New-York daily tribune., 1844-10-29
Gbs, Nr. CLAW. vbe. second time consulted,

did remonst!ate against lns pe.en'pSoiS to"o vi
the challenge and suggest nlodifcation-;hai,
at Mr.. G.avas's request, ne drc" that modIilca-
ton .i,h his own hand, are also true. No man
can read ,ha; challenge without parceiving that
it was expressly drawn to invite and sugges! an
avoidance Of The combat We never saw another
challenge 50 qualified and conditional. line
from Mr Cilley mig yet nave averted the fight.
Il was no; written. But Mr.. Clay assuTedly be-
lieved i, would be- He thought a controversy
on such grounds, between parties so situated,
could no: be pushed to extremity. And we still
believe j. neyc. would have been bat for the
tsua,ing offer On Cilley's side 10 lend Graves
rifle 50 as 10 hasten the combat. Had there been
ose friend OF Ciley ss anxious to avert the cue!
az Mr. Clay was, it would never have been
fought. Even wirhou! proceeding to tfc CT,
trenty al las. resoried 10 by hir. Clay Of break
;nr ovo- tle confidence Of his friend and calling
op the Police to pursue ard arrest the parties,
the tragedy would have been prevented. Aad
and Mr.. Clay unhesi,sangly assured him that he
ougbt to be satisfied. He suggested that what
had passed between them Graves and CLley)
should be reduced to writing, as the oaly sure
means Of avoiding Misrepresentation and diff
culty afterw4rd from the partial statements and
coloriDgs of friends on either side. This VIC be-
eve was not only right aud wise, but impeEs-
tiyely necessary. We should have counscled the
same thing had we been consulted-couaseled
it for the express purpose OF preventing duel.
There are every where men eager to loment a
difference of this kind so locg as they are safe
from, its consequences; there were such men be-
hind Cillov, and they drove him on to his death.
But neither Mr.. Clay nor Mr.. Graves did believe,
or could believe, that catastrophe would ensuc
from the course they took expressly to avoid it.
Mr.. Clay undpubtngly believed that the diff
csty wes not only uverted bu: its recurrence
guarded against.
In short time, MIR. Graves called ON Sir.
CIay again. Mr.. Cilley had refused TO commit
to writing what had passed between him end MIR.
C. at their earlier intervew-had denied that he
ever gave any such explanations as Mr Graves
undoubtedly understood him to make-had re-
fused TO make any such, o: to say any thing to
relieve Mr.. G. from the imputation OF having been
the bearer 10 Cilley Of note from one who was
not entitled to the consideration and treatment Of
gentleman. There was now no possible escape
for Mr.. Graves; he must be personally disgraced
fsccordinr to the foolish c1de of Honor or chal-
Ienpe. A word Of explanation from Mr.. Clley-
simple statement that he could not permit him.
self to be drawn into controversy with Editors
respecting his conduct as Member of Congress
would nave cndcd the whole matter. He was
not required (as has been falsely stated hundred
times) to endorse Col. Weob; he had only to
state that his refusal TO receive the note rendered
him By Mr. Graves was based On no denial TO the
writer of the character OF gentleman Bat MIR
Cilley refused to do any thing to relieve Mr..
Graves from the fatal dilemma in which he was
involved, and forced on him a personal issue
Wny cid he this For the same reason that he
chose and insisted on the savage rife as the
weapon for the same reason that he urged and
tainted Graves ia;o hasty meeting which a
brief interval would have prevented. The key
to the whole is foand in the letter from Senator
Williams (an intimate personal and political
friend Of Cey) TO his son on the day of the duel
now, the only man consulted who appears 10
have earnestly eldeavc;ed to prevent conflict
is charged with sl its fatal consequences The
calumny is too gross-it must recoil on the de-
famets.
There are but few days more in which The
News and its compatriots will have any tempte.
lion 20 ca!unniatc HENRY CLAY. For the last
time, he throws himself on the generosity, th;
Justice Of his countrymen. Be the result what
it may, his dcfamers now will yet admit that De-
traction never had more shining mark-that
Malignity never hunted statelier quarry. We
will not yet believe it can hunt him down