the highest respect and the most kind
feeling; but that he declined to receive the note because he chose
not to be drawn into any controversy with Colonel Webb."

The above not being satisfactory to Mr. Graves, and Mr. Cilley
declining to make further concession, the challenge was renewed
and the parties resumed their positions and again exchanged shots.
Mr. Graves fired first, before he had fully elevated his piece;
Mr. Cilley about two seconds afterwards. They both missed, although
the witnesses then thought from the motions and appearance of
Mr. Graves that he was hit. The latter immediately and peremptorily
demanded another shot.

The challenge was here again, for the time, withdrawn and
another unsuccessful attempt made by the seconds to effect an
adjustment. In the light of what was so soon to follow, it is
painful to read that all this came about and continued to the bloody
end, because Mr. Cilley in substance refused to disclaim that
his declination of Webb's challenge was for the reason that he did
not consider him a gentleman. His repeated assurance that in doing
so, he intended no disrespect to the bearer of the challenge,
for whom he entertained the most kindly feelings, strangely enough
to us was deemed insufficient.

The challenge being renewed, the parties, after due observance
of the formalities as before, confronted each other for the third and
last time. And now closes the official report: "the rifles being
loaded, the parties resumed their stations, and fired the third
time very near together. Mr. Cilley was shot through the body.
He dropped his rifle, beckoned to some one near him, and said,
'I am shot,' put both his hands to his wound, fell, and in two
or three minutes expired."

What a commentary all this upon "the code of honor"! Upon what
appears the shadow of a technicality even, two young men of recognized
ability, chosen representatives of the people, confronted each
other in continued combat, until death closed the scene, and neither
had the slightest feeling of hostility toward the other! This
duel, so utterly groundless in its inception and bloody in its
termination, was the last fought in Bladensburg. Intense excitement
followed the death of the lamented Cilley and public sentiment was
deeply aroused against the horrible custom of duelling. But the
public sentiment that existed at the time must be taken into account
before a too ready condemnation of one of the actors in t