majority and a duel with Mr. Coke. Mr. Wise accused him of great inconsistency, having represented the district four years as a Jackson Democrat, and as soon as Nullification turned up in 1833, denouncing Jackson and going off with Calhoun, and dating his hostility to the administration of the "Old Hero" as far back as the rupture in the cabinet in June 1831. This Mr. Wise considered the grossest inconsistency, when it was a notorious fact that Mr. Coke professed to be a warm supporter of the Jackson administration until the mania of Nullification arose. Upon this point Mr. Coke suffered, and justly, se verely. He was so chagrined at his defeat that nothing would atone his grief but blood. Mr. Coke challenged, Mr. Wise accepted. They fought the 25th day of January 1835, over the Eastern branch of the Potomac, on the road leading across the Anacostia bridge, in Maryland, not far from Marlborough. Mr. John Whiting was the second of Mr. Coke, and Mr. John Wray the second of Mr. Wise; both seconds from Hampton, Virginia. Bailie Peyton, Eilbeck Mason and James Love of Kentucky, attended as the friends of Mr. Wise, and Dr. Hall of Washington City, as his surgeon. George Southall attended as the friend, and Dr. Byrd of Gloucester, as the surgeon of Mr. Coke. General Roger Jones of the army attended as the friend of both parties. At one o'clock P. M. they fired, Mr. Wise's ball fracturing the right arm of Mr. Coke, but fortunately not maiming him for life. Thus ended this affair of honor. Mr. Wise was elected to Congress in April 1833, and in the month of October of that year General Jackson removed the public deposits. This act of the executive was looked upon by many of both parties as high-handed and bordering on absolutism. It had the effect of driving from his side a number of his warmest admirers, Nullifiers and Anti-Nullifiers. And amongst these were John C. Calhoun and Henry A. Wise. The excitement following the removal of the deposits was tremendous, long continued, and of a most acrimonious nature. After much discussion and wrangling in the halls of Congress on the subject, seventeen Democrats of the House and several of the Senate filed out of the Jackson ranks. They were called the "Awkward Squad." This was because they could neither go with the administration upon the removal of the deposits, nor with the Federal opposition. This act of General Jackson, although attended at the time with a monetary depression, eventually proved to be one of the best and most judicious moves any public officer ever made.

RE-ELECTION TO CONGRESS IN 1835.

REMINISCENCE OF THE DEATH

OF JOHN RANDOLPH OF ROANOKE.

In the spring of 1835, Mr. Wise was again a candidate for Congress. He was opposed the second time by his former competitor Mr. Coke. Mr. Coke was only a candidate for a short time, abandoning the canvass at York, and forever afterwards voting at the polls for Mr. Wise.

Mr. Wise has been accused by his enemies of attempting to imitate the eccentric John Randolph of Roanoke. This is a false accusation. He never attempted to ape any pecularity or the eccentricities of any man. He is a man sui generis. Mr. Randolph, it is true, was elected to Congress in 1833, but died in the City of Philadelphia before the session opened. Mr. Wise never, in all his life, saw Virginia's distinguished orator and biting satirist. We hazard the assertion that an imitator of John Randolph, in the strict sense of the term, never did and never will exist. What Byron said of Sheridan, we think equally applicable to Mr. Randolph :

"Sighing that Nature formed but one such man,
And broke the die-in moulding Sheridan !"

There was one thing that happened to Mr. Randolph that also happened to Mr. Wise, when they took the oath as members of Congress. Mr. Randolph being, it is remembered, elected at the age of 24, had a very feminine and youthful appearance, so much so that the Speaker enquired of him whether he was of the constitutional age, that is, 25. The tart reply was "Ask my constituents, sir." John Y. Mason introduced Mr. Wise to Mr. Speaker Andrew Stevenson, when he enquired, "Where "Where is Mr. Wise?" Mr. Wise then standing before him, whom he took to be one of the pages of the House. Mr. Mason whispered to the Speaker, and told him "that was the gentleman to whom he had just been introduced." The Speaker smiled, and presented the Bible with a pleasant remark about his youthful appear-.

auce.

In Mr. Wise's speech upon the removal of the deposits, he quoted a remark of Mr. Randolph, about the "rara avis," the "Black Swan," and alluded, episodically, to the fact, that his death had not been announced in that House, saying it was no fault of his. This called out, a few days afterwards, Mr. Randolph's successor, Judge Bouldin, who took the floor and commenced giving the reasons thus: "I will

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, Messrs. 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

T

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:

vice, information, or

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, adsuspicion 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