The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-01

friends on Mr.. Ceys part, were considered clothed
with the same authority and responsibility were
General Jones and myself
Before General Jones and myself concluded our in.
terview, you sent Mr.. Menefee TO me TO ascertain
what the terms ! showed them to him. and as
he afterwards testified, "animadverted with severity
upon their Objectionable character" Indeed did
not then accept them, but told General Jones that
would deliberate upon them, and inform him OF my
determination in writing. AS soon as could, (about
o'clock, NJ went to Mr.. Clay's room, and
submitted them to him. think you were present. !
protested that they unusual and barous, and
should not be accepted. Mr. Clay said that you
:" Kentuckian, and that Kentuckian could back
out from rifle !" "that the distance was great and
that even If the terms were unusual and barbarous,
the party proposing such was most likely to fly from
them himself" Upon this view of his, you deter
mined TO accept them and / accordingly so notified
General Jones. about 8 o'clock p. M in the follow
ing note, 10 wit
"WAsHINToN, February %, 1888.
"SR The T. rms arranging the meeting between
Mr.. Graves and Mr. Cey, which you presented 10 me,
this evening" though unusual and Objectionable,
accepted; with the understanding that the rifles are
To be loaded with single ball. and that neither party
is to raise his weapon from the downward horizontal
post until the word fire. l will inform YOU sir,
by the hour of II o'clock, A. M tomorrow, whether
Mr. Graves has been able to procure rifle, and, con-
sequenlly, whether he will require a postponement of
the time of meeting.
"Your very obedient servant
"HENRY A. WISE
"Hon GEO. w JONES"
After the delivery ofths note it became my duty to
prepare for the meeting. A ioedpon to be pro-
cured, and "ti1o other friends" to be selected,
My hope was to postpone the duel, under the preext
of not being able to procure rifle order TO afford
Mr.. Clay some other OF your friends opportunity to
have you and Mr. Cilley both arrested, through Col.
Webb, by the civil authorities. II was with that view
that caused the last Clause in the terms to be insert
ed, and that ! added The last clause in my note TO
Gen. Jones To form excuse for getting no rifle
that night went to bed about 10 O'clock and was
fast asleep when Mr. Menefee awoke me about
o'clock Saturday morning and informed that Mr..
Crittenden had procured rifle for you from Mr..
Rives, (the partner Of Mr.. Blair in the Globe) In
the morning you had gone down TO the arsenal To try
the rifle before saw you, and | joined you and
Messrs, Crittenden, and Menefee, and Halves there.
You shot so awkwaIdly that your friends determined
to delay the fight for you to practice, but unfortunate
ly, the meeting FASTENED by finding return
the rifle, bullets, powderfask, &c, rendered, al
ready described in the published statement, Of Gen.
Jones and myself, by the opposite party.
In the selection Of the "tro other friends" urged
tina, Mr. Crittenden should be of them, because
he would be most likely for Cancellation, and his age,
experience and standing would be the best authority
tor any adjustment of the controversy; and he was
calboon or MIR. HAYES. Mr. Meneiee was chosen
by yourself ! was directed by you to consult with
them, and to take no step without their advice and
consent And you directed US all three, Peremporly,
to accept no explanation or apology satisfactory
which did not admit in some form your statement Of
what Mr.. CiIey said to you in your fr-t interview
with him. This was your general instruction, and
given to US in a consultation held before leaving the
city when, also, Mr. Crittenden proposed that he,
Mr.. Meneiee, and myself should determine, before
going the ground, the principles which
should attempt to accommodate the matter in the
event Of an Intellectual exchange Of shots. His mo-
tive, he said, was TO place the propositions of accom-
mediation in the most conciliiory form and language,
and to leave little possible to the hurry and mad
vertence of the moment the field Each of US,
accordingly, wrote down what we thought should be
considered sufficient. Either Mr.. Criltenden or Mr..
Meneee wrote this, to wit
"That in declining to receive from Mr.. Graves
the note from Col. Webb, Mr. Cilley was not nflu-
enced by considerations affecting the honor Of Col.
Webb
The other wrote this, to wit;
Mr Cilley states that he did not decline TO receive
Colonel Webb's communication from Mr. Graves in
consequence of any personal exception to Col Webb
as gentleman or man OF honor"
The proposition which wrote this, to wit
"Mr.C illey declined to receive the communication
from Col Webb, at the hands of Mr. Graves, upon
the ground that he (Mr, Ciey) did not hold himself
werahle to Col Webb for words spoken in debate
on the floor of the House of Representatives"
These or any admissions similar to these, were to
be deemed sufficient They were written and handed
to me as my instructions.
As to what occurred on the ground the facts gen
orally are already known and published did no
thing which was not approved by you and by both
MIR. Crttenden and Mr.. Menefee | never used to
you any such expressions as Graves shoot lower y
and in notifying General Jones that if the third shot
did not prove etfectual would demand that the dis
lance should be shortened, obeyed only your posi-
tive oredrs approved of the order, however, be-
cause you were unpractsed rleman, whilst Mr.
Ciley was good shot, and the further you
placed apart the less chance you had of saving your
self by first hitting him, and the greater the chances
were in his favor, and the less equal was the fight
! had no knowledge or information, and believe
YOU had none of Col Webbs dispositions, intentions
or movements on the day of the duel Had he gone
upon the ground as it was afterwards published in
the Courier s. Enquirer he intended, to interrupt Mr.
Cilley or the meeting with you, he would have been
resisted to the extremity of life and death by you
and all your friends.
Such is the statement which wish YOU in brief, to
confirm or to correct. My only object in obtaining
il from YOU before either of departs this life,
leave a record earth to vndicate myself and all
others from the charge of nstigatng you to the duel
with Mr. Ciey. You are the best witness the nature
of the admits of to prove dsproye that charge
against any Of your friends The mputation is
cast upon me- | your second, and have the
right, as am reluctantly compelled to appeal to you
for the whole truth in my Defence convict or clear
whom it may.
HENRY A. WISE.
WASHINGTON, February % 1912.
JAMES PHALEN g. Co, Managers Office, cor
ner of 9th ST. and Penn av.