Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1844-09-19
Mr.. Clay's Letter on Duclling.


Gentlemen: duly received your letter Of the 18th
ultmo the subject Of duellnng. and appreciate flly
lie friendly pious and patriotic motives which prompt
cd YOU to address me- pemciou> "a the practice un-
doub;edly - hope you VIII excuse me- when say
that there other questions IN our public affairs. II
much higher and of more general importance The
Victims votarieS. of that practice are bui few IN
number. and bear NJ comparison with the immense
number Cf sufferers from the rejection Of WISE mcs
Of National FOLEY, the adoption Of those Of
opposite character.
| EXPRESSED in strong terms Of condemnation. my
opinion against ducllng IN letter which addressed
to my constituents. in March, 1S2i which Is 10 be
found IN the published collection # my speeches.
Again. within few years past. give evidence of
my strong di>approbaton of ii by voting IN the Sen
ate of the United States FOR the bill for suppressng
duellinr in the District Of Columbia.
W 18th these proofs of my sentiments, think gem
tlemen, you ought to be satisfied. But YOU ask me
whether, if | were challenged TO fight duel.
would reject the invitation Considering nv age.
which Is past o. | feel that sllcald expose my
self to ridicule if were to proclaim whether would
or would not fight duel. 1t i certainly one Of the
most unlikely events that possibly be mag med,
and cannot conceire in which should be pro-
roled tempted to go 10 The field of combat But as
cannot f5re>ee all the contingencies which may posi-
bly, arise, in the short of my life and for the
reason which | have already stated. Of avoiding any
exposure of myself to rdlcue, capRoi reconcile Il tD
a
or the Other.
You have, gentlemen done me some but not full
justice. respect to the affair of the lamcned Cilley
When first obtained any onlcdgc Of his difficulty
with Mr. Graves. did not think that there the
smallest occasion for combat between them. be-
evcd, from the first that the matter would be AMIGA
bly, accommodates to that end I'll my eXcrtons were
directed. did not know that it was not accommodated
until tie DAY when, and after the PARTIES went to
fight. On that day confined TO nv room by
illness, and was altogether accidental that obtained
information to the plan. or the hour Of their meet
inc Contrary TO the impression which YOU cntcr;a IN,
| did advise the employment Of the police To arrest
the parties and TO prevent the duel The n,ables
accordingly went out in search Of them. hut like nv
self hclnr ignorant IF the time and place # the r
meeting they mi>ook TIE route. and failed in the
COM li>iment Of the object If You would read aten-
tvclv the whole If nv correspondence with Mr.. VIE.
TO which You have referred yor Ill find that it su>-
tans the preceding statement.
an gentlemen. with great respect.
Your friend and ob'dt sorv't,
H. CLAY.
Mes>1s. Alex rluIner, William Campbell. sc.
Tic Y. Y Post observes that this letter Is incon-
si~tont shutting, and deceptive and places Mr.. lay
IN light both a man and morali,t, which is
degmcciul To himself and 10 his country.
1t IS inconsistent. bccau-e in one paragraph Mr.. Clay
says lie IS opposed to duclling and other. that he
VII n"t make :" q declaration enc way or tie other"
" In l,2t he says, 81 espresso strong ccndom-
nation " of the practice; Gam expression. 10y tie way
which lie seems 10 have forgotten for lie subsequently
sent challenge To fight John Rand9rh); and in
ISii hc >ays ilat lie cannot tcli. WHEELER he would
igh, dae or not. although sXty-scvon years fagc.
1t l. >huug. because IL attempts 10 c,ade direct
answer to the questions addressed 20 him, and leaves
tie reader 70 put what construction he rlea>os the
words He di~aprrovcs If duclliEg. lac cannot
conceive OF circumstances tlat would provoke hna
to fight, but he viii ,ay nothing. one way tie
other. lc>t lie should appear ridiculous. We cen
assure Mr.. Clay that open and manly answer would
have been less ludcrous than this hdlficod trimming
between duty and duclng.
Il IS deceptive, because 1Tr Clay wishes TO create
the impression that he know very little about tie
combat between ClIlcy and Graves, while tie very
CORE pondcnce with AIr. W.c, To which hc refers.
proves ;lat the form # Challenge was drawn up in
his own hand writing. and that lie was regularly
consulted tErour lout tie unpleasant bus ness
The letter, tiCn, we s3y Is Gi-gHciul 10 Mr. Clay:
be dos that gGcr al leaves an uncertainty wheeler
Mr. Clay would not 20 10 tic field of combat. f hc
hncicd himself called to d. SO. Tat an old man.
the f,ther Of famiy. conspicuous state man. whose
opinions influence tie moral sentiment # ti.3u and
Of bis Glow men, should thus cqurocate in regard
to practice at nth all Tie 1W- cf God au3 man
that >uch man should decline - SPY whether he
would deliberately 90 ont to kin his friend ard brother
j. IN exceedingly painful spectacle, and discovers an
utter want Of moral >cn~lbny