Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-11
A HISTORIC DUEL.
JONATHAN CILLYs FATAL MEETING
WITH WILLIAM ]. GRAVES.
How Henry Clay Drafted the Challenge
Three Presidents Interested
in the Affair.


act pall-bearer at the funeral of Jefer-
son Davis, General George w. Jones of
this city gave to staff correspondent of
the Press an account of the great duel be-
tween Jonathan Cilley Of Maine and
William J. Graves, which not only re-
suited in the death of Mr.. Cilley on the
field, but had an important result. Gen
eral Jones was Mr.. Cilley's second, and he
is now the only survivor of an encounter
in which President Van Buren,, President
Pierce, President Polk, Jefferson Davis,
Henry Clay, Thomas II. Benton and many
other leading men were interested directly
and indirectly. General ones, in his mar
ratiye, which is given practically in his
own words. makes a great many statements
OF historical yalue-in fact, for instance,
that Henry Clay wrote the form Of the
challenge. and insisted that the duel
should be fought to the death.
General Jones, who was a delegate in
Congress from Wisconsin for twelve years,
United States Senator and Minister to
Bosota, is sprightly old gentleman of So
years, quick Of speech, with a most Won
derful memory. He served in the war of
1872 and the Black Hawk war, AMI filed
various positions until the close OF his po-
Iitical career, which ended by his being
sent to Fort Lafayette for two months dur
ing the early days of the war for some i'm
proper communication with Jefferson
Davis General Jones claims to have pre-
sented in Congress the first scheme to
build a transcontinental railway, and did
much towards making public improve
ments in the West.
In answer to a request from a Press cor
respondent, General Jones consented to
tell the story of the duel, one of the most
tragic ever fought on this continent. He
began:
81 was Delegate to Congress from the
Territory of Wisconsin in February, 1888,
when the debate took place in the House
of Representatives between Jonathan Gil
lay of Maine, on the one hand and Henry
A. Wise, Bailie Peyton and John Bell on
the other. The question was the charac-
ter of the Administration of President Van
Buren,. who was attacked by the three
gentlemen and defended by Mr.. Cilley
James K. Polk, afterwards President, was
then Speaker. Mr.. Cilley arose in his
place and said;
'''It is very easy matter for the gen
tlemen TO make charges against the Adj
ministration of MrNan Buren,. But 1t must
be remembered that the newspapers
charge that General James Watson Webb,
editor of the Courier and Enquirer of New
York then the organ of the Wing party
and of Henry Clay, received bride of
$4,000 for his advocacy of the re-charter-
ing of the Bank of the United States
"Wise, Peyton and Bell few at Mr..
Cillev a. once. Mr.. Wise said Does the
gentleman charge General Webb with
having received bride Of So, 600? Mr..
Cilley replied 4 make no charge-the
newspapers make the charge Mr.. Wise
then asked: Does the gentleman believe
the charge? Mr.. Cilley replied: i make
no declaration as to what ! believe
only state what the newspapers say.
General Webb had in the gallery Of
the House q friend, DR.. Davis correspond
ent for his paper. Davis reported the
furious debate to General Webb in New
York. Webb came down to Washington
and called upon his friends and William
J. Graves, Representative from Louisville,
and Mr.. Graves was asked TO bear note
from General Webb to Mr.. Cilley, which
he did. Upon Mr.. Graves presenting II to
Mr. Cilley he declined to receive it. Mr..
Cilley said: / have no acquaintance with
General Webb, and do not wish to receive
any note from him. Graves returned
with the note to Webb's mess at Miss
Hills clearinghouse on Pennsylvania
avenue. 1t was called the Kentucky mess,
Henry CLAW being at the head of it.
"Mr. Graves told them that Mr.. Cilley
had declined to receive the note. This
got afterwards from General Wise Mr..
Clay said, Go back and tell the -
Yankee that it isn't challenge, that it is
merely note of inquiry Mr.. Graves
went back, saw Mr. Cilley, and told him
that it was a note of inquiry, whereupon
Mr.. Cilley replied: Mr.. Graves, as | said
before. l have no acquaintance with Cen
eral Webb, and have no desire to receive
the note. Mr.. Graves said that placed
him in an unpleasant situation. Mr..
Cilley responded: I have the highest
respect for YOU. ! do not decline to re-
ceiye this note out Of any disrespect to
you. but for the reasons l have stated
Graves went back to the Kentucky mess
and told what had occurred. Mr.. Clay
You have got to challenge the Yankee
''CilIey was a Democrat, wasn't hep
asked the correspondent.
"Of course, there was no Republican
party then. Mr.. Clay drew the form of
the challenge in writing and Graves then
went from the Kentucky mess to see Mr..
Wise at Kings, and asked Wise if he
would take challenge from him, William
]. Graves, to Mr.. CIlley. Wise immedi-
ately complied He took the challenge to
Mr.. Cilley in the morning. Mr.. Cilley
took the note and said, 4 accept the chal-
lenge, Mr. Wise, and viii send my friend
to you
i'Mr. Wise told me he modified the chal-
lenge as drawn up by Mr.. Clay, because It
was too peremptorY, of too harsh nature.
Mr.. CIlley sent bis friend, Franklin Pierce,
afterwards President of the United States,
then Senator from New Hampshire, to my
clearinghouse on Capitol Hill.
q went over from the House Of Repre-
sentatives for dinner and walked into DR..
Iinn's room. as he was i'll and confined to
his bed. As | entered his room | saw
Franklin Pierce standing between DIR.
Inns bed and Colonel Thomas H. Ben
ton, who was on his left. heard DR..
Linn say: There's the man; he'll do it,
Then heard Colonel Benton say: They
can't object to the rife; you can refer them
to the case of Moore and Letcher land one
or two others whose names l forget, who
fought with rifles l went out Of DR..
Inns room to order some dinner for him
at his request. Senator Pierce followed
me- aud putting hiss hand on my shoulder,
said: General. will you do this9
II asked, What do you meang Don't
You know said he, what's going on 2
No, l don't, said l. Don't you know that
our friend Cilley has been challenged by
Grayesp Why, no, l don't, said 1.
whats the matterg In consequence Of
that debate the other day. replied Mr..
Pierce. Why said l, Mr. Graves didn't