The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-03
THE MAIDSTONE N.

ter does nothing more than justice TO Mr.. wise,
while he does honor to himself in doing IT.
MR. HENRY A. WISE AND THE CILLEY
DUEL,
In the number of the Democratic Review for March
1885, under the title of " The Ma-tyrdom Of Cillsy,"
we published article not yet probably forgotten by
some of readers, some portions Of which, sin
cerey regetling to have printed written,
sincerely anxious to retract and to atone for to the
fullest extent that either justice can CLAIM gene
rosty could suggest.
The article referred to was written almost it
were by the very side of the dead body of the friend
whose unhappy fate created the occasion for it, and
woke the spirit which it treathed. The profound
sensation which electrified the heart Of the whole
country the announcement of that terrible tragedy,
there are few doubtless who do remember. w hat
must have been the emotions OF those who stood at
the very of this deep and wide popular agita-
tion-who in its victim mourned friend and recent
companion--and whose sight still haunted by the
age Of the good the gallant and the gentle stretched
before them in the ghastly awfuness of such death
language could with difficulty utter, and memory
shrinks from attempting TO recall If there any
thing the article question of character too
dctive and merciless, it is duty to conscience and
Christianity to express for that regret which,
calmer of more just and charitable RETROSPECT
ton, ought to arise in every human heart which has
been hurried by natural passion to indulge such
sentiment towards any fellow human being. We
geance, it that unconscious vengeance which SO
often believes ITSELF to be but the righteous resentment
eff Justice. That it both sincere and prompted
only by motives of high public duty, may be as
sumed sufficiently proved ty the slightest reference
to the great personal peril at which such article
necessarily written and published, under the ex
listing circumstances of time and place
Mr.. Wise was treated, in that article, the true
author of the deah-the death which was regarded as
the murder-Of poor Ciey. 1t was indeed very I'M
haiti ov
ion Of the dence OF the case, far it then
spread before the pubic eve, was such as to fasten
this imputalion upon him, the principal figure of
the whole horrid transaction, with terrible degree of
concentration and force. We will not recapitulae it
we have desire preserve its recollection. So
general and So strong the effect thus produced,
that the echo has yet entirely died away from
the land of the execrations which were then heaped
upon his from every quarter OF its wide extent.
general impression has prevailed that he fomented
this wretchedly groundess quarrel, urged forward its
consummation, and in spirit of deadly ferocity that
knew ruth nor relenting forced it on to its tata
issue, only without any of the conventional ust
fcation to be derived from the laws of the code of
honor but in opposition to It's clearest principles
Many personal and political friends doubtless, took
different view of the matter, but in the minds of
great majority of the people, such the pervadlng
impression lett behind; and when the death Of Cilley
was remembered, the image of Mise, more than that
of Graves, associated with the as its truly
guilty and responsible author Though the latter was
condemned with a less unfOrgiving reprobaton,
having evinced wicked weak OF conduct through
out the affair." the former regarded the master
spirit of the schef, and having shown himself in
of dark and malignant soul, of bad and bitter
heart
The recent publications which have been made on
this unhappy subject, have satisfied that in all this
great and serious injustice has been done TO M
Wise; and if we in any degree contributed before to
aggravate that feeling, we hasten-equay now as
then, unsolicited and unprompted-to volunteer the
expression of cur regret, and of desire to apply
such remedy as may be in our power.
No man, but ONE, has yet trod the earth, who
in the judgments of his fellow men upon him and his
hfe did not need more than justice, charity even
mercy could be his only hope In the judgments of his
God. 1t is especially duty to Judge men, when
venture TO judge them at ALL with reference to the
standard of right be sought in those codes of prac
tce and principle to which they have been educated,
and by the influences of which they have continued
in life surrounded. Without carrying this rule to the
false length which would substitute the accidental
laws of circumstance for the immutable of uni
versal justice and right and find an excuse for all
wrong by transferring its responsibility to others
ancestors parents associations the word-the
est moralst will not refuse take these at least chart
taby into account If not 10 change his decision, yet
soften the severity of the penalties with which he
would visit the authors of human offences, which in
themselves would sometimes seem to be beyond the
reach of forgiveness The event to which we have
referred above was in itself most foul deed most
heinous cIme-and Constitutes of the most start
ling illustrations ever presented to the public mind
of the fOOshness and the of that code of
barbarian honor" to which poor Ciley fell victim.
Its good effects have doubtless not been lost in
awakening in many minds those reflections upon the
absurdy and atroclty of the whole institution OF the
Duel which will eventually draw out of the present
and partial evil a lasting and extended good 1t is TO
be hoped that its moral influence in this way has not
been lost upon those themselves engaged in it.
Mr. Wise in this matter acted as duellist, and he
carried the-laws Of the code under which, in the
character of second he placed himself with terri
Bile sternDess and unbendngness of purpose. Furth-
er than this we now satisfied that he neither went
nor evinced desire to 60 For this in view of his
education and associations, cannot extend 10 him.
Individually, that condemnation due to the system
which he merely had not the courage and clearness of
moral vision to raise himself above. 1t is 10 be pre-
sumed he thought, is thought by body Of public
opinion in his country too large to be treated with
tire contempt that duelling of the necessary
evils of society," for the prevention of greater
like hanging, for example; and if his friends choose
to claim credit for the frmness and vgor with
which he carried out the duties imposed upon his po
sition by the principles of the Duel we can scarcely
see how any one who would applaud the display of
similar faculties in the administration of that other
institution of kindred barbarity and absurdity, can
have much ground on which to dispute their right to
do so-relative such terms are their common APP
plcaton, either merits or Crimes according to pub
lie opinion usage and the motive spirit by which
the individual may have been actuated.
With respect to the latter appears to to be made
fully manifest that instead of the duel having been
urged on by the counsels of Mr.. Wise, the course
pursued had been resolved independently Of ther
that il was followed out without his APPROVAL that af
ter the announcement of the weapons chosen by the
challenged party he wished to arrest it, on the
ground Of their unusual, and, he assumed fero-
cious charactera ground overrued by the other coun
sellers engaged in the affair and that the field, in
the seemingly ruthless determination evinced by him
TO eItort an unreasonable and impossible concession
from Mr.. Cilley he followed only the written nstruc
tons drawn up by the before setting out. 1t is
also made clear and certain that the point of view in
which Mr.. Wise regarded he matter from the begin
ming, was that Of direct issue of veracity between