Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-03-02

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my wish that the msstlng should take nlAes.
oe'sse ! had no friend in Washington who more
regretted Il. reeolleet after the affair when We
met at our boarding house, YOU seemed To sympa.
we most deeply with me in my misfortune. You
wepi, and were unable T. at er Wo.d.
IL is also charged IN this Boston paper, that MIR
Ctirenden was responsible Tor aud was one OF the
main actors IN the prelimnaTes that Brought on
his melancholy aifiir. Now, although you, MIR
Cncenden, MIR Menefee, and myself were board
IN: together, Mf Cruenden knew not word Of the
uhneui'y until about ten or eleven O'clock OF the
nlght oetore the meeting-when MIR Menefcs and
myself. and think MIR Wise. went after him a,
Nr Joseph Gales, where he rni his family were
spending the evening. Mr. Crittenden was very re-
luetant 10 DC one of the two itIeuds who, under
the prc'im'naries upon which Gen. Jones and MIR
WISE mad agreed, were to accompany each second;
and II was not until | made the request in person
for reasons that think gave him for my soci,udc
that he should be present, that he finally consented
was the more anxious that he should he on the
grou"d, because IN Kentucky, and wherever else
he was well known, no man was moro distiug uish-
ed Tor his mildness and humanity. | believed his
presence would be the best evidence | could offer
at home, that did not int nd act rashlv, or 90
beyond the Requirement nj of those laws under which
l went TO the field.
AS soon there had been a refusal 10 receive
the note Of Col. Webb. called TO my aid the al.
vice OF MIR Menefee and MIR WISE and from that
time do rot reeolleet that any thing whatever
was done either by them or myself that did not
meet the most entire appreciation of all. They
acted MS my friends and represented me in the at.
,n,f-and only am responsible for what they did
They could have had no motive to do any thing
more than to protect my life and my honor.
would be much less painful to me, f those who
iseI themselves called on to the discussion Of
thus most dsagreeablc subject would spare my
friends and let their ccnsutc and denuncation fail
| exclusively my head.
Just before leaving the city for the ground |
Informed the friends who accompanied me that |
haI cut one suggestion TO make, and that was, in
order to avoid any inadvcttence, growing out of the
haste and excitement incident to the adjustment of
such affairs on the ground, that they should confer
together, ana agree among themselves upon the
oasis oi an adjustment, and, after doing So not to
oe driven rom II by any considerations connected
with my safety. In pursuance of this sugges,ion
they did, rs afterwards learned, reduce TO writing
their Vows as TO the ground, upon which an adnst-
ment of the affair." ii made, ought to rest.
| hope you may not find 1t Necessary TO place
this letter before the Public; but il YOU think !,
necessary in your vndication, repeat again il is
At your service.
With sentiments of the highest regard and con
SHERATON nm, very sincerely. your most obedi-
eni servln', w. J. GRAVES.
Hon. Henry CLAY, Washington.
STATEMENT.
On Friday, Esd Eel ruaiy, 1888, goirg down
about o'clock TO the pirio-, which with part of
my family and some frients from n. Yo k oceu
pied at GGdsbys, and where was thu n assembled +,
party Of gentlemen whom we had invited 70 dinner
, met on the siUircise MIR Graves who. as we'll as
MIR Wise, were TO DC OF the party. To NV cues
t'on where MIR Wise WAS, Nj O.. said he was no,
coming, and then Informed me ,tnt . cb,iI,n,o I,
passed between himself and Mr. Cillcv. thnt b,J
been accepted, that MIR Wise was nrr,no NO tL.
prelimnares, and that bttl desired 10 be excused
from dining with us. MIR Graves then WI nt owav
WAS greatly shocked at what he had told me: f5r,
n hnf oh had n. H..
Mr. Webb. of New York. Mr. Graves had called
on Mr. Ctley fer explanation Of language US d bv
that gent eman in alIusion to Mr. Wise, | had a SO
heard and certainly believed tic matter was ad-
justed.
at once, on entering the porlor, took Mr. Webb
ASIDE and stated what had passed between MIR
Graves md myseli. Mr. WISE appeared greatly
surprised and distressed and at once said the ne l.
lng must be prevented. lie beckoned 10 MIR Re
seruy Johnson, one OF our guests, and the matter
naNins been explained To him, It was agreed that
MIR Johnson and myself should Immediately call
on Mr. Clay and ask his STAGE 10 arrest the hos
tie proceedings. We Immediately went TO MIR
Gays lodgings, and there found Mr. Graves seated
with IN. expressei my qualification at tho CIR.
cums'nnce, and commenced explaining the object of
our visit, when MIR Graves rose % leave the room,
saying, as he went ont, that he could permit no in
terierenee with any thing that touched his honour.
Mr. johnson and my Sc fthen represented 10 MrChv
IN inc strongest manner we could, the erormity OF
lNs'''''Ni 'Np UGNt n n QIarrel which
did not concern them, and appealed to him. not less
as I trend of MIR Graves. than out of regard TO
Mr. Webb-who, we tod him. felt that il would be
the deepest wrong and injury to him that others
should peril c IN his cause-lo aid us in arres,ing
the duel.
MIR Clay replied in substance that we saw how HI.
IVES situated. Mr. Graves haI consulted him. He
ought not, he said TO have heen consulted; bur b,v
lng oeen the honor OF his friend, who was the cLa-
enser, might be compromised by any advance on
IaE D "a rFf "a.
Affair." He either showed to- or explained TO US the
correspondence OF the challenge and accentance.
and the terms &c, AMI assured us that the meeting
could not iaNe place the next day, as Mir Graves
had no rne, and that next mOriing VIC could have
enough Tune for intcrierercs, If chose to inter-
iere. IL was now past six O'Clock in the evening.
ana we lett Mr. Cay saying we would keep him
ADVISED of our proceedings-Mr johnson and NV.
sell Then went TO MIR Wise'S lodgings, in the hone
OF ascsrtainng his vcwsus 10 the ross bilitv of an
am'cablc adjustment OF the quarrel. He WIS out.
We left either note or our names with a message
that we woulI call az sin at o'clock. We did call
a:ain at the hour, but without finding MIR Wise
tiard'y knowing what step to take next. after a
GOOD 1'aI o. discussion, and relying upon the belief
mat the meeting would not take place the next day
we determined 10 wait for the morning.
Al an early hour on Saturday, | was aroused
from my bed by Mr.. webb, who told me he had
certain information that Mossrs. Graves and Cilev
had gone out, and coniuring me to aid him in nre
HN.n
went TO arouse MIR Johnson from his bed. and botb
proceeded az ores TO Mr.. Clays lodgings That
gentleman was not yet up, but, upon hearing our
names, desired W To come into his bed room. When
Informed that the parties had gone ou', he declared
4 impossible, and sent his servant instantly for Mr.
graves The answer WAS, thot Mr.. Graves had
gone by the early tnn 10 Baltimore The same
answer was returned in resnrd to Mes.rs Crrtenden
ana moneiee, who also boarded in the same house
ms made Il clear that MIR Graves and his Crenls
n'd gone out, the a'c,ed trip 10 Baltimore being
merely cover. Mr. Clay seemed greatly distressed
perreNed and after some consultation as IN tic
pest mode o. yet preventing the duel If possible
TOT winch lie seemed rs earnest rs we were-he
eSted that Gen. Mtrc-r or Mckay. or boil,
should be seen without delay. | immedi1tslv left
ms apartment, jumped into a hack, and r0de IN
General Mcrcer's lodgings, near the CAPITOL.
benernl Mercer instantly entered into nv views
ani declared himself ready to 20 forthwith be-
10 magistrate, either o. Virginia or Maryland
ior u was supposed the parties would go out Of the
Di'UIcI-nnd take out a writ, which no would
himsell accompany the officer and see served. The
hrst Thing, therefore, was 10 ascertain, " possible
ths ite taken by the parties. / was bout [, sta
o. The inquiry, when Mr. Wadjy Thompion of S.
carolina came IN. Toe natter was oIplsneI TO
HIN, think, by Gen. Mercer, and he at once d..
eared there was no reason for such due, and that
he would him,elf, Il no could find them. @ 10 the
ground and insist there should be No fghf. lie
men got into tho carriage with inc. | left him
az ono OF tho boarding houses, where 10 eK.
pectei To obtain soms in'ormlton. !, on my part.
called at several places with the snms view All
eilort was unnvailing, and the result ia knovn I