The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-23
THE CILLEY DUEL.

IL will be recollected by our readers, that we
published short time since letter from Mr.
Wise TO Mr. Graves, calling upon that gentle
man TO substantiate by his own recollection OF
the fatal duel, statement of facts connected with
It drawn up by Mr.. w. The whole subject (as
far as we can judge in common with all others
that read the newspapers has been brought be-
fore the public, at this late period, merely TO re-
move the odium which the political enemies
OF Mr.. Wise endeavored to fix upon him, as
one more culpably implicated in the death of
Mr.. Cilley than any other person. The reply
of Mr.. G., though differing in various unimpor-
tant particulars from the statement of Mr.. W.,
yet most trumphantly acquits him of all crimi-
nal interference in the matter. No man will
hereafter attempt again to attach more blame to
Mr.. Wise than justly attaches to Mr.. Clay, Mr.
Crttenden, Mr.. Menefee, and others
We give the following extracts from Mr.
| Graves letter:
DEAR Sir After an absence from home for more
| than two weeks, returned at late hour last night
and found your letter Of the 25th ultmo, addressed
to me through the columns of the National Inelli-
gencer and in compliance with your request hasten
| to respond TO it.
However disagreeable it may be for me to appear
before the public on the subject of your communica-
ton, do not feel at liberty to withhold from you any
information possessed by me, deemed by you neces-
sary for your vindication shall feel most happy il
can contribute towards exemptng you from all
blame, in future, growing out of your connexon with
| the unfortunate affair between the late Mr. Cilley
and myself. You have suffered under the most cruel
injustice long enough should think, to satisfy the
most unrclenting OF your enemies ! always have
a.
blame or censure growing out OF your connexion IN
that affair, and now publicly meet, by downright
contradiction the charge that you either instgaed
in anywise promoted the duel l., and only, am
Justly responsible for whatever done by myself,
or those representing me as my friends on that occa-
sion. The pain which have suffered from the re-
peated efforts Of your malicious and reckless enemies
to transfer to you the responsibilities that Justly at
tached to in that affair, has been greatly increased
by efforts that are now making in some portions OF
the country, to cast upon Mr.. Clay for the
connexon which his friendship for me forced him,
reluctantly know, TO have with the subject.
You state in your letter to me that you have suf-
fered in reputation by the charge of being the nst
gator Of my duel with MIR. Ciey long enough. This
have known and felt long since and have never
failed, when properly could, to meet such imputa-
tons.
That done, thought successfully in the testi-
mony taken by the committee. That others have
chosen recklessy to repeat and reerate the impita
ton IS most affecting to me, more than II can be
to any other person; but am as powerless as you
to restrain the reckless from speaking whatever
they choose. | can but repeat again and again, that
you did not nstigate the meeting, and that you
not responsible that l. and | only, responsible
for it,
| | selected you, Mr.. Crttenden, and Mr.. Menefee,
as friends to accompany me to the ground; and have
every reason to suppose that you all felt the respon-
sibity of your situations, and regretted that you had
to meet it. That you did so has placed me under
high obligations to you ! do not recollect single
act which disapproved in any of you and if made
any requisition upon you, suggested any view, in
the whole transaction, which you either of them
that you and they were persons in whom could most
safely trust my life and honor.