The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-09-21
A "Reminiscences of Gov. Wise.

The Louisville Courier journal, in an
elaborate sketch Of the late Gov. Wise,
furnishes the following: The famous
Graves and Cilley duel took place in
1897. Mr.. Wise was the second of the
former, and Hon. George w. Jones of
Iowa the second of the latter. 1t grew
out of an attack by Mr.. Cilley on James
Watson Webb Of the Courier and En-
9utrer. Graves first acted as the friend
of Webb, when Cilley refused to be &C.
countable for words spoken in debate.
A question of veracity having subse-
quently arisen, Graves became a prin-
cipal, and acted by the advice of Henry
Clay. Mr.. Wise was opposed to the
duel, and desired to delay it, and, if
possible, settle the affair by negotiation.
He declined several times to bear the
challenge to Mr.. Cilley, and on the last
occasion Of his doing so, "Mr. Graves
appealed to Messrs. Clay and Menefee
to bear witness that on one occasion, in
the absence of Mr.. Wise from the
House of Representatives, he had,
without asking the right or wrong
of Mr.. Wise's controversy, taken
up his personal quarrel, and was ready
to fight for him-that he had more con-
fidence in him than any one else as his
friend on the ground; and that if he
(Wise) suffered him to 90 upon. the
field without guarding his life and his
honor, and he was brought back q
corpse, he desired his wife, his chill
dren and his friends to know that he
(Wise) had failed to stand by him after
he knew he was determined to fight"
Wise could not withstand this appeal.
He carried the challenge to Mr.. Cilley,
copied by Mr.. Graves from Mr.. Clay's
manuscript. Mr.. Wise had, however,
resolved to prevent, if possible, the hos
tile meeting. After nightfall Mr.. George
w. Jones brought an acceptance, and
the terms proposed-eigthy yards with
rifles. Mr.. Wise demurred. Mr.. Clay
instantly exclaimed, "No Kentuckian
can back out from a rife!" Mr.. Wise's
object still being that of delay, he met
Mr.. Jones the next morning and said he
must have time to go to Philadelphia for
a rifle, as he did not know where else
to get one that wa reliable. Mr.. Jones
replied, "Certainly, sir, there must be
Il gun which can be re-
lied on in the whole Dis
trict of Columbia!" At this answer Mr..
Wise was somewhat provoked, and
replied, "If you know of one, sir, |
would be glad il you would furnish me
with it." Thereupon, the mex morn
ing, n rifle, powder-lask, bullet-molds,
ETC., were found upon Mr.. Wise's table,
with a polite note rendering the rifles,
etc, ''to Mr.. Graves" Graves was q
very bad and Cilley a crack shot; yet at
the third fire the latter was shot, and
died in a few moments. His death led
to great public excitement, and a COM
mittee of investigation was ordered by
the House. The chief onus of the
affair was sought to be placed or Wise
and ever those with whom he had acted
from personal motives allowed this
opinion to prevail in order to shield
themselves. Mr.. James Watson Webb,
in 1912, alleged in the Courier and En-
guirer that Mr.. Wise had instigated
the duel. Such a charge was totally
unfounded, unjust, and even %cowardly,
emanating as it did from Mr.. Webb,
wio was directly connected with the
affair. Soon after this slanderous and
malicious allegation had appeared in
the Courier and Enquirer, Mr.. Wise
published the facts of the case in the
Mddisonian. Mr.. Clay replied, admit
ting his wsole part in the affair, and
generally justified Mr. Wise as well as
himself.