The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-07-24
THE CILLEY DUEL.

necessarily enuedfuI"S W P VS.
cussion from tariff and aDti-tariff, annexation
and anti-annexaiion, and the limitation OF
| extension of slavery which are the truly
momentous issues between the parties, TO
questions having no bearing upon the pubhe
policy, and involving merely the private CHAR
acter of the candidates presented for public
suffrage. Especially have the hyenas OF the
party dug from the grave the transactions OF
twenty years ago, when the state of public
sentiment was such at the south that man
when insulted or challenged must fight du-
Ell. or be driven from society and recorded
among the Infamous, and finding Mr.. Clay
among those who adopted the code of honor
then in universal vogue, although he has
long since repudiated it, and for forty years
covered himself with imperishable laureis In
the service ofthe country. have poured out up
OIL him constant stream of black and bitter
yituperation never before witnessed on any
political canvass. Even the Cilley duel which
in every stage he exerted every possible means
of averting, is made TO stain his reputation
and haunt his dreams, by the hbellers of a
party who sustained Gen. Jackson the most
notorious cruel and inveterate duelist ever in
the Union.
Hear what the Tribune has 10 say upon
the subject:
And now to the Cilley Duel, so magnan-
/ imously thrust into discussion as matter OF
reproach to MI. Clay by this Loco-Foco Ii
beler and blackguard. What had Mr.. Clay
TO do with it, Let us recall the history:
| Jonathan CiIley of Maine and Wm.J Graves
| of Kentucky entered Congress together on
the opening of the session in December, 1897.
Mr.. Graves was Wing, Mr.. Cilley 4 Loco
Foco. They had no acquaintance or inter
course with each oiher-of course, no differ
ence. Mr.. Cilley was an ardent, ambitious,
aspiring young man; Mr.. Graves constitution
ally reserved and retiring. On the 12th of
| February, 1888. Mr.. Cilley made speech re-
| hecting very severely on J. w Webb Of the
Courier and Enquirer. Mr. Webb promptly
repaired to Washington and wrote perfect
" courteous and pacific note, asking an eX
| PLANTATION of the offensive language. This
note he asked Mr. Graves to hand to Mr.. Gil
lev, and Graves (who had recently been in
this city, and been treated with signal atten-
ton and hospitality to the Wings here, and
by Col. Webb among the number) complied
with the request. Cily declined to receive
the note; MI. Graves inquired the grounds
of his refusal. CilIey replied $50 Mr.. Graves
distinctly understood him) that he did not
wish TO be drawn into controversy with Edl-
tors for what he might see fit TO say as Rep
resentatiye on The floor OF Congrss-and that
he did not rest his nOn-receptiOn OF the letter
on any personal objection to Col. Webb as
gentleman. III. Graves considered himself
in duty bound to be satisfied with these rea-
sons, received back the letter, and considered
the affair at an end. He asked TO avoid any
future misrepresentation from other parties,
that BIZ. Ciley should reduce his reasons TO
writing, to which he understood Mr. c. to as
sent, and they parted in perfect kindness and
mutual regard.
Most unfortunately, Mr. Cilley now fell
into the hands Of bad advisers, and was Undue
ed to refuse statement in writing of the rea-
sons he had given verbally. The expected
note did not reach MI. Graves. He wrote
one stating the substance of the conversation,
as he had understood it. and asking Cilley if
this was correct. Mt. Cilley denied that he
had said anything ofthe sort. He had only,
he said, refused Webb's note because he
chose to be drawn into no controversy with
him, adding that he meant no disrespect to
Mr. Graves.
Here was Mr.. Graves at once involved in a
dilemma by want of candor on the part Of
his opponent. Webb was good enough to
abuse, but not good enough to receive an ex-
PLANTATION of that abuse, but not good enough
To of ,lo
and this, not because of Mr.. CiIley's position
rs a member of Congress, but because the
man WIN had wantonly assailed him " did
not choose to be drawn into a controversy
with him ~ Obviously. the man should have
thought of this before he made the first attack.
If if had hecR a black waiter at an oyster eel
lar whom he had thus assailed. he ought TO
have been willing to answer civil note of in
quiry from him.
Bot the unexpected response of Cilley 10
Graves had according to the least absurd
portion Ofihe laws of honor, so called) nov
inex;ricably involved Mr.. Graves. 1t was
idle for Ciley TO disdain in empty words in
territorial diSrcspcct TO Mr.. Graves. Ever
since there were any laws ofhonor,' so term
ed, the party who says, Il will not receive
your PRINCIPALS noie. because ne is not gen.
principal. Mr.. Graves now wrote brief
note, asking explicitly whether he declined
to receive the note of which he (G.) was the
bearer on the ground Of personal objection
to him as gentleman or man of honor. Mr..
Cilley, in reply, denied Graves right TO ask
any such question and refused TO answer it.
The next step was challenge from Graves
to Cilley.
But what had Mr.. Clay to do with all this
Nothing IN the tcorid. up to this point He
did not know that any such difficulty had |
occurred. But. when he deemed himself
compelled to challenge Cilley, and had al |
ready written the challenge, Graves called on
Mr.. Clay. his friend aud folowed-border. and !
stated to him in confidence the whole matter. I
MIR. Clay was asfonished and distressed
told Mr.. Graves he (G.) ought not 10 have I
been involved in this affair, and that il might
and should be settled without bloodshed.
He asked to see the challenge, and. on read
ing il. remarked that it was naked and I'M
qualified summons to the field-that this
must not be seut, but one that would admit
Of and invite peaceful adjustment. Accor
dinghy, he tore up the challenge and wrote
the following: