tell my colleague the reason why"-here his head went back, the veins in his temples became corded, his face for a moment was distorted, and he fell back a dead man! What is strange about this whole affair is, that the only allusion to the death of Mr. Randolph ever made in the House of Representatives, caused the death of him who filled his seat!!!

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF 1836. PET BANK SYSTEM. DEATH OF MRS. WISE. RE-ELECTION TO CONGRESS IN 1837.

The Presidential campaign of 1836, opened with party rancor and animosity, running mountain high. The National Republicans or Federalists, who had gone for John Q. Adams and his bill of abominations, and his light-houses in the skies, in 1828, formed one reserve that wished to elect a President. They held a Convention and nominated Gen. William Henry Harrison of Ohio, for President, and Francis Granger of N. Y. for the Vice Presidency. The regiment that had wheeled out of the Jackson line upon the issues of Nullification and the Removal of the Deposits, formed another reserve. These two reserves at first made an effort to blend themselves into one great party. They for the first time agreed upon a common name, that of "Whig," but still they could not agree upon a common ticket; consequently, the National Republicans, or Federalists, finding there was no chance for an amalgamation, nominated Harrison and Granger. The Nullifiers and those who had been opposed to the removal of the deposits, and had not confidence in the political honesty of General Jackson's "favorite," Martin Van Buren, nominated for President Hugh L. White of Tennessee, and John Tyler of Virginia, for Vice-President. The Jackson Democrats put forth for President Martin Van Buren of New York, and Col. Richard M. Johnson of Kentucky, for Vice-President. The unbounded popularity and influence of Gen. Jackson insured the election of his "favorite." Van Buren and Johnson were easily elected. It seems that the leading Southern Democrats in 1836 would not have been as hostile to Mr. Van Buren as they were had they not distrusted him upon two questions that were of vital importance to the South. And those questions were the subject of slavery and the annexation of Texas. As it turned out, Mesars. White, Tyler, Calhoun, Poindexter, McDuffie and Wise were right in manifesting their distrust as to the unfitness and dishonesty of Mr. Van Buren. Although he showed no tangible signs of Abolitionism during his administration, yet he evi

dently retarded the annexation of Texas, and on his rejection by the people in 1840, he soon showed that he was hostile, and that in the most deadly shape, to the most cherished principles of Southern Democrats. Mr. Van Buren never would have been made President had he not deceived the "Old Hero" upon the Texas question. Gen. Jackson had the annexation of Texas in view as early as 1828; and his "favorite" had given him every assurance whilst Secretary of State and Vice-President, that he co-operated with him upon that favorite question. Mr. Van Buren kept the cloven foot of deception concealed from public demonstration until after his defeat. Then it was shown in all its frightful and hideous deformities; and with disastrous consequences to the Democratic party in 1848.

During the spring of 1837, before Mr. Wise reached home from Washington, his dwelling-house with nearly all of his valuable books and papers were consumed by fire. His family were removed to a friend's house in the village of Drummondtown, and that house, in a very mysterious manner, was set on fire also. This so affected the nervous system of his wife, that she never recovered from it, and died in the month of June following. She was the mother of seven children, but left only four living. Mary Elizabeth, wife of Dr. Alexander Y. P. Garnett of Washington City; Obadiah Jennings (the eldest son), who received the appointment of Secretary of Legation to Berlin during the administration of Mr. Pierce; Henry Alexander Wise, Jr., who, at the writing of this sketch, was attending the Theological Seminary at Alexandria, Virginia; and Ann Jennings Wise, the second daughter, is now with her father at Richmond, and who was an infant at the death of her mother.

In 1837 Mr. Wise was a candidate for re-election without opposition. He stood before his district as the advocate of the principles espoused by Hugh Lawson White and John Tyler. That is, opposed to the Pet Bank system, Benton's Sub-treasury, and the reference of Abolition petitions to special or any committee; and the fearless advocate for the annexation of Texas, a tariff for revenue only, &c.

THE GRAVES AND CILLEY DUEL.

Upon no subject has there been so much misunderstanding, misrepresentation, and wilful and unblushing falsehood as upon the unfortunate meeting between Messrs. Graves and Cilley. And upon no subject have there ever been such general excitement and deep-grounded

prejudices aroused. It was the peculiar and unavoidable misfortune of Henry A. Wise to be connected with this sad affair. Not that he could not have avoided it, but not as an honorable man, in an honorable way, to an importunate friend. This subject has been a fruitful theme with the enemies and traducers of Mr. Wise, to arouse, excite and prejudice the popular mind. This effort of his foes has to some extent, been successful with those who were ignorant of the particulars of this duel, its antecedents, &c. We have used every exertion to get possession of all the facts connected with the affair, which we now submit in as condensed a form as possible:

In 1837 political excitement was greater than was ever known in the Congress of the United States. The House of Representatives was composed of a number of able and fiery debaters, and the issues then before that body frequently brought the talent of the House in collision. The Hon. Jonathan Cilley of Maine took issue on one occasion, upon some subject, with James Watson Webb, editor of the Courier and Enquirer, of N. Y., and made what he considered a legitimate attack upon him. Mr. Webb took exceptions to the language used, and demanded satisfaction. He called upon the Hon. Wm. J. Graves, of Ky., to act as his friend. Mr. Graves, without the knowledge, counsel, advice, information, or suspicion of Mr. Wise, carried a letter from Mr. Webb to Mr. Cilley. The letter that was carried has never to this day been seen by Mr. Wise. Mr. Cilley declined to receive the letter, as Mr. Graves alleged, on the ground that he did not choose to be held accountable for words spoken in debate, and would not recognize Mr. Webb's right to call upon him for words spoken of and concerning him on the floor of the House. All this had happened at least a week before Mr. Wise knew a syllable of it. Finally Mr. Graves took exceptions to Mr. Cilley's not receiving the letter of Mr. Webb at his hands, and consulted with Mr. Clay upon that point several days before he mentioned the subject to Mr. Wise. When Mr. Graves came to Mr. Wise for the first time for advice, he said to Mr. Wise that his only anxiety was to do his full duty to his principal, and nothing more. Mr. Wise then advised him that Mr. Cilley's ground was perfectly tenable, and could not be excepted to, as he did not choose to be held accountable for a constitutional privilege-for words spoken in debate-because he did not consider that he had assailed the character of James Watson Webb as a gentleman. This explanation satisfied Mr. Graves in that respect; but he said Mr. Cil

ley had expressed his grounds to him verbally, and then refused to commit them to writing in the form which he had inferred from the first interview with him. Mr. Wise then advised Mr. Graves to address Mr. Cilley respectfully, in writing, and request of him to say upon what ground it was he then declined to accept the note at his hands from James Watson Webb. This Mr. Graves did, but not through Mr. Wise. Mr. Cilley's answer was unsatisfactory in this: that it did not admit what Mr. Graves had stated to have passed verbally between them in their first interview. This raised a question, seemingly, of veracity. But still Mr. Wise advised Mr. Graves not to go farther than to demand whether Mr. Cilley meant to assail his statement as untrue. Mr. Graves then saw Mr. Clay as his chief adviser, and after some day or two of delay, came back to Mr. Wise to take his challenge to Mr. Cilley. Mr. Wise declined to do so, and begged him to sleep upon it at least for one night. The next morning he went to Mr. Wise's room, and again urged him to bear Mr. Cilley his challenge. Mr. Wise then discussed the matter, and told him he saw no reason or ground for a challenge save that of a question of veracity: that if he called upon that ground, he was sure Mr. Cilley would disclaim all impeachment of his veracity, and there would be an end to the whole affair. And in doing this, Mr. Cilley was still not bound to disclaim imputation upon the character of James Watson Webb:-he could plead his privilege only, without affirming or disclaiming anything as to him. He then, at the instance of Mr. Wise, drew up his challenge, placing it expressly on the ground that Mr. Cilley had assailed his statement as to what occurred when he first carried Webb's note. Mr. Wise again refused to be the bearer of the challenge. Mr. Graves then urged him to go with him to Mr. Clay's room. They went, and submitted each their respective differences of opinion, when Mr. Clay took the challenge which Mr. Graves had written, and pronounced it to be improper, because he had based his call upon the wrong groundthat of veracity. Mr. Clay said that there was but one issue in the case, and that was, that Mr. Cilley had declined to receive Mr. James Watson Webb's note at the hands of Mr. Graves; and unless Mr. Cilley would disclaim imputation upon Mr. Webb as a gentleman, that he, Graves, was bound by the code of honor to step into Webb's shoes, and to challenge directly for that cause. Mr. Clay then threw the challenge aside, as written by Mr. Graves, and drew the form of one, which was afterwards taken by Mr. Cilley, with his own hand and pen. Mr. Graves then copied it again, and proposed to Mr. Wise to

be the bearer. He declined again, on the ground that he did not approve the form in which the challenge was written; and, moreover, as the challenge then stood, it was upon a point of punctillio which never could be adjusted in any case without blood.

By this period of the interview, Mr. Menefee of Kentucky had come in, and sided with Mr. Clay against Mr. Wise. Mr. Wise still declined to bear the challenge. Mr. Graves appealed to Messrs. Clay and Menefee to bear witness that on one occasion, in the absence of Mr. Wise from the House of Representatives, he had, without asking the right or the wrong of Mr. Wise's controversy, taken up his personal quarrel, and was ready to fight for him,-that he had more confidence in him than any one else, as his friend, on the ground; and that if he (Wise) suffered him to go upon the field without guarding his life and his honor, and he was brought back a corpse, he desired his wife, his children and his friends to know that he (Wise) had failed to stand by him after he knew he was determined to fight, whether he (Wise) went to the ground with him or not. Is there an honest, courageous and chivalrous heart that beats in the breast of man that could have withstood such an appeal, coming as it did, under such circumstances, and at that particular time?

After this appeal had been made by Mr. Graves, Mr. Wise told him that if nothing else would do him but to fight, and that against his advice, he would consent to guard his life and his honor. Mr. Wise then carried the challenge to Mr. Cilley, copied by Mr. Graves from Mr. Clay's manuscript. Mr. Wise then resolved in his own mind to prevent, if possible, the hostile meeting. After nightfall, General George W. Jones brought an acceptance, and the terms proposed— eighty yards, with rifles. Mr. Wise demurred. Mr. Clay instantly exclaimed: "No Kentuckian can back out from a rifle." Mr. Wise's object still being that of delay, he met Gen. Jones, the next morning and said he must have time to go to Philadelphia for a rifle, as he did not know where else to get one that was reliable. Mr. Jones replied: Certainly, sir, there must be a gun which can be relied on in the whole District of Columbia!" At this answer Mr. Wise was somewhat vexed, and replied, "if you know of one, sir, I would be glad if you would furnish me with it." Thereupon, the next morning, a rifle, powder flask, bullet moulds, &c., were found upon Mr. Wise's table, with a polite note tendering the rifle, &c., to Mr. Graves. This was no doubt done bona fide upon the part of Gen. Jones, but it certainly had the bad effect of hastening the duel. This doubtless would