The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-18
HOUSTON POST LETTER BOX.

and curious Information. Questions OF per.
sonai interest only VIII not be ans ans, sr a..
All correspondence should be addressed 70 i y,
Letter Box, care Houston Post. OWING 70 tne
large number Of questions received answers
can not always BIO given promptiyI
4 What circumstances caused the SIa N,,
Cillcy duel? Where and whtn was y IogRn !,
Whit were the names OF the seconub' ~
what way was Governor Henry A. Wise 2, con &c
ntcted with IT. i.'.u'
The duel originated in speech deliverct
BY Nj. Ciiley In the house OF representatives
In which he severely criticised charge o
corruption brought against an unmarried
congressman, published in the New forF
Courier and Enquirer. and approved IN al
editorial in that paper. The editor, GENERA
James Watson Webb. at once sent chaiiehSt
to Mr.. Cllley by the hands of Mr.. Graves ou'
| Mr.. CiIiey declined to receive It on the GROUND
that he had not attacked General Weoo
pefsonal character. MIR. Graves felt aggriev-
ed. because he thought the refusal imp'eo
that Mr. cllley held that he (Graves) had
borne challenge from person tGenera'
Webb OF disputed responsibility. and ac-
coidinp to the code OF honor he felt that nc
| was tound to take his principals place. He,
therefore, challenged Mr. Ciley. and sent tie
challenge by the hand OF his friend. Hon.
L
Mr.. Cilley accepted and Hon. John VIM
| ston Jones was his second. They
fought with rifles, and on the third shot
! MIR. cilley fell dead in the arms of his friends.
| After eoch of the first two shots confer
| ence was held between tho friends of the two
eomtatants, and Mr. Clcy made the most
| generous avowals Of respect and kindly feel
ing toward his antagonis., but he was Int
! rlacable. Mr.. Graves was censured by the
| house of representatives. Hon. Jonathan Gil
ley was member of congress from Maine:
| Hon. william ]. Graves from Kentucky. and
| Wise and Jones were both Virginians
1. have read In Que of the papers that
| some notability had received an "accesslp
| from some learned body. Can you tel! me
| what an accesst is? 2. Also can you tell me
the origin OF sub rosa!
| !. Ar ''accessit" is testimonial given 10
| one who is second in merit. Catalogues OF
colleges and universities, giving record oil
| distinctions obtained. frequently contain some
| such announcement as this; First nonos,
| james Brown; accessit. Horatio Potter In
| such cases the "accessit" had the second best
record. The word is the past tense OF the
| Latin verb accedo. to approach near. ana.
| literally translated, means he Tor she) came
| mex; or second. 2. Sub rosa is from the Latin
meaning, literally. "under the rose. Its
present Specification comes from the custom
among tie Romans of placing rose apove
| the cocr of their houses or the table at
dinner rarties to indicate to their guess that
all Il inrs said or done within the portals of
| the mansion that occasion were to be
regal ced as strictly confidential.
| Will you please be kind enough to tell me
who the author OF the poem THE Under Dog
| in the Fight is, and settle warm dispute?
LINN.
| The phrase 1.-THE under dog in the fight"
seems to be of modern origin. and may pos
sibly be derived from song by David Bar
kerr published In 1876
I know that the world. that the great big
world.
From the peasant up to the king.
Has different tale from the tale l tell.
| And different song to sing.
But for me-and care not single ne
II they say am wrong or am right
shall always go in for the weaker dog.
For the under dog in the fight.
I contend that Good telnpers the wind to the
shorn lamb" Is a quotation from the Biblc.
Ny friend says 1t can not be found In that
hook. Who is correct? C.D.K.
It is not In the Bible. but in book that
Is tho very an.ipo6es of the Bible. and one
look in our language 1t is in "The Senti-
mental Journey" by Lawrence sternc. and
even there it is stolen, for Sterne stole many
of his hes. things. 1t Is to be found still
earlier IL the writings of George Herbert, who
says: ITO a close sho:n sheep God gives
wind by measure" But 1t gees even further
back. An old French writer has It: "Dicu
resure 10 froid la brebs tondue." God
measures the cold Ia the shorn lamb.
To decide a question that has been argued
hero today, would like for you to publish in
your next Sundays issue when Kerosene oil
became In use; that is, when did they begin
to use 1t In lamps? l.. Bergman.
Petroleum has been known by civilized man
from the dawn of history. pliny and Diosco-
rides describe the oil of Agrigentum, which
was used in lamps under the name OF 'Sci
liam OIL" and mention is made of petroleum
syringe in China In the earliest records OF
that ancient people Petroleum in North
America was first mentioned in 1920. The use
OF the oil in lamps did not become general
until the Nineteenth century.
suppos,ng the United States gets into war
with i,enmark, can a haturalized Dane be
compelled to fight under the Stars and Stripes
against Denmark? AE.A
The United States government. In case of
urgent heed, can compel military services
from any OF Its citizens able to bear arms.
but the American policy has been, in n war
with a foreign country to avoid ms far as
possible. the employment of naturalized clti-
zens OF the enemy's country in its armies
and navy.
Is the amount OF silver dollars limited as
legal tender? Are gold and silver certificates
a legal tender' JB.H
Gold as n legal tender Is unlimited Gold
and silver certificates are a legal tender for
all public dues. Silver dollars are n legal
tender for all dues. subsidiary coinage Is a
legal tender for all dues to the amount OF
$40 and the minor coinage OF nickel and copper
for dues not to exceed pc.
What Is the correct quotation Of the coun,et
OF Tennyson's which reads like this:
But sigh for a hand that is vanished
And for voice that Is still?"
G.MN.
Tho thought alluded to in the question is
found In Tennyson's poem. entitled Break
Break. Break. the correct citation being:
But oh! for the touch OF vanished hand.
And the sound OF a voice that is still.
What are tho three highest army ranks thn,
can be attained and who has held the Highest |
since General Washington? Lilo
tha In sa