The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-07-09
THE CtLLEY DUEL.


The editor of The Globe, with his characteristic
disregard of truth, is attempting to vamp up for
the campaign, the falsehood in reference to Mr..
Clay's connection with the Cilley duel That
paper, of Saturday, says:
!" No unbiased reader Of the history of the duel
between Ciley and Graves, can hesitate to Put
the blame of the fatal result OF that unfortunate
affair upon Henry Clay
What history does the editor allude to! His
own, or Kendall's9 We have no doubt that Ell
ther of these worthless could distort I'D truth of
any case in way to impose upon the ignorant
but who ever heard that Mr.. Clay was 10 blame
in the affair, untnMenry A. Wise was thwarled
in his efforts to become Speaker of the House (!
Who ever heard, for three or four years after the
transaction, that Mr.. Clay was to blamee Even
the Globe and Kendall forgot their office of ira
ducton, and Mr.. Clay passed unscathed. until
Wise, in revenge for the neglect which he impu-
ted TO the Wings, apostatized, and afterwards be-
lied his old associates. No. If there is any merit
in the falsehood, it belongs TO the Hon. Plenipo-
Tertiary to Brazil, who, declaring that he could
not add a cubt to Mr.. Clay's stature, attempted
that which he found equally difficult of subtract
ing or detracling a cubit from it.
The spirit of wilful and malignant falsehood in
which the Globe reves upon the subject, is quite
worthy of the fendish spirit which that paper
usually displays towards Mr. Clay. He charges
Mr.. Clay and the Wings with a deliberate and
preconcerted purpose of numbering Mr.. Cilley.
The editor of the Globe knows, and the people
of the country illremember, that Mr.. Cilley, as
the challenged party, had the choice of weapons,
and selected, by the advice of his friends, the
deadly rifle, which he used with great dexterily,
while Mr.. Graves, though Kentuckian, was en-
trely unused to it. But that is not all when
Mr.. Graves demanded Of Mr.. Ciley to know if he
meant any disrespect to him as the bearer of Mr..
Webb's rejected challenge, he answered that he
did not but his friends, whom it would be fair I'M
der the circumstances to suppose thirsted for the
blood of Mr.. Graves, advised Mr.. CIlley to make
no acknowledgment in writing upon the subject.
They refused to allow Mr.. Cilley to acknowledge
in writing what he had acknowledged verbally,
and what it was proper, according to the duelling
code, for Mr. Graves TO demand. Who, then,
displayed the blood-thirsty spirit? Was it the
party who placed the deadly rifle into the hands
Of the unerrng marksman or the party who had
no alternative but to accept it as the weapon, or
suffer disgrace
1t is notorious, that such was the confidence
with which the party looked for and hoped for the
killing of Graves, that bets were offered, after the
parties left Washington, that Clleys rifle would
do the work. The dabolica spirit which could
propose bet upon such an event. is quite worthy
of the Fanny Wright philosophy-qute worthy
Of Locofocoism.
The truth is, that the editov Of the Globe is
driven to desperation for plausible lie to set off
against Folks toryism. But this won't do-the
white slave lie won't do: he had better set Ken
dali to work, who, as the conductor of weekly,
has more leisure.