Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-08-08
THE CiLLEY DUEL.

The following extract from q speech re
Gently delivered by Mr.. GRAVES to his
of Louisville, and reported in
the Louisville Journal, throws strong light
upon the unhappy duel which was the sub.
ject OF 50 much speculation at t!.e timo il &C.
"I met Colonel w EBB one day in Wash
ington, and having experienced the mos,
marked aud unremitted Civiliiies from him
some time before in New York, during my
visit TO that city, naturally ielt disposed to
extend to HIM that courtesy whCh one gen
tleman owes TO another under similar cir
cumstances. Alter talking to him for some
time, no said that he had favor 10 ask of
me. replied, that any thing which one
gentleman might ask of another, aud which
had il in my power TO grant. would cheers
fully do for him. lie then handed me pa
per, ard said he would feel greatly Obliged
II would deliver that from him TO Mr..
CILLEY. Aware Of Mr.. Cilley's previous
remarks on Col. Webb, it Instantly struck
me tina, the paper was a challenge, and I
hesitated TO take il. asked Col. w cub
whether il was a challenge, and told him
that, il il was, I should decline having any
thing TO do with il. being opposed, in pi in
ciple, TO dueliing myself, and acting as the
Representative Of a District which believ-
ed TO he opposed TO it. | also told him that
! was totally ignorant Of the etiquette of du.
cling, and therefore very unfit person, on
| that account, II even had not insurmounta-
BILE objections Of another kind TO prevent mo
| from interfering. Col. Webb thea assured
\ me that the paper was not challenge; that
il was merely note of inquiry, to which a
definite answer was required. tie also As
M thnf 1 n ri anh oo>
quently he found necessary, ho would en-
pioy some other person than myself TO bear
It, Upon these assurances, totally uncCn-
scious, as 1 was, that any possible mischief
could arise out OF my carrying simple pa
per OF interrogation from one gentleman TO
another, took the mole and went TO THE
House. l sent one of the attending boys
Tor Mr., Cilley, who came out 10 me, and
then told him that Col. Webb had requested
me 60 hand him that paper. He said he
supposed ii was challenge, and that he
could not receive any thing OF the kind from
Col. Webb. told him that Col. Webb had
assured me II was not challenge, and with
this assurance l had become the bearer oft;
that would not have consented to be the
bearer of o challenge to him, as had The
kindest feelings towards him, and was OPP
posed to duelling but that hoped he would
consent tn take the note, as feared that his
refusal would place me in an embarrassing
situation. added that was wholly ignor-
ant OF The etiquette IN such cases, and had
never contemplated or thought OF such an
event as his refusal to take the communica.
ton He SAID he should be glad to have
time TO consult some friends on the propriety
OF his taking the commun icalion; and |,
thinking il advisable that myself should
Inquire into the etiquette of my situation,
agreed In receive next morning his answer
whether he would take the paper or not.
leit him then, and consulted my friends Mr..
Menefee, Mr.. Crittenden, MIR. Wise, &C.,
on the subject. To my extreme regret,
those gentlemen all confirmed my painful
suspicious OF the responsibility that would
devnlve upon me in the event of MIR. Cilley's
persisIing in his refusal TO take from my
hands the communication of which had in
nocently and unsuspectingIy consented 10
be the hesrer The next incoming waited
on Air. Ciiley tor hia snswer He told me
that lis friends had advised INN not TO acceu.
ary communication from Col Webb; but
he added hal he had so objection 30 saving
10 me lha he had no personal disrespecl Tor
Col. " cub, aud had on,y spoken OF him in
debate according 10 The privileges of THE
HOUSE, without intending any thing of a
personal or private nature. | conscientious
ly thought that this ought 10 be sufficient TO
satisfy Colonel Webb, and expressed my>
self 10 MIR. Cilley. ! LETT him and consulted
my friends, and was never more happy in
my life ,haa when they agreed with me IN
opinion that the declaration OF Mr. Cilley
ought 10 be regarded satisfactory.
We soon found, however, that some Of
MT Ciiley's most violc,.t political friends
were impeaching my personal veraciiy by
ying that he had made any admission al
all TO me in regard to his intention of Offer
ing no personal disrespect to Colonel Webb.
they denied his having sa id TO me that his
refusal 10 receive Colonel Webb's note was
predicated upon grounds having no connex-
ION with the character and standing of that
gentleman. therefore, in accordance with
the advice of all my friends, again spoke to
Mr.. Cilley, and told him what had passed
between him and me bad not been in The
presence OF a third person, and that thought
II might be proper that he should commit il
TO writing what he had said 10 me in regard
to Colonel Webb and place il in my hands
He said that he had not the slightest obiec-
tion 10 doing So and that he would retire TO
his room and send me the required writing
iorthw It'll ] took my seat in The House and
waited several hours, but did no, receive the
expected communication. Still resoiy ed,
however, TO have every thing amicably adj
Justed, IL possible, | again waited on Mr.. G.
IN person, 10 remind him that he had neg
lected 10 send 10 me the promised mcmuran-
dun OF what be had said 10 me- He then
told me that he had concluded, upon mature
dcliberatloO, that The better way would be
Tor me TO address bim a note making an in.
curry as TO the conversation that had uassed
between us upon the occasion in question
and that, " | would do this he would MALI