Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-13

| yotlon to the preservation of his rights and an
| indomitable spirit of honorable frmness and
| independence of character
| "On February &C. two DAYS after the duel,
| Hon. John Fairfield in the House. and Hon.
| heuei Williams In the Senate, from Maine. paid
eloquent tributes of respect to the character
| ana memory OF the fallen Representative of
| their state. Mr.. Williams said: Mr. Cilley was
I a native of New Hampshire and belonged to
| one OF Its most ancient and honorable families.
Patrlotism and bravery were his inheritance.
brave oitcer OF the Revolution and his brother,
captain Joseph Cilley, gallant leader OF a
brave charge III the late C1Sl2).
| SKETCH OF Mr.. CILLEY.
| Mr. Cllley graduated at Bowdon college. and
| Dy his superior talents attained high position
AT the bar OF his adopted state. lie was a good
lawyer. an able advocate. and powerful debater;
ardently attached to the principles of free gov
| eminent; a jealous advocate of the rights OF
! the whole people. and determined opponent
/ OF the claim Of the few to tyrannIze over the
many. A. IA proof of the uncommon couh-
! dence ana esteem entertained for Mr.. CIlley ny
/ me citizens of his district Mr.. Williams said:
! He was elected to the house of representa-
. yves OF Maine IN 1872 served as speaker OF that
body IN 1880 and 1885. ANA WAS elected 70 Con-
| SfeSs III 1887 i'll district where his political
| opponents were in majority Mr.. Williams
| lnuulged IN extended remarks, highly cuioglstc
OF the character of Mr.. Cilley man, friend,
and a statesman, as did Mr.. Fairfield i'll the
| House.
| EFFECT OF THE DUEL.
'The death of Mr.. Cilley under circumstances
sc inexcusable caused wave of violent indig-
nation AL through the wide north and east.
Even from parts of the south, especially from
the states represented by the challenging
| party, came earnest words of protest and con-
| demnatlon against the means and methods of
! the foul taking Off Of the intrepid Maine Con-
J N EeutuRly tho r,ubIip failed
| 10 respond to the expectations of the friends OF
| Mr. Graves to such an extent that Mr.. Crit
| tenden felt called upon to address letter to
| Hon. Leslie Combs, of that state. urging him
! to arouse and foster "A home sentiment favor
able to Mr. Graves. and expressing the hope
| that he should hear a somewhat different nOte
| from the Kentucky papers, they were really
| dannlng Graves b. their FAINT, puny, stintcd
! sort OF defense
"A COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION
was appointed by the House. of which Mr..
! Tracey, of Connecticut was chairman
1t was hardly well organized before a
| flood of petitions began to pour into Con-
| gress containing the proceedings of i'm
| mense public assImDlages i'll the various
! northern cities and towns, expressing the
| popular indignation and denunciaton of the
authors and abettors of the ''atrocious murder"
, as II was named Ill powerful petition from
| Massachusetts, presented by the venerable
! champion OF free speech, Hon. John Quincy
Adams, eX-Presidcnt. and then a member of
| the House, that all responsible for bringing on
! the duel be expelled from the House and that
James Watson Webb be brought before the bar
| OF the House to answer for contempt of that
! body. As an instance of the unanimous dis
| appreciation of the quarrel and its deplOrable
| results in one day, the records OF the House
| show there were received about twenty petitions
| from the city and county of Philadelphia con-
! tanning many hundreds of names of the most
| influential citizens. Both branches of Con-
| gress were engaged much of the time. for
several weeks, in discussing the matter of
| legislation against dueling, in which many
members uttered eloquent and passionate
| denunciations of the code and of the con-
| spiracy. as 1t was believed to have been. by
| which the House of Representatives had been
| violently bereft of one of its most esteemed
! and useful members. The tragedy was felt to
| be a national calamity.
| The committee were divided in their con-
| cuslons and made three separate reports. Mr..
| Tracey, Tor the majority, canvassed the clrcum-
stances very fully, and in summing up. said:
| The present is without any circumstance of
| extenuatlon. member of the House, i'll
manner most strictly parliamentary; on an oc-
| caslon most approprlate; i'll language most de-
| corous and moderate, III defense of the honor
| OF the House, against an anonymous and UNI
| founded charge OF corruption, had alluded to
! the published records of former proceedings
| with perfect truth and accuracy: had, in obedi-
| ence to his duty, declined hostile demand for
| explanation in manner i'll which the commit
| tee can discover no cause of oifense: avowedly
| without hostility, and against the prOtestations
| of others. was required TO fatally expose HIM
| self to the third discharge of rifle
| The committee condemned the dueling code
| in the most scathing manner. 1t was IA relic of
| unenlightened and barbarous ages "a signal
| monument of the want of the highest attribute
| of moral courage; "a game of chances, and a
| scramble for undue advantages 1T can fur
| nish no criterion of truth, justice, or honor,
| and deals out its infections of misery most Sc
verely upon the unoffendIng and the helpless;
| deeply deplOred by all men, even those who
submit to it. and is forbidden in every stage of
| 1t by all laws, human and divine
| The ma ority OF the committee reported res
! olutions recommending that the members of
| the House concerned in the duel be expelled,
but the House finally passed q vote of cen
sure upon them.
| THOSE WHO TOOK PART
"Of all the actors or eye-witnesses in this
fearful tragedy" says Mr.. King, George w.
Jones is the only one known to be living. He
is nearly ninety years old, and was present at
the recent Inauguration. and guest at the re-
| ception given to Hon. Hannibal Hamlin by Mr.
Gardiner Hubbard, of this city, on the LIST of
! March.
Hon. Thomas B. Reed told the writer few
| days since that he saw and conversed with Mr..
Jones while In Washington, and that he in
| qulred with much interest concerning the FAM
| lily of the lamented Ciley.
| General Webb died few years ago. Mrs.
| Cilley survived the death of her husband but a
| few years. Mr.. Graves, who is remembered as
an amiable and talented Representative of his
| hOnored state, after few unhappy years, died
| in l84S, at the early age of forty-three Mr.
| Wise died in 1877. He was long in public life
after the duel; was governor of Virginia Just
| before the war, and signed the death warrant
of Old John Brown thus helping to precipi-
/ tate contest of arms, previously inaugurated
| in Congress and on the field of honor saws
Mr.. King. "He was also a general in the con-
federate service during the war.
| WHY THE DUEL WAS NOT PREVENTED.
"'Why did not the colleagues and friends of
Mr.. Cilley prevent the duel?' Many have asked
| this question 1t is a fact that but one Con-
| gresham from Maine testified to any knowledge
of the preparations for the duel in season to in
| terpose any measures to prevent it. Itappears
| to have been studiously kept secret from Them
as was alleged by witnesses most interested to
| prevent it. Hon. Reuel Williams who boarded
in the same house with Mr.. Ciley, referring to
this matter said Il add, in Justice to myself
and for the satisfaction of Mr.. Cilley's friends,
| that said and did all that could be said and
done to prevent the fatal meeting, without
| forcible restraint, or hazarding the honor and
| mourning the hatred of him whom esteemed
| 50 highly
''Hon. Franklin Pierce. Senator from New
! Hampshire. was acquainted with the circum-
stances preliminary to the duel as a confdant
of Mr.. Ciley, rendering judicious advice, but