The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-09


to arrest the duel, he replied in substance that they
saw how he toas situated Mr.. GRAVES HAD CON-
SUITED HIM. lie could not therefore inierpose, be-
he might compromit the honor of his friend who
had consulted Nth him. IL not then, because he
was deceived at all but because he knew too much
about the affair, TO inform the civil authorities.
The second issue. Is Mr.. Graves's recollection as
published by Mr. Clay, in his letter of the 10th OF
February, in the nellgencer of the 25th OF Februa
ry, 1912 correct
Error addressing Mr. Clay, he says; From
the commencement of the difficulty between Mr. Oh
ley and myself, up to the time sent him the chai
lenge, do not recollect that mentioned TO you OF
any other colleague or friend, except Mr.: heneiee
and Mr. Wise" And, again he says - 90 not to
collect naming the subject to you until the morning
before the meeting, when called at your room,
think in company with Mr.. Wise, ana eHhioaeu "
you the correspondence, and perhaps deaiiea " you
the circumstances of the affair"
Now will observe, and | wish II remembered
that this was published by Mr. Clay in letter 10 him IN
a,,s,uer 10 letter from him and without note or com
ment of correction il was put forth by him. oil course
as correct and was in fact a statement by him. MIR
Claw by direct implication, well as by Mr.
Graves. As statement of Mr.. Graress recollection
merely do not mean to dispute it but is it correct
in fact and did Mr. Clay know it to be correct or in
correct when he published II?
Upon this point introduce as the only witness, at
present, Mr. Clay himself February the 25h, 1912,
the day this letter of Mr. Graves appeared in the
National Intelligencer addressed to Mr.. Clay the
following letter, to wit:
WASHINGTON, February 25, 1912
SIR enclose to you an editorial from the g Week
ly Courier and New York Enquirer edited by James
Watson Webb, of the 10Th inst.
In response, presume, to the call upon you con-
tanned in this piece to give publicity to the testL.o
ny" therein referred to- you have, IN this mornings
lntegencer, published a letter from W. J. Graves,
Esq, accompanied by statements of Charles King and
Reverdy Johnson.
Nnxv I mos full inn,ti nf vou lst
Whether by your publication in the Inteligencer OF
these statements, in connexion with the editorial re-
ferred to- you mean to give countenance to the mpu-
taon contained in this editorial, that deceived
you either to the time place Of The meeting between
Messrs Graves and Cilley ID Whether you were
deceived by me my associates therein charg-
ed And, if by them, who of them' Sd. Were you
not fully informed the day before hand of all the
terms prescribed by Mr. Ciley for that meeting, and
did you not advise their adoption' 4th Did you not
draw the form Of the challenge which bore for MIR.
Graves to MIR. Cilley on the morning of Friday the
23d day Of February, 1882 5th Had you before
that day, the Odd, be advised with by MIR. Graves
and his friends as to his correspondence and his
course preliminary to the challenge, and your
advice not followed
trust you will fully perceive the propriety, and
necessity even of these inquiries and that your own
of honor will appreciate the justice to me Of
candid and full answers to them
| am, sir, with all due consideration yours, most
| respectfully,
HENRY A. WISE.
Hon. Henry Clay, Washington.
THE following memorandum was made by Dr.
Linn, Of Missouri:
81 was asked to take this letter to Mr.. Clay last
| night but waited for copy to I've made by Mr. Wise,
which is furnished 10 day.
=, ~. F. LINN.
Washington, February &c, 1912"
| On the ID Of March, DR. Linn handed to me the
| following answer from Mr. Clay, TO wit:
WASHINGTON. Feb. %, 1912.
| Sir; The Hon Mr.. Linn, ofhe Senate, on Satur-
day night last delivered to open letter from YOU
under date the 18th instant propoundng certain i'm
quiries TO me relative to the unhappy affair between
Messrs Graves and Cilley.
] Before proceed to return specific answer to
kyour note, must recall to your recollection certain
circumstances which have occurred during the present
session of Congress.
| Some weeks ago and prior to any alluson to the
| unfortunate duel made in the House Of Representa-
tves by Mr. Adams and yourself, was informed that
letter written from this city had appeared in the New
York Herald charging me with having instgated and
caused the duel and with having prepai ed the cha
lenge which led to it Prior, also, to that alusion it
was currently whispered about in this city that oc-
cas- oned the duel and prepared the challenge. The
naked fact Of my having prepared the challenge, sup
pressing the attending circumstances, and especially
the motive of amicabe adjustment which induced
me to propose the modification, was thus brought be-
fore the public. Now, you, Mr. Graves, and |, were
only present when proposed that modification Not
for moment could believe that he furnished the fact
Of the challenge 10 the writer Of the letter to the New
York Herald. did not and my conclusion not
unreasonable that you did
When the subject was adverted to by Mr.. Adams
and you in the House Of Representatives, and you
stated that the prelimnaries had been arranged by
another, without mentioning my name, the previous
circumstances such to fix attention me,
and you were as distinctly understood to refer to me
as III my name had been expressly designated.
Afterwards, long and elaborate exposition, pro-
Tossing give all the circumstances Of the affair." APP
peared in the Madsonan, which believed to have
been your production, to have been prepared with
your assistance sanction. In that exposition the
design is clearly manifested to transfer the response
by of the duel to me- the terms OF the challenge are
recited and by call Of the public attention to what
is denominated its ear-marks,' an insinuation is
made of my being its author-a design as unfounded
in respect to it is unjust towards Mr. Graves
as if without earthly motive, should force him
into duel contrary TO his own deliberate judgment.
During all these proceedings without any appeal to
you, remained passive and silent, suffering under
conscious injustice but abiding in undoubted conf
dence that in this, other instances, truth would
ultimately triumph
applied to Charles King, Esq, for a statement Of
what had occurred in two interviews in my room be-
tween him, Reverdy Johnson, Esq., and myself. MI.
King came to me as the friend of COL Webb; and
although being the friend of Mr.. Graves, could
invoke the authority of the police to prevent the duel
informed him that thought such obstacle applied
him, and that he might with entire proprety cause
the parties to be arrested. therefore recommended
the police to be called out. and for that purpose adj
vsed him to confer with General Mercer and F. S.
Key, gentlemen that | knew would promptly lend
their aid to prevent the duel Mr.. King accordingly
made statement forwarded 1t to r. johnson, Esq,
who added his own, without my solicitation, and
transmitted both to me.
enclosed to Mr.. Graves a most false and malg
nant attack upon in regard to the affair which APP
peared think, in the Boston Post; and he, in conse-
quence, addressed to the letter bearing date the
| 10Th instant.
1 Those two statements and his letter ! handed to
the Editors OF the National Intelligencer for pubica
ton, not you suppose, in response to any call made
by Col Webb upon me, (for, although he might have
known othe two statements he could not at N. FORK,
on the 18th Of February, have known Of letter Of
/ hoax lat 18th of thai nannih Al