The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-02-08

y Washington special correspondent of
the Globe Democrat says that the recent az
fairs of honor between members OF the
Frenchchamber of deputies, growing out of
remarks made on the floor of the chamber
during the debate over the Panama scan
dial, have had their counterpart in Amer
lea.
Duels between congressman were nu-
merous in ante-bellum days. and many
men of prominence, some Of whom are
living, have been participants in such al
fairs, either as principal or second. These
congressional duels were, as a rule, not of
the Clemenceau. Deroule order. Congress
men Graves and CiIley fought to
the death; Barent GARDENER of New
York was dangerously wounded by George
Washington Campbell of Tennessee !;
Senator Mason of sVirginia was shot dead
by his kinsman, Col. John NJ McCarty.
who was seriously wounded. These took
place near Washington, and are only a
few of the encounters fought in the vicini-
tv OF the Capital CITY which have become
more or less historical. Men whose names
are known throughout the civilized world
y
whose fiery words echoed from the Allan
tic to the Pacific, who have done much to
save the nation or who have attempted to
destroy it-such men as these, senators
and representatives in congress- have
been participants in so-caled affairs of
honor, bloody and bloodless. The great
Henry CLAY and the eccentric John Ran
doiph exchanged shots; Jefferson Davis.
while senator. took umbrage at the re-
marks of a member of the house and chal-
lenged him; sam Houston. while in con-
gress, nearly killed his man. \ challenge
meant business In ante-bsllum DAYS, and,
although bloodess congressional duels
were greater in number than those of
more serious character, nearly every man
who faced an opponent on the field did so
with the determination to do his level
best IL putting his enemy out OF the world.
Efforts had been made for wears IN con-
gress to prevent the practice OF dueling,
but it was not until 1901 q at the last duel
between congressman was fought This
was biOOdless a air between Samuel W
Inge of Alabama and Edward Stanley of
North Carolina near Washington. Il is
also interesting 20 note that the last duel
fought on the bloody field of Bladensburg
was between members of the .hOuse-Jes-
sc A. Bynum of North Carolina and Dan
pals. This was in June, 1886 A peculiar
fact in connection with the efforts to pro-
hibit the practice is that men who urged
In the halls OF congress the passage of
measures to punish duelists had previous
10 this time engaged in affairs of honor or
did so alterward. Notable among these is
Henry Clay, who fought dueis with Hum
phrev Marshall and John Randolph, and
afterward declared in the senate that
when public opinion is renovated and
chastened BY reason, religion and human
itv. the practice of duellDg will be dis
countenanced."
Clay's remarks were delivered in 1886,
RprOpos OF a bill to prohibit sending an
acceptance Of challenges in the District Of
Columbia, and the bill was passed bv q
vote Of 81 yeas and l nav. Mr.. SEWER of
Arkansas, who formed the minority said
he did not believe in legislating against
the custom. lie was partially sustained
by Senator Thomas Clayton OF Delaware.
who appears TO have been wanting when
the vote on the passage of the bill was
taken. Clayton was opposed to the meas
uTe on the ground that dueling was not of
that class of crimes ~ hich should subject
offenders ito use his own words to the
cells of penitentiary and make them the
associates of feIons."
The thley-GraNss Duel.
The best known of the duels that have
occurred between congressman, arising
out OF remarks delivered on the floor, was
that in which the venerable Jonathan
Cilley, of Maine was killed by William J.
Graves OF Kentucky. A letter rejecting
on certain unmarried congressman had
been published in the New y ork Co,s-ier
and Enquirer. and the charges were IN
dorsed in the editorial columns OF that
paper. Cilley spoke scathingly of the
article on the floor OF the house, and
James Watson Webb. editor of the
journal, started post-haste for Washing
ton, and dispatched note to Cilev.
presumably a challenge, by Graves
Cilley declined to receive the missive and
Graves, stralning one of the fine points of
the unwritten code, declared, after some
correspondence between himself and
Cillev, that his honor was at stake. and
challenged Cilley. who accepted. The
duel was fought on the Marlboro road, in
Maryland, some three miles from the
district line. Rifles were the weapons
Three shots were exchanged, and at the
last fire. Cilley dropped to the ground
and died in few minutes
The Hon. George w Jones, ex-senator
from Iowa. then a member of the house,
was Cilley's second. Gen. Jones' who is
now in Washington-a handsome, court
ly, white-haired. WhIte-besrded old gen.
tleman-relsted recently an interesting
incident connected with the duel which
has never found way into print. In those
days-the duel occurred in 1S3S-it was
the custom for the members of each state
delegation in congress 10 have a common
boarding house and meeting place. Ac-
cording 20 Gen. Jones, Graves came into
the mess-room of the Kentucky delega-
zion after he bad endeaVored to deliver
Webb's note to Cilley and related the I'M
successful result of his visit Henry Clay
was pacing up and down the room, with
his hands thrust under his cOat-tails and
rs Graves finished he halted and said:
"Mr. Graves. the id yankee thinks
that note contained a challenge. Go back
and tell him it dosen't"
Graves tbereupon returned to Cillsy's
place Of residence, and carried out Claws
instructions. but again met with refusal
on the part of Cilley to receive the mis-
eive When Graves came back 10 the
Kentucy mess and told of CilIey's ac-
ton, CLAW exclaimed with some anger:
"Mr. Graves. the id yankee has in
suited you, sir, and TO save your honor
you must challenge him" Graves, &C
cording TO the story, entered into CORE
spondence with Cilev, with whom he was
on terms OF friendship, and the fatal
Meeting resulted On tho recommends