New-York daily tribune., 1844-10-30
VIZ. CLAY nnd,he ciiley Duel.

nIr. Clay and the Ciilry Duel.
rrh, portion Of the leading article lat 50 shock
ney tr.nspo>c making mp the pare. as 10 be unnteeoc
We therefore reprint II cOTrcc,ed.J
As 10 the C.Iley due, the News saws t mas
reve. charged Nr. Clay with instigating that
calamity. Ii 50. it has been more scrupC'ous
| than the mass Of It's allies. But what It does
CHARGE is false and con!.adicted by every one
who could know any thing about The III tier.
Nr. CLAY was consulted in confidence by Mr..
| Graves with regard ia difficulty III which he
had become involved; ha gave such advice as
| he believed, and as We no~ believe, best calcu-
lated to avert any farther difficulty. Mr Graves
asked HIM if he ought TO DC SATISFIED with the
explanation given him by MIR. Cilley Of an act
| iii une1pained) of gross and unprovoked insult !;
and MIR. Clay unhesi:atmgly assured him that he
ought to be satisfied. He suggested that whs!
had passed between them Graves and Cl'ley)
should be reduced TO writing, as the only sure
means of avoiding Misrepresentation and dlfh
Guilty afterward, from the partial statements and
colorings of friends on either SIDE. lhis we be-
leye was not only right and wise but impcra
tiyely necessary We should have counseled the
same thing mad we been consuited-counscled
it for the express purpose OF preventing duel.
There are every where men eager to ioment a
|
from its consequences; there were such men ne
hind Ciey, and they drove him on to his death.
But neither MIR. Clay nor Mr. Graves did believe,
or could believe that catastrophe would ensue
from the course they took expressly to avoid 1t.
| Mr. Clay undoubtingly believed that the dith
Guilty was not only averted but its recurrence
guarded against.
In short time, Mr.. Graves called on Mr..
CLAW apain. Mr. Cillcy had refused TO commit
to writing what had passed between him aud MIR.
| g. at their earlier intcrvlcw--had denied that he
ever gave any such explanations as MIR. Graves
| undoubtedly understood him to mahe-had re-
fused 10 make any such, or to say any thing to
relieve Mr.. q. from the mputailon OF having been
the bearer 10 Ciiley OF IL note from one who was
not entitled to the consideration and treatment OF
a gentleman. There was now no possible escape
for Mr.. Graves; he must be personally disgraced
according to the foolish code OF H)nor) o. chal-
lenge word Of explanation from Mr.. Cillay-
simple statement that he could not permit him.
self to be drawn into 4 controversy with Editors
respecting his conduct as a Member Of Congress
would nave ended the nholc matter. He was
not required (as has been falsely stated hundred
| tmes) to endorse Col. Webb; he had only to
state that his refusal to receive the note rendered
hun by Mr. Graves was based on no denial to the
writer of the character OF gentleman. But MIR.
Ciley refused to do any thing to relieve Mr..
Graves from the fatal dilemma III watch he was
involved, and forced on him a personal issue
Why did he this For the same reason that he
chose aud insisted on the savage rifle rs the
weapon for the same reason that he urged and
tauntod Graves into hasty meeting which
brief interval would have prevented. The key
to the whole is found in the letter from Senator
Williams ian intimate personal and political
friend of Cey) to his son on the day of the duel:
"Cllley has gone out to fight Graves. Graves
will certainly fall, and that soiU make CiLley the
foremost man in the New England deLcgation"
Such was the general and confident anticipation
OF Cllley's friends. They offered bets upon it,
and proclaimed in the Capitol, BY this time
Graves is dead man" Thus was this hapless
man pushed on to his death, leaving his survivor
even more to be pitied than himself.
That Mr.. Clay, when second time consulted,
did demonstrate against the peremptory tone OF
the challenge and suggest modlticatlon-.hai,
at Mr.. Graves's request he drew that modliica-
ton with his own hand, are also true. No man
can read tnat challenge without perceiviDg that
it was expressly drawn to invite and suggest an
avoidmca Of the combat. We never saw another
challenge SO qualified and conditional. A line
1t was not written. But Mr.. Clay assuredly be
lieved it would be. He thought controversy
on such grounds, between parties So situated,
could not be pushed to extremity And We still
believe it never would have been but for the
taunting offer on Ciley's side to lend Graves q
rifle 50 as to hasten the combat Had there been
one friend of Cllley ANXIOUS to avert the duel
as Mr. Clay was, It would never have been
fought. Even without proceeding the
trem!ty at last resorled to by Mr. Clay of break.
ing over the confidence of his friend and calling
on the Police To pursue and arrest the parties,
the tragedy would have been prevented. And
now, the only man consulted who appears 10
have earnestly endeayored to prevent conflict
is charged with all its fatal consequences The
calumny is too gross-it must recoil on the de.
famers.
There are but few days more in which the
News aud its compatrots will have any tempta.
ton 10 calumniate HENRY CLAY. For the last
time, he throws himself on the generosity, the
justice of his countrymen. Be the result what
it may, his defamers will yet admit that De.
traction never had more shining mark-that
Malignity never hunted statelier quarry. We
will no. Jet believe it can hunt him down
e The Grand Whig Procession to-day can be
seen TO good advantage from the American Museum
the windowa. balconies and top afording the best
view OF Broadway and the Park OF any place in the
City. Ladies and children, as well Us gentlemen,
who desire sight ofsuch aconcourse oftrue Wings,
and at the same time would be free from the tumult
Of the Streets would DO well to resort thither. The
Manager has made preparations for the farther en-
terainment Of his visitors by engaging talented
Company OF Perfomers,-includng the Kentucky
Mnstrcls, Mrs. Young, the very Witch of Endor,
and others, VINO give splendid performances at y
o'clock noon, afternoon, and in the evening. In
the evening there will be a brilliant Illumination,
and a grand display of Fire Works on the top.
BEAUTIFUL PAINTINGS "A collection of Europe.
an Paintings will be open to-day free TO the public
in the Gallery Ell the corner OF Broadway and
Ch4mbera greet, which ii is said surpasses in mag
nihcence and beauty all former Exhibitions of the
kind. We shall ourselves visit it end speak Of it
nno,a