Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-08-16

ee. could Mr. Graves and Mt Cuey have had a hostile meeting, At
Mr.. Clay had not been deceived as to the time fixed upon Tor "''
meeting. ,.tDu,
lin BY Mr.. wisS-thatF Acrs IN relation to his maueI have
been put upon record, and the written testimony OF two gentlemen.
OF unimpeaebed and untnpeachable character addueed To proven
they. ar ns ,nsnguho- Of Hmry CAY actually took measures 'o
procure the interference oIhe civI authority for the purpose ofpr-
venting the meeting between Mt. Graves and Mir CIhey. That te'
,iuIony has Is w know. been transmitted to Mr. Clay and our oh
jet in abiding to this subjeeti is TO call upon that distinguished gen
usman to give publicity to the testimony " e refer to, n $ an act Of
justice to his friends We arr well aware, that in the conscious
nes- Of hi. innocence Of the vile inanuaiions against hun, he may
character against th. new assault Of his enemies; but he must bear
IN mind thai beth he and his reputation are the common property
Of,he nation; and that, in justice to his friends personal and pohrf
cal he isbound to lay before the public the conclusive testimony
which has been voluntarily pacedat his disposal for the purpose OF
demonstrating how utterly without foundation is this new assault
upon his fair fame"
This. though it came from Webb, the editor Of the Week
ly Courier and New York Enquirer, in which it was publish
ed on the 18th Of February, chose not to notice. But
soon after this attack upon me appealing TO Mr.. Clay TO pub
lish certificates, and speaking knowingly Of certificates sent
by gentlemen to Mr.. Clay, he himself published in the In
teligencer of the 25th ultmo, n letter from MIR. Graves,
and the certificates OF Charles King and Reverdy Johnson,
evidently those alluded to in Webb's artice,l which could
not but arouse in my mind the suspicion not only that he did
now intend to come forth and testify in my behalf, %outthothe
intended to give countenance and color TO the old as well as
the new charges against me, which were now vouchcd by
the man webb who really did cause that fatal duel.
These suspicious were not anayed by the fact that Mr..
Clay published Mr.. Graves's letter to him, in answer to one
from him, without one word of comment, and without cor
recung a most essential error of recollection in it, which he
could not but know to be an error, and which he admits IN
answer to me SINCE was an error in the recollection OF MIR.
Graves, TO wit: That he was not consulted by Mr.. Graves
before the moment of the challenge on Friday the Odd
He now himself says that he advised Mr.. Graves 10 get Mr..
Ciney 10 put his verbal answer i'll writing before the former
addressed the latter his first letter in the correspondence
Had Mr.. Clay, when he published this letter of Mr.. Graves,
corrected this error alone, there would have been no neceS-
sity for me TO address him or again TO address the public on
tins sore subject. But upon the appearance of this letter
without such correction, or note or comment TO intimate
even that IL was incorrect, | immediately addressed 10 MIR.
Graves the letter and statement which WAS published i'll the
lnteligencer of the 2Sth ultimo; and | addressed Mr. Clay
and Others, as the subjoined letters will show. Without
waiting for an answer from MIR, Graves. | rave them TO the
public as complete proofs themselves.
In conclusion | must add, in relation to the first part of
MIR. Clay's letter TO me, that the spirit OF an upright and
honorable man, which God has given me, is too much like
his own-too proud aud too unbending TO allow me To re-
spond TO him touching a disavowal or explanation of disho-
norable conduct which he imputes To me by inuendo. Con-
scions OF never having wronged him, could, without IA
vor, boldly go to him for common justice and for truth. |
will make no such disavowal or explanation as that which
he does not ask, but seems to say would be Just; but | will
cheertuny do what, TO a generous spirit and a good heart
should be much more acceptable: | will declare that | new.
er accused him 10 any being on earth OF inSfigdtiRg the duel
between Graves and Clley; and | never stood by i'll silence
whilst others accused him of so doing; and, had | orOthers
30 accused him, the accusation, so lar as know and be-
lieve, would have been false. He, nor !, nor any man
whom / know, was guilty of such q crime, or any offence
hike it. have said that Mr.. Graves sought his advice ut
the very beginning OF his correspondence with Mr.. Ciley;
that his advice was given, and that il was the controlling
advice with Mr.. Graves and with myself; but | never init
mated or meant TO intimate that his advice was from any bad
motive, or that ii was not honorable and humane. Ii was
sought, 1t was given, and it was followed, because il was
his. / acquiesced in it, though | differed from il, and cheer
fuHy take the consequences OF having done so. | have
done no more TO him than TO appeal TO his testimony for my
defence. His name is a tower of strength, and abide I'M
der its high and unquestioned authority for my Justification.
HENRY A. WISE.
WASHINGTON, March 3, 1912.
Attached to the foregoingis n %voluminous Appendix, 60
ing to show conclusively that neither Mr.. Wise, nor any of
Mr.. Graves friends instgated the duel, nor had any other IL
gency in the affair, than what was honorable to them
We have room for Nh. Clay's letter only.
WASHINGTON, Feb. IS, 1912.
Sir:-The Hon. Mr.. Linn, OF the Senate, on Saturday
might last, delivered TO me an open letter from you, under
date the 25th instant, propounding certain inquiries to me
relative to the unhappy affair between Messrs Graves and
CIley.
Before / proceed to return a more specific answer TO YOUR
note, | must recall to your recollection certain circumstan.
ces which have occurred during the present session of Con-
gress.
Some weeks ago, and prior to any allusion to the unfortu.
nate duel made in the House of Representative by Mr.. Ad-
this city had appeared in the New York Herald, charging
me with having instigaJcd and caused the duel, and with
having prepared the challenge which led TO il. Prior, also,
10 that allusion, it was currently whispered about in this ci.
~ that j occasioned the duel and prepared the challenge
The naked fact Of my having prepared tine challenge, sup
pressing the attending circumstances, and especially the
motive OF an amicable adjustment, which induced me 10
propose the modification, was thus brought before the Pub
lie. Now, you, MIR. Graves, and /, were only present when
! proposed mat modlhcaton: Motif Tor a moment could be-
heVe that he furnished the fact OF the challenge TO the wli-
ter of the letter to the New York Herald. l did not; and
my conclusion was not unreasonable that you did.
When the subject was adverted 10 by Mr.. Adams ald
you i'll the House of Representative, and you stated that the
preIimindries had been arranged by another, without men.
honlng my name, the previous circumstances were such rs
To NIX attention on me, and You were rs distinctly under
stood TO refer To Inc as if nay name had been expressly de-
signated.
Afterwards, a long and elaborate exposition, protesting
10 give all the circumstances OF the affair, appeared in the
MHdisonian, which was believed To have been your produc-
hon' or 10 have been prepared with your assistance or sane
ton. In that exposition, the design is clearly manifested 10
transfer the responsibility Of the duel to me, the terms of the
challenge are cited, and, by call OF the public attention to
what IS denominated its ~'eaT-morks,' an insinuation is
mazda n my hatnU 10 iii. I.m..p ~ VaE~unInI 20 %.
spect To me os II is unjust towards Mr.. Graves as If ],
without an eorthly motive, should force him into a duel con
traIy TO his own deliberate judgment!
During ell these proceedings, without an appeal to you,
] remained passive aud silent, suffering under conscious in
justice, but abiding in uadOubted confidence that in this, as
in other instances, truth would ultimately triumph.
applied to Charles King, Esq, for a statement Of what
had occurred III two interviews in my room between him,
Reverdy Johnson, Esq, and myself. Mr.. King came 10
me a. the friend OF Col. Webb; and although, being the
Trend OF Mr.. Graves, could not invoke the authority Of
the police to prevent the duel, ] informed him that thought
no such obstacle applied ~ him, and that lie might with en-
tire propriety cause the parties to be arrested. therefore
recommended the police to be called out, aud for that pr
pose advised him to confer with General Mercer and r. :.
Key, gentlemen that / knew wonld promptly lend their aid
TO prevent the duel. Mr. King accordingly made n state.
Inent, forwarded it TO X. Johnson, Esq, who added his own,
without my solicitation, and transmitted both to me.
j enclosed 10 Mr.. Graves most false and malignant attack
upon me IN regard to the aflir, which appeared, ] think, in
the Boston Post; and he in consequence, addressed to Inc a
letter bearing dee the 10th instant.
Those two statements and lis letter ! handed to the Ed
tors OF the National lntelig.nccr Tor publication, not as You
suppose, IN response to any call made by Col. Webb upon
HenS, he could not, at New York, on the 18th Of Februo-
T, have known Of n letter Of Mr.. Graves bearing date the
10th Of that month, at Louisville, IN Kentgcky,J but in res
ponss TO and IN refutaton Of an attack upon me. which
had reason 10 believe had either its origin with you, or had
been made upon information supplied by you.
Such are the circumstances under which your appeal is