The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-16
MIR. CLAY AND ms ACcUsERs,

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MR.. CLAY AND HIS ACcusERs'
We perceive that most of The papers known to D.
hostile to MIR Clay are endeayoring Ia inJure nun "
,he estima alton of n. probe by an ali"mpt To ihcur
cate the idea that there ruth IN me ihSHuHn9" "
Mr. Vie that Mr.. Clay WINS the instignior anu ao-
WISER IN The duel between Mr. Graves anu hr o'''F
N4yer was greater injustice done To pubic man
,b, in the insinua,ions made by Mr.. Wise, AMI ~
the attempts OF certain papers to induce me nee, a
,bos. insinuaiions are well founded. MIR. WISE
knws beyond all Iad,eniuTe, that :, he ami MS as
s.,c;a.s had not ,rceiyed Mr. Clay and made h,m he
l.y that the meeting was pisphnrd uli me hay "hei
III Il IN which Il acu div took place, the ev'' auh"f
t, at the insiigann of Mr.. Clay, would have inter
I red and prevented it, Tie knows tho, that u tht
Mace Of reting had not been changed at his susges
ton the duel between Graves and Ciley never c"uu
have iakan place and under no circumstances cnuid
Mr. Graves and Mr. Gil ey have had hostile meeting,
if Nh Clay had not been deceived as the Tune hhed
upon Tor that meeting.
We know that very rcceny--since the unwaIran'-
ed nsnuation by Mr. Wise-the facts in relation e.
this matter have been put upon record and he wr'',
ten testimony of two gentlemen OF unimpeaehed ana
unimpeachable character adduced to prove that they
at the instgation of Henry Clay, actually took mea
sures to procure The interference of the civil authority
for the purpose of preventing the meeting between
Mr. Graves and Mr. Cilley. That testimony mas, as
we know been transmitted to Mr.. Clay anu our ODD
ngui he'd gentleman TO give publicity to the testimo
nv we refer TO- as act of justice TO his friends we
are well aware, that in the consciousness OF his nno
cence Of the vile nsinuations against HIM, ne may
deem il unnecessary to take any course calculated To
yindcate his character against this assault OF his
enemies; but he must bear in mind, that both he ana
his repu alton the common property OF the nation
and that justice to his friends, personal and Pont
cal he is bound TO lay before the public the conclusive
testimony which has been voluntarily placed at MS
A, far he Durn n
" without foun iation is this new assault upon MS ia
fame.
OF the testimony referred to- it might be improper
in us to say at present but we invite attention
to the following from the Philadelphia Oni-
ted States Gazete, with the single observation, that
ALL and than all which is here stated In defence
of Mr.. Clay, has been put upon record by gentlemen
whose testimony will admit Of no question.
"Mr Graves then determined on challenge ana an,
having written it, he called on Mr.. Clay, and while
with him showed the challenge. This was the hrs
that Mr.. Clay knew ofany intention of the duel Mr
c. pointed out TO Mr. Graves the total departure from
etiquette of such matters in his note and al the so
lcilaten of Mr. G., penned one in less offensive
form--one that would admit of an explanation, and
thus allow of settlement This note was, perhaps
no, copied, but was signed by Mr. Graves, and sent
Mr. Clay had nothing further to do with the matter,
and knew nothing further oft, until the noon OF the
very div { n which the duel actually took place, when
Col K, of New York, called as the friend of Col
W., and asked Mr.. Clay whether something could
not be done to prevent the meeting And cur I'M
preston at this moment Is tn 1t Col H. gave Mr.. Y.
the first inlmaon that the meeting was to take place
on that day. Mr. Clay advised Col. X. 10 go at once
to General Mecher and to M. F. Key, and persuade
them to have the police out upon all routes which the
parties would be liable to take Mr.. K. went imme,
ately to these gentlemen, in pursuance OF MI Gays
suggestion and they fastened to comply with MS
wishes The parties, however, euded the police men,
by taking obscure road that passed unnotced out
of the city.
Whether Mr. Wise was informed Of all these facts
we do not know ; if he was, he will, OF course %
made to feel the improperly OF such lnslnuatlons as ne
made The possibility that he has the form OF me
challenge or the challenge itself in MI Clay hand
writing, will not avail him, if our recolleclons are
correct if they incorrect in any way, we shall
hasten to correct our statement. tn
We have nothing to say in favor OF dues or duel
ling We are publicly and privately opposed TO them,
and have failed at suitable times SO TO express our
selves. But others entertain different opnon as Is
evident rom their practices, and when Mey shrihh
away from the consequences OF participation ana seeh
TO themselves by involving others, we tink hel
deserve censure, additional to that which they
earned by sharing in a duel. We do not know thai
any body will think himself called on 20 r.ply 10 MI
W.es insInu ,liun. Certainly Mr. Clay Will not,
But our teaier may desile TO know how things were
and they have stat above NO the bust OF oui
knowledge and belief"
THIS fro the pen, by the authority OF COURSE
OF the notorious Col james Watson Webb, the ed
Tor Of that paper. Was ever inpudence cooler, OF
ehrontery more unbushng than that OF this man
Who beng himself The real prime-n aud cause q
the duel between Graves and Cilley and OF the dealt
If tho latter comes forward with the face OF malt
umpire hali-wi nes-, to -,te calnly and impaftallA
a question which ba- never been raised between Mr
Clsy and Mr. Wise oh If them is guilty Of IN
.ti ating lha, unfortunate affair. Verify, Col Web!
viii escape it he can but excite war Of crl' liz
ton and examination between Two other person7
who may both, perhaps, be innoce't OF what C"l.
Webb himself is surely guilty. Whatever defence
may he made for Mr.. Clay, undertake to pledge
that Mr. Wise is innocent Of the base charge, whict
he has bUrne in silence long enough of InstgatIng
tdu,l.
On what authority does Webb undertake T.
say that Nh Wise h ever insinuated that
Mr.. Clay was SHE inshgdtor" of that duel
MIR Wses remarks, in the House, were made in the
presence both of Mr.. Clay and of Mr.. Crittenden.
They were boldly made with such an air of conscious
innocence and truth with appeal to both these gem
remcn as witnesses only in his behalf, that no one
who heard Tim could be otherwise than convinced
that Mr. Wise had long been deeply wronged by the
charge tina, he had nstigated Mr.. Graves either to
challenge MIR. Ciey to persist in demanding OF
him satisfaction.
Mr.. Wise did not.say that any body had instigdted
that duel He will never, we presume say that
Justice to Mr.. Graves and a knowledge Of his manly
character and that he acted on his own independent
sense Of honor after taking the advice of his FIR ends
forbid Mr. Wise ever to accuse him of being insti-
gated by any person, high or low, after he was,
very Unexpectedly to himself, involved in the ne
cessity of duel by this same Col. Webb =
Mr. Wise referred only to Messrs Clay and
Cri,tenden, as witnesses, who knew that he chr
Wse) pas notMe person ,rhose adrice The con