Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-07-25

cation and I, thinking ii advisable that
] my sell should enquire into the etiquette
of my situation agreed TO receive next
morning his answer whether he would
take the paper or not ] lell him then,
and consulted my friends, Mr. Mcniiee,
Mr.. C,ilIenden, MIR. Wise, Sc, on the
subject. To my extreme regret, those
gentlemen all confirmed my painful sus.
picions of the responsibility that would
devolve upon me, IN the event of Mr..
Cilley's persistng IN his refusal 10 take
from my hands the commune alton, OF
which had innocently and unsuspcct-
ingIy consented TO be the bearer. The
next morning, waited on Mr. Cillcy
for his answer. lie told me, that his
friends had advised him not To accept
any commune alton from Col. Webb /;
but he added that he had no objection 10
saying TO me, that he had no personal
disrespeci for Col. Webb, and had only
spoken Of him in debate according to the
privileges Of THE House, without intend
ing any thing Of "A personal or private
nature. conscicntously thong ht, that
this ought to be sufficient TO satisfy Col
Webb, and so expressed myself 10 Mr.,
Cillcy. left him and consulted my
friends, and was never more happy III
my life than when they agreed with me
IN opinion, that the declaration Of MIR.
Cillcy ought 10 be regarded as satislac
tory. We soon found, however, that
some of Mr.. Cillcy's most violent poliii-
cal friends were impeaching my personal
veraciiy, by denying that ho had made
any admission at all TO me in regard to
his intention of offering no personal dis
respect TO Col. Webb. They denied
his having said To me, that his refusal to
receive Col. Wcbb's note was prcdica
ted upon grounds having no connection
with the character ard standing Of that
gentleman. therefore, in accordance
with the advice Of all my friends, again
spoke to MIR. CiIley, and told him, that
what had passed between him and nc
had not been in the presence of third
person, and that thought it might be
proper that he should commit to writing
what he had said to me IN regard TO
Colonel Webb, aud place il in my hands.
lie said that he had not the slightest OBJ
lection TO doing so, and, that he would
retire TO his room and send me the re-
quircd writing forthwith. | took my
seat in The house and waited several
hours, but did not receive the expected
communication. Sill resolved, howev-
er, to have every thing amicabIy adjust
ed il possible, ! again waited on MIR. &. /.
III person to remind him that he had ne
elected to send me the promised memo
randum of what he had said to me. lie ,
then told me, that he had concluded,
upon mature dcliberation, that the better
way would he for me TO address him
note making an enquiry as TO the con-
vcrsaiion that had passed between Us
upon the occasion in question and that,
If ] would 90 this, he would make the .
promised response promptly and cheer
fully. Without a moments hesitation |
consented To do this, and instantly wrote
the proposed enquiry in as few words as
possible, and, waving all ceremony,
(ior ! sincerely thought and iervently
hoped, that all difficulty was at an end
presented in person my note, marked
in the testimony No. /, to MIR. Cilley.-
lie said he would forward me his reply
as speedily Y as possible. Soon afterwards
| saw him in conversation with DIR. Dun
can and others, and, subsequently, his
reply, marked No. 9 in the testimony,
was handed me by Dr. Duncan. Upon
receiving that most unexpected note,
read It's contents in the face OF DR.. Dun
can, as distinctly as afterwards read
them in the note itself. ] saw that MIR.
CiIlcy, notwithstanding all his verbal
promises to me, was disposed to coun-
tenance an impu'ation upon my veracity,
and hence | lcl, it my duty again to con-
suit my friends. Acting entirely under
their guidance the guidance of men,
whose honor, whose pacific disposition,
and whose aversion to blood the world
has never doub,cd-l wrote the note
marked No. in the testimony.
charged my friends and advisers,
while they were framing that note, TO
consult my honor, and, through me, the
honor of the State, which | represented, =,
without any reference whatever to my
personal safety, which ! could not in the
slightest degree allow to be consulted
when my honor and that Of my State
were concerned. They and felt equal,
", that ! could not take any other steps
than those actually adopted, without
backing out of the affair gracefully
aud dishonorsbly | had fully learned
the responsibility Of my situation. Gen
tlemen Of the highest honor had informed
me Of the etiquette, which, till then, ]
was ignorant of; and | could not for
hesitate between the alternatives
Of honor and disgrace. | then felt, as
now feel, that it would be far better for
me to lay down my life than to risk my
own honor and the honor of Kentucky
(grcat cheering.) l still feel that it
would have been better for me and for
you that should have fallen Oh that oc-
casion than that one foul stain should
have been reflected OIL you through your
Representative (great cheering.) True
] was, and am have always been op-
posed in principle to duelling. was
wholly inexperienced-totally ignorant
of It's etiquette and code-but those, on
whose experience and high sense Of
honor | could faithfully rely, were my