot bear IT, 1t there
be any thing l can do, in any way, consider me
your friend and hesitate not to ask. A lock Of
hair is to be sent you. All our ladies deeply SYM
pa;hisc with you-fceling their loss as well as
yours, to be unspeakabiy great. NJ will
write YOU soon. and will Mrs. c., and Mrs.
p NV dear friend il have spoken too
frankly, or in anv way too harshly touched your
hcart-strincs forgive me. My heart is too full of
grief to write what could wish, and no letter,
howcver framed, could do for you what l most
gladly would Fain would say, look to God in
this sorrowf,,l hour. He is the widows God, and
the Father Of the f,thcricss-His mercles are
neither few nor smal-call upon Him and He will
be found With my love. will say adieu; and that
God NAV abundantv comfort and sustain you in
:, this try ing hour, is the crvcnt wish of your sym
plthizing friend.