The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-06-18


- a. reason for declining 10 receive the note Of Colonel
49, that be did nst choose 10 be held accountable Tor
-. spoken In debate. think L informed Mr.. Jones
bep asked him Mr.. Cley could not assign this reason
u the ground but OF this not positive. Mr. Critten-
~ answered Not that know Of know Of no eommuni
~ between any Of these parties other than before
~ a lar as now reeoect. Whether those eommunica
s involve any such question il Is not for 20 decide
u such question made in terms, that know Of Mr.
usnee answered. mr.. Graves had communication Of any
lind with Mr. Cy, his second, attendant friends, and
Feurse did not them that such question
poin OF difficulty Nor did the second OF Mr.. Grayes
- far as remember, make such communication, except
= hr as may be implied by the propositions made BY
him 10 eonnexon with the correspondence ac. One at
least Of friends Of Mr. Graves in the OF his sec
ana made attempts direct the attention OF the second and
friends OF Mr. Cley the difficulty which presented by
the terms Of Mr. Graves first note, (gyng his version OF
what Mr. Ciey had said and the ground which Mr. Cley
had subsequently assumed But 1t was not referred TO, ~
ms a. question Of veracy. 1t believed that Mr..
y had honorable grounds which would be satisfactory
10 Mr.. Graves, and at the time compatible with the
truth which would effect the object without making directly
ach question whilst efforts pending TO accommodate
whether the views thus expressed communicated to
Mr. Ciey know not For the character OF what occurred
On this point far participated ia IT, the committee
are referred TO my general statement
"Mr Graves said DR.. Foltz, the way TO the held,
that he had been the of note from Colonel WebD
% Mr. Cley inqurng If Mr. Cley had been correctly re-
ported the Globe. Mr. Cley refused 70 reoe'pe me no
declined giving ais reasoas Aleh implicated me, ~ eoass
aasaee Of ich challenged hin bat ihare personal ans
noy onafd hi. Mr. Wise said on the field Mr. Jones,
these gentlemen here without amnesty towards
each oher they fighting merely upon point OF honor
Thess nothing against each other they are mere
iv settling point OF honor.
This concurrent testimony Of ALL without exception,
taken In with the written correspondence the
ous propositions and the field and the further
fact that Mr. Ciey had not been informed that Mr. Graves
Nd undertaken TO repeat to others verbal communication
heen them, that nisapprebension or misunder-
standing existed between them that subject utterly repes
,b ion that any question OF veracy had arisen
d been made or the Of the challenge the death
a. Mr. Cey Ineced any misapprehension on that subject
would have given no lore just ground Of anmosity and
least Of ALL OF the highly ndctive feelings necessarily
aroused BY question of veracy, t1an the very evident
sapprhension which Mr. Graves aborea ander IN regarn
70 some parts Of the Of James Watson Web Of which
he the bearer.
The committee will not justice Mr.. Graves harbor
The belief that there ranking secretly in his bosom any
yndietiye hostile feelings towards Mr. Cey growing
out question Of personal yeracty and prompting him
10 carry deadly warfare under another pretex not only
without direct and explicit disclosure Of the real cause OF
difficulty such would have left misrepresentation On the
mind Of any one under circumstances which med the
other party and his friends, and left him, under that false
Impression TO forfeit his life.
The committee have, therefore, TO the conclusion
that the words spoken BY Mr. Cey in debate in the House
Of Representatives the refusal Of Mr. Cey TO receive de-
sign any other for IL than that he chose to be drawn
into no officially upon the subject the which led
70 the death OF Mr. Cey under the circumstances which
have been substantially detailed"
General Webb says in conclusion ~ did not assail
tie offending party, without first making the inquiry
which alike courteous and proper and Tn he plead
~ he prUge promptly acknowledged us force anddbdn-
doaed all idea Of violating his person. IN any other Vay
iaicrsng nth the freedom Of debate" How Gen. Webb
reconcs this with the following facts reported
by the special committee, we leave him to decide:
ssEarIy in the day on which ho fell agreement
tered into between James Watson Webb Daniel jackson,
and William H. Morer, themselves, repair to the
roam Mr. Cey and force him TO fight Webb with pis
tolls spot pledge his word of honor to give Webb
meeting before Mr. Graves and, IL Mr. Cley would do
neither shatter his right They accordingly took
measures TO whehsr Mr. Cey at his lodgings,
finding he not, they proceeded well armed to
Badensurg where said the duel between r Graves
and Mr. CIey take place. Before arriving there Is
was sgroed between Webb jackson, and Moe that Webb
should approach Mr. Cley, claim the quarrel, insist on
aghng him. and him that he aimed his rife at Mr.,
Graves he webb would shoot him tMr. Ciey) on the
spot IL supposed by them that Mr.. Graves or Mr..
Wise or some Of the party would raise weapon Webb,
whereBpon agreed that Webb should instantly shoot
Mr. Cey AID that they should then defend themselves in
ts best way they could Not finding the parties at Badens
barg they followed In pursuit 10 the old Magazine and
Greenleas point whence, IT being after O'clock
they retained the city 10 await the result /" IL Is
necessary add" they, 10 statement drawn by
Webb, signed by Jackson and ko-e and pubsbed in the
New York Courier aud Enquirer, whit would have been
the Of Colonel Webb Mr. Graves, instead OF Mr..
Cey, bad been injured Suffice u Say, that il
toned by us however much deplored H. could not
doas bat the extraordinary position in which he would have
been p,>ccd would have warranted the determined
upOu" Il : dfheui imagine what here darkly shsd
Vwed forth n be that, had Mr.. Ciey survived the
with Mr. Graves and had the former suffered in
Il would then have been the fate Of Mr. cey 10 have
eountered an assassin"
We viii now sum up the several points, and leave the
reader 10 decide whether have done General Webb
'iusoe' not We took the ground that General Webb
vas Ia condition assume the championship Of the
freedom or congressional debate because he had chal
lsnged member for words spoken in debate II turns
out that bis communication not technical challenge
~ notice that the language used not explained
o. retraeted challenge would follow.
q Cen webbs friend eths consequences Of tina, qDas
rhallsnge7 Gen. Webb says were in In regard
% the Of the melancholy affair but that bis friend
challenged sna Killed Mr. Cley o. ne ground o. cues
ton Of vsraoy bewesa them The report Of the special
COMMITTEES distinctly States that The only cause q the
death ., Mr. CIiley was his refusal 70 aecrp, the
note or g.sss challenge o. General webb, and tina,
ucre va, no pretsnce that a question Of veraoty
bsvcca sessrz. Graves and chley was the cause Or
At cabbage which resulted in the death Of the latter