Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-04-01
From de National Intelligencer.
rs defence bf TIE Cylley murder.

Mr.. Glars defence pr the Cylley murder.
We have received bnd been requested TO
publish the following letter and statements,
which we do with pleasure. They need not
one word Of comment
LoulsvnLe, Ky, Feb. 16, lS42.
Ny Dean Sir 81 hasten to respond to your
favor of the 10th inst, which reached me by
the mail of this morning. have been extreme
~ panied and most deeply mortified. at the
manner in which the Boston Morning Post and
other political papers have wantonly connected
YOUR name with the unfortunate affair between
the late Mr.. Cilley and myself.
Painful, however, as Il Is Cor ne to allude to
this melancholy event, or the circumstances
connected with it, and certain as / am that,
should this meet the public eye, the relentless
spirit Of party will tear open afresh wounds
but partially healed by dime, yet it would he
much less affecting to me than to see you suf-
fer uniustly on account Of your involuntary
connexion with that affair. therefore for
ward you my statement, as nearly as my re-
collection serves me, after the lapse of four
wears, with the privilege of using it as circum-
stances, in your opinion. require.
From the commencement Of the difficulty be-
tween Mr.. Cilley and myself: up to the time
sent him the challenge, do not recoslect that
mentioned it to you or any other colleague or
friend, eir ped Ar. Menefee and Mr.. Wise
know it Was my purpose to communicate on
the subject with apsh persons only as had de-
termined to ST. al tas my friends, should the
matter not SIZE sfuate amicably. Hence, my
friend and colleague, Mr.. Southgate, who sal
correspondence. knew not word Of the affair
from me until it was over. hoped from the
first that it would be amicably adjusted, and
felt strong solicitude that it should be known
to as few persons as possible.
do not recollect naming the subject to you
until the morning before the meeting, when l
called at your room, think in company with
Mr.. Wise, and exhibited to you the correspon-
dence, and perhaps detailed TO you the circum-
stances Of the affair. remember that you sug-
gested TO me some modification in the phrase
ology of the challenge, which had written
but had not sent, by which milder language
was employed, and the door was not SO COM
pleteIy closed against adjustment. l recollect
well, at the time you suggested the modiica-
ton, which believe was written by yourself
on another piece Of paper, you stated that you
thought the matter ought to be and would be
amicably adjusted; and in this remember
Mr.. Wise concurred with you in opinion.
recollect this the better from conviction rest
ing on sssy wind .ie sira~ that ihoso in
fuences, which | thought saw more fully
than any Of my friends, that initiated against
this view ofthe subject; some (which think
mentioned to you in reply to your suggestion
that you thought the matter would be adjusted
without hostile meeting. think ] adopted
your form, with but little if any modification.
and | suppose destroyed it, and that drawn
originally by myself. do not think alluded
to this subject in your presence again until a
bout nine o'clock of the night preceding the
meeting, when had but moments conversa-
ton with you, in which made known to you
my want Of skill in the use of the weapon Sc
lected by my adversary.
II is utterly untrue that you ever exhibited
to me any wish that the meeting should take
place. believe had no friend in Washing
ton who more regretted it. ] recollect after
The affair, when we met at our boarding house
you seemed 10 sympathize most deeply will,
me in my misfortune. You wept, and were
unable to utter word.
1t is also charged i'd this Boston paper that
Mr.. Crttenden was responsible for. and was
one Of the main actors in the prelinlharles that
brought on this melancholy affair. Now, al
though You, Mr.. Crittenden, Mr.. Menifee, and
myself were boarding together, Mr.. Critten.
den knew not a word Of the difficulty until a
bout ten or eleven o'clock Of the night before
the meeting-when Mr.. Menifee and myself,
and think Mr.. Wise, went after him at Mr..
Joseph Gales's, where he and his family were
spending the evening. Mr. Crittenden was
very reluctant to be one ofthe two friends who
under the prelimnaries upon which Gen. Jones
and Mr.. Wise had agreed, were to accompa-
nv each second; and it was not until made
the reques: IN person, for reasons that think
gave him for my solicitude that he shoild be
present, that he finally consented. was the
more anxious that he should be on the ground,
because in Kentucky, and wherever else he
was well known, no man was more distin-
guished for his mildness and humanity be-
Ileved his presence would be the best evidence
could offer at home that did not intend to
act rashly, or 60 beyond the requirement OF
those laws under which went to the field.
AS soon as there had been refusal to re-
ceive the note Of Col. Webb, called to my
aid the advice Of Mr.. Menefee and from that
time do not recollect that any thing whatev-
er was done either by them or myself that did
not meet the E6st entire appreciation OF ALL
They acted as my friends, and represented
Tie in the affair. And only am responsible
for what they did. They could have had no
motive to do any thing more tnan 70 Psotec'
my life and my honor. :,
It would be much less painful to me, II
those who feel themselves called on to renew
the discussion Of this most disagreeahle SUD
ject would spare my friends, and let their cen.
sure and denunciations fall exclusively on my
head.
Just before leaving the city for the ground
| informed the friends who accompanied me
that had but one suggestion to make, and
that was, in order 10 avoid any inadversence'
growing cut Of the haste and excitement Incl.
dent to the adjustment Of such affairs on the
ground, that they should confer together ana