Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-07
POWER BEHIND TYLER
Brilliant and Erratic Henry
A. Wise Of Virginia.
SOME RECOLLECTI0NS
HIS UNMERCIFUL CAST1GATloN
BY JOHN q. ADAMS.
Aided Graves in Latter's Fatal Duel
With Cilley James Buch-
anan's Sage Advice.
some RECOLLECTIONS

Virginian who has been engaged py the
colored people of the old dominion to test
the stability of theme state constitution,
is indeed chip of the old block, SAID
an old Washingtonian. His manner, MS
conversation, his oratory are much like his
distinguished father.
MY first recollection of Henry A. Wise
of Virginia was In the early part OF Martin
Van Buren's administration. Representa-
tives Cilley Of Maine and Graves OF Ken
lucky fought a duel Cilley made speech
in the House in which he criticised charge
of corruption brought against some I'M
named congressman in letter printed IN
the New York Courier and Enquirer over
the signature of "A Spy in Washington. and
Endorsed in the editorial columns OF that
payer.
Blamed for Fatal Duel.
James Watson Webb. the editor of the
Courier and Enquirer, came Immediately on
from New York and sent a challenge to Gil
ley by Graves, with whom he had but
slight acquaintance Cilley declined to re-
ceive the hostile communication from
Graves. without making any reflection on
the personal character of Webb. Graves
then felt himself bound by the unWritten
code of honor to espouse the cause OF webb
and he promptly challenged Cilley himself.
This challenge was accepted and the
preliminaries were arranged by Henry A.
Wise as the second of Graves, and George
w. Jones as the second of C1lley. Graves
found some difficulty in getting rifle, out
was finally supplied by Mr.. Rives, one OF
the editors of the Washington Globe, who
was personal friend.
THE duel was fought just out OF Wash
ington 1 think on the river bank a mile or
so beyond Georgetown. At the fourth fire
Cilley fell. He was shot through the body
and died within few minutes There was
a great deal Of excitement about the capital
following this tragedy; in fact, the press of
the entire country took 1t up and denounced
the code duello as means OF settling dis
putes. Wise was generally blamed for Gil
ley's death. 1t was charged that he In
stigatei the encounter. Certainly he did
not try to prevent 1t.
Castigated by John Quincy Adams.
IN the Twenty seventh Congress. which
John Quincy Adams (who was then serving
in the House Of Representatives from his
district in Massachusetts, after his retire
ment from the presidency when that VEN
cradle statesman turned upon him and said:
-Four or five years ago there came Into
this body a man with his hands and face
dripping with the blood of murder the
blotches of which are still hanging upon
him, and when it was proposed that he
should be tried by this House for that crime
opposed it
After this allusion to the killing Of Cilley
in a duel Adams proceeded to castigate the
Virginian without mercy. This scene in the
House was brought out by Adams present
ing a petition from anti-slavery citizens of
Haverhill, Mass, praying for dissolution
of the Union.
THE southern representatives held
caucus and Marshall of Kentucky offered a
series of resolutions deploring the presen-
tation of the obnoxious petition and CEN
surfing the former President Of the United
States for having presented it.
Wise, who had such a torrent of words,
such blasting insinuations, and who had
little regard for his speech when ruffled,
was merciless in his references to Adams,
and the latter defended himself, referring to
his connection, with the death of Ciifey, as
have already stated.
Another Duel Almost.
"At the races over the Washington course
the following spring Wise had some trouble
with Representative Stanley Of North Caro-
lima, which came near ending in a duel.
Stanley rode so close to the horse of Wise
as to jostle the latter gentleman, who gave
Stanley several blows with a cane. Stan
ley at once sent friend to Wise with an
invitation to meet him at Baltimore, that
they might satisfactorily settle their diff
Guilty.
STANLEY went on to Baltimore, where he
liant but erratic Lord of Accomack,' as
Wise was often dubbed But Wise re-
manned in Washington. He was arrested
the following day under the anti dueling
law and placed under bonds to keep the
peace.
STANLEY, while in Baltimore, was the
guest Of Beverly Johnson, under whose IN
struction he practiced with dueling pistols
firing at a mark AS the result of this
difficulty Beverly Johnson lost one of his
own eyes. One morning while Stanley was
his guest Johnson took a pistol and fired it
at mark. The ball rebounded and struck
him in the left eye, destroying the sight
completely.
Henry A. Wise took an active part in
the campaign of 1910. Among the principal
rators, including himself who championed
the WING candidates, Harrison and Tyler,
on the stump were Henry Clay, Daniel
win, Thomas Ewing, Richard w. Thompson
and scores of others of less noted names.
Wise the Power Behind Tyler's Throne
wise had been Henry Clay's instrument
in securing the nomination of Tyler, from
his own state, as Vice President When
Tyler acceded to the presidency at the
death of Harrison he became at once the
most influential adviser at the White
House. Wise had hoped that the wings
in the House would nominate him for
Speaker. but White of Kentucky. who had
the influence of Clay, received the nominal
ton in the party caucus. $50
His ambition disappointed. Wise sought
revenge by trying to destroy the whig par
ty. He had hopes of building on the ruins
of the WING party new political organiza-
ton composed of wings and of such demo-
Gratis as might be induced to enlist under
the Tyler banner, by lavish distribution
of official patronage. Tyler was vain, and
| 1t was an easy matter to secure him as a
hgurehead. The result was widening
breach between Tyler and the leaders of
| the party that elected him.
James Buchanan, before the convention
| that nominated him for the presidency, was
attentive to Wise, through whose aid he ex-
pected to secure the votes of the delegates
| from Virginia. Wise encouraged Buchanan
| to bid for southern support. He evidently
recalled the time he was a power behind
the throne of Tyler and was anxious to
| hold the same position with Buchanan In
| fact he was very near to Buchanan during
| the latters term as President.
Buchanan's Advice to Wise.
/ Acquire more character for prudence
and moderation Buchanan wrote Wise
once, and under the blessing of heaven
you may be almost anything in this country
which you desire. All you have to do Is