The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-05-03
THE MADISONIAN.


number of the Democratic Review. The VIII
ter does nothing more than justice to MIR, WISE
while he does honor to himself in dong It,
MIR HENRY A. WISE AND THE ClLLEY
DUEL.
In the number ofthe Democratic Review for March,
1879 under the title Of The Maetyrdom Of Ciiley,"
we published article not yet probably forgotten by
some of our readers some portions OF which, now SIN
cerey regeting to have printed written, we are as
sincerely anxious to retrac and TO atone for to the
fullest extent that either justice can claim or gene
rosity 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
anoke the spirit which il breathed. The profound
sensation which electrified the heart of the whole
country the announcement OF that terrible tragedy
there are few doubtless who do not remember. What
NUT have been the emotions OF those who stood NJ
the very centre Of this deep and wide popular aga
tion-who In its victim mourned friend and recent
companion--and whose sight was still haunted by 'hs
image Of the good the gallant, and the gentle setcneu
before them in the CHASTITY awfuness OF such death
language could with difficulty utter, and memory
shrnEs from attempting TO recall II there was any
thing in the article IN question OF achaIacter 700 VIM
dctive and merciless, it is duty TO conscience ana
TO Christianity to express for it that regret which, at
calmer season of more just and charitable RETROSPECT
ton, ought to arise in every human heart which has
ever been hurried by natural passion to indulge such
a sentiment towards any fellow human being we
will only say that if there was in il any spirit OF ver-
geance, it was that unconscious vengeance which SO
often believes itse be but the righteous resentment
eff Justice That it was both sincere, and prompted
only by motives of high public duty may be as
sumed as sufficiently proved ty the slightest reference
10 the great personal peril at which such an article
was necessarily written and published under the ex-
isting circumstances Of time and place.
MI Wise was treated, in that article, as the true
author of the deaththe death which regarded as
q Il ida nm
fortunate fol that gentleman thatthe general complex
ion Of the dence OF the case far as II was then
spread before the pubic eye was such as to fasten
this imputation upon him, as the principal figure OF
the whole horrid transaction, with terrible degree OF
concentration and force. We will not recapltulae
we have no desire TO preserve its recollection. 50
general and SO strong was the effect hus Produced
that the echo has never yet entirely died away IRON
the land Of the execrations which were then heaped
upon his from every quarter OF ITS wide extent
A general impression has prevailed that he fomented
this wrechedly groundess quarrel urged forward ITS
consummalion and, in spirit of deadly ferocy that
knew no ruth relentng, forced il on TO It's fatal
issue only without any OF the conventional Justi-
fcation to be derived from the laws of the code OF
honor but in opposition TO its ceares principles -
Many personal and political friends, doubtless, took
different view of the matter, but IN the minds OF
great majority Of the people, such was the pervadng
impression let behind and when the death OF Cilley
was remembered, the image of Wise than that
of Graves, associated with the its truly
guilty and responsible author Though the latter
condemned, with less uniorgving reprobation, as
having evinced wicked weak ness OF conduct through
out the affair the former regarded the master
spirit Of them schief and having shown himself in
it 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 Mr..
Wise and if we in any degree contributed before to
aggravate that feeling, we hasten-equally 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
life, did not need more than justice, charity even as
mercy could be his only hope in the judgments Of his
God. 1t is especially our duty to judge men, when
we venture to judge them at all with reference to the
Standard of right to be sought in those codes of prac
tice and principle to which they have been educated,
and by the influences of which they have continued
in life surrounded. Without carrying this rule the
false length which would substitute the accidental
laws Of circumstance for the immutabe ones of uni
versal justice and right, and find an for all
wrong by transferring its responsibility to others
ancestors parents, associations, the word-the stern
moais will not refuse take these at least chart
tably into accounts If not to change his decision yet
to soften the severity of the penalties with which he
would visit the authors of human offences which in
themselves would sometimes to be beyond the
reach Of forgiveness The event to which we have
referred above in itself most foul deed, most
heinous clime-and constitutes of the most start
ling illustrations ever presented to the public mind
of the foolshness and the wckedness of that code OF
barbarian honor" to which poor Ciey fell victim
Its good effects have, doubtless, not been lost in
awakening in many minds those reflections upon the
absurdity and atroclty of the whole institution of the
Duel, which will eventually draw out Of the present
and partial evil 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 out the laws Of the code under which, in the
character Of second, he placed himself with terri
bic sternness and unbendinguess of purpose Furth-
than this we now satisfied that he neither went,
nor evinced desire to 60. For this, in view OF his
education and associations, we cannot extend to him,
individually, that condemnation due to the system,
which he merely had not the courage and cearness OF
moral vision to rase himself above 1t is TO be pre-
sumed he thought, as 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 vigor with
which he carried out the duties imposed upon his po
ston 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 barbarty and absurdity, can
have much ground which TO dispute their right to
do sorelative such terms are, in their common APP
pication either merits 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 then
that it 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 oveued by the other coun-
sellers engaged in the affair and that the field, in
the seemingly ruthless determination evinced by him
10 extort an unreasonable and impossible concession
from Mr. Cley, he followed only the written instruc
tons drawn up by the before setting out 1t is
also made clear and certain that the point of view in
which MIR. Wise regarded the matter from the begin
ning was that Of direct issue of veracity between
the two parties entirely disappearing that in which
it was exhibited throughout the written record of the
case, namely that of the vicarous vndcaton of the
honor of third party in whose behalf an acknow-