New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-06

&EtESg more distinguished members Of the House
Moreover, the funeral Of the victim took
Mace in the National Capitol and the President OF the
United States followed the body to the grave in
procession that included most of the high ohclas OF
the nation These facts naturally made the event I'M
usually prominent as factor in the abolition OF the dueling
code
and brilliant gentleman from Maine. He was New
HAMPSHIRE man by BIRTH and OF no mean ability;
but for the duel he might have become figure OF great
national importance. Up to the day OF the hight ne mad
been regarded as young fellow Of unlimited potentialty
He had made fine record at Bowdoin College, Name,
where he was graduated in 1925 and he shortly aterward
linked his fortunes with the State of Maine by marrying
a girl on that side OF the border
In 1882. when he only twenty-eight, Ciley was
elected to the Maine Legislature, and eventually became
Sneaker of the lower house When he had reached the
ace of thirty-four ne member of Congress from
Maine elected in a district where his political opponents
had handsome majority. The voters believed 50 strongly
in the man that they ignored his politics and sent him to
Washington their representative Dung Ctey seemed
10 have the world by the tall but the "code OF honor
ended all within year. and at the time wrote inns
inon the political career of another Congressman OF prom
isc Had Cicy lived, his name would undoubtedly have
been in the school histories but there in the histories
few names of men who died at thirty-fye.
\ Washington correspondent started the trouble The
Courier and Enquirer Of New York had a man at court
who wrote under the pen name Of he Spy in Washing
ton One day this published an article in which he
said he could prove that there at least one member OF
CONGRESS who has offered barter his services and his IN
nucnce with department departments for compensa-
ton"
This remark obviously placed every member Of the
House Of REPRESENTATIVES under suspicion therefore one
Of the members the House, read the article, and
called for an official investigation Immediately thereupon
the gentleman from Maine ,CicyJ objected the
ground beneath the dignity Of the House to pay
attention a mere newspaper attack.
Up rose Henry a. Wise OF Virginia in support OF the
proposed investigation In the course Of his remarks he
nsnuatcd that Cicy had objected because he afraid
the Investigators would catch him with the goods.
Ccy got Of his with aacrity and hot language
was in his mouth With much effort he kept It inside and
told the gentleman from Virginia that the charge "a
base insnuaon Wise came back at him in resentment,
and Cicy repeated that Wise had made insinuaton
and that it damnably base. The upshot Of the
whole that the investigation ordered The
newspaper correspondent was summoned before the bar
the House. and there he publicly exoneraed every
Der Of the lower Houscncdcntaly suggesting
a Senator who in the market.
In the course OF Cilley Of Maine had made a
speech in which he referred in uncompmentay way
to an alleged blackmal transaction whereby Colonel
lanes Watson Webb editor Of the Courier and Enquirer
had added largely his bank the expense of the
United States Bank. Ii was Cilcys argument that the
House was lowering its dignity whenever it paid attention
the barking Of Of that breed: though he carefully
rcirained from canine figures Of speech
This speech the direct cause Of the duel Note if
you please that the name Of William !. Graves Of Ken
lucky has not hitherto been mentioned. Yet Graves was
one Of the men who fought the duel
What Cilcy had suggested about Editor Webb whether
true or false caused that fire hurry down Wash
ington and send Clcy a note asking he had been re-
iorng TO him when he made the speech Here where