Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1842-03-03
LorIsrI.Lr. (Kr0 Feb. l6 lsi1.

LerIsvI-LE. (KT) Feb. ls 1872.
Mr. DEsR sra: hasten 10 respond 70 your
savor Of the 10Th instant, which reached NE by
the mai. of This morning Ihsve heea extreme
j panied. and most deeply moftitied, al The man-1
net IN Which The Boston Morning Posi- and other
Rolilical papefs have wanionIy connected yoqrI
name wIih NE uRfoftunase sfair bsIHeen the
late Mr.. citLEy, and myself
P1iafal, howeve-. As il Is for me 10 aifade TO
alphabetically event. OF Ite circumstance con-
Desied with II, and eerraina as am that, should
this meet ths public eye, The relentless spirit ofl
party ~ill tear open atftsh wounds bui partially
healed BY lime, yet j. would Be much less attic
ting % me Ihan 10 ser Won suffer unjusily en- ac-i
count Of ypur involuntary eonnexion with hiatt
affair. I therefore foT~a:dyo1 my statement. as
nearly ss my recollection serves me, ailef The
lapse Of four years, with The privilege Of using i
as lciftumstAnces, IN your opinion, require.
From The commencement of The difficulty be-
rveea Mr. Ciiiey and myself, up 10 the lime
seni him he challenge, do not reeoliees that L
msn:ioned Tito yon or any oiher eolesgu or
friend, except. Mr. Mehsf4e and Mr. Wise. Il
know il Fat my purpose soE epmmuniesls on Ihe'
shhjeet With such neIsonsEonly as ] had deter
named to select as my friends, should she mater
mot isrminaie amicably Hence my fsiehd and
/ COLLEAGUES, Mr.. Sonihgale. who SAT By my side
al she same table when ! wrote the correspen !.
I dence, knew mot world 81 The affair from ms
/ until il was oyer. horedE f;om the frs, hat il
( would Be amieably adjusted. and Eel, a strong
sofieiIudt thhr Il should be known 10 as few per-
/ Sons as possible.
I ! 10 not fseallect naming the subject TO You
unsil the morning before the meeting, when i
/ called At yaut. room, th;nk IN com any with
/ Mr.. Wise, and eKhibitediio YOU tie correspon-
| dehce, and perhaps detailed to.you The cifcun-
/ 5tancrs ef HE affair. remember that you sug-
/ gezted tome some Modification in the Phfaseolo-
I gyof- the challenge. which Eshad written but had
+ not sents ny which milder language was employ
X eli and lhe door gas-noi SO completely closed
against adjustment. si,Tecollect weAl al the Tune
\ ynh suggested The modification, which ! believe
/ wsSvntien by yourself on another piece Of pa
per, you stated that You thought the matter ought
! ID be and would be anscahyy adjusted and in
4 this remember Mr. Wise concuFred with you
lin opinion. i recellect This the better. from q
! conviction resting on ny mind at the lime 1hat
! lhere were Influences which | thought I/saw
! more fufy than any ofmy friends, thai initiated
Sagainsl This view OF the sabjeci; some<oC which
H.ih0k ] mentioned 70 yod in replylt1 yeur sug-
geSlion>> bat You thonghL the nat,er would be
/ adjusted lwlthous hostile meeting ] think !
adopted yhuF FORA with tbut lttle III any modifca-
/ lion, and suppose>d esSoyed il, and that drawn
originally bymyseiE fie nj think alluded 10
this asubjfci4n your presenea again nnIJtaboui
nine o'9Fecklof the night preceding the meeting,
when had bat moments conversation with
| yop, in WHICH made known TO you MY want of
4 skill in he use Of The weapon selected by my adj
/ rerssIy.
ltikutifrly untrue thas you ever exhibited 10
me any Wish tilal the meeIing shouldftake Place.
+ believe hs5>no friend. in. Washington who
IN ire EegJsuedits reaaisct after tie affair when
| We met al our clearinghouse, You seemed to
ftyapathize mus1deepiy with rne1in ny misfor-
tune. You IwePh and were unable. 10 utter a
| word
7 Ills oiehatged in 4his Boston paper that
Mf. Cntlgnaeh vas responsible for, aud was one
Of The main ACTORS ia The Hpfeliminabies that
EbFdueht OBJ his melancholy atfair. >Now, 81
though you, Mr.iCmt&nden, Mr. Nienefee, and
myself we've bPaFding together, Mt. Crnehlen
knew not a wdrdof tie dificnlIy qnul about ZEN
zur eleven o'clock OF Tie night before The meeting
| when MIR, Menefee aid myself, and 4 ihipk
! Mi. Wise,lweuf agler him al Mr.. Joseph Gaests.
where he and Instantly were spending The eyeh-
ing. MrI Clilenden was very reluctant to be
! one Of The Two friends who, under the prelimi-
nafies ulon whTcA Gen. Jones and Mr.. WISE
4 had agreed were 10 accompany each seconds
I and il was not unlil made the request in PER-
son, Ger reasons that | think | ghve7kim for my
socitude that be should be present, that he
| finally cobsehred. was The more anxious that
ne kitl ~ b On The ground because iu kentucky
and wherever else he was welNknQEn, no man
Il was mprc distinguished for bis miIfness and hl-
mainly believed his presence would he The
H bess evidence could offer al home t6ai DAD
\ mol intend 10 ACT rashly, Or go beyond The ne.
IL qpifement Of those laws under which went 10
H The field. E3
h As soon as there had been a.refusat 70 receive
II rhenoe OF Col Webb, called tolnHy aid the adj
vice Of Mr. Menefee and MI. Wise, and. from
II thai time l do moi recolleot tina. any thing what
II eYeI was aphe either hy them or myIef that did
II NOT meet the most entire appIobat1on Of all ~
H They acted as- my fiiehds, and represented me
II in The affair. And / only am responsible for
H what they did. They could have had no noilYe
\ 10 4o any thing more IhaO 10 protect my hfeand
| rnylhonof H
Il II would be much less painful lp me, il those
/ who feel themselves called on % renew the dis
/ cussion or this most disagreeable subject would
#spafe my friends, and let their ceusure and de:
nuHciations fall exclusively On my head.
4 y Just hefofetleavitg the city for the ground. II
Uniformed. the friends who actompanied me that
4 II had but one suggestion TO make, and that was,
iIinlofdef to avoid any inadHerience, growing dur
IiofIhe haste and excitement incident 20 the ad-
iijnStment pf such Affairs on the ground, that they
Ishopid conlef tegetheF, and agree among theR-
selves up5n thebasis Of an adjustment, and after
doing SO ,1otto be dFiven from il BY any consdef-
llatons connected with nysateiy. lnpursuance Of
fthissuggektien,. they did, ash afterwards learned
Ire dnce teEwritine their views as ID The grounds
lIupon whithan adjustment Of The affair, il made,
/ fought TO rest. #.t
| Ihppe You may net find it NECESSARY 10 place
this leEef4betore the Public; but i yon think it
nee ss&ryEin your vindicaiion, LTepeai again i
! is al your service.
! With sentiments Of the highest regard and con-
4 sidetaton, am, very sincerely, your most ohe-
I dent sefvAni, W. ]. GRAVES.
Hon, HENRY Clay. Washington.