The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-28 00:00:00

DUELLING.

Mr. TURNER) in pursuance of notice, asked the
Right Hon. Barcenet, the First Lord of the Treasury,
whether it was his intention to bring in a Bill for the
more effectual prevention of duelling?
Sir R. PEEL said that her Majesty's Government
had not failed 0-take ,this important subject into their
consideration, but they were not prepared to bring
in any new legislative enactment in reference to duelling.
If the practice of duelling still existed, it was not owing
to any defect,in the letter of the law, and her Majesty's
'Government greatly doubted whether any good object
could be promoted by altering the law.—(Hear,
bear.) At the same time, they had, shown
by the exercise of influence and authority,
timing the' recess, a disposition to discourage the prac-
tice 01 duelling, so far as it could he discouraged by the
executive power. He believed that the Teeing which
had lutes" y existed on this subject had been excited in
a great , *me by the•unfertemate result of, a duel which
took plat. in the course of last year. He thought there
could be n, s doubt that the practice of duelling was on

the decline; that the influence of civilisation was producing
its necessary effect; and on this account he should de-
precate any interference on the part of the House. The
officer who lost his life last year had served his country
with great distinction. When his widow applied
for that pension to which she would have been
entitled had he died in any other way than by
the hand of his antagonist, her Majesty's Go-
vernment felt themselves compelled to refuse the
application. With respect to the survivor, as that of-
ficer did not come forward to answer the charge after
the lapse of the period which was allowed for public
feeling to subside, he was superseded. The widow of
the deceased officer having been refused the pension, and
the survivor having been superseded, he thought her
Majesty's Government had shown that they were not
unwilling to exercise their legitimate authority for the
purpose of suppressing the practice of duelling ; but
they were not prepared, as he had already stated, to in-
troduce any new legislative measures with that view.
Mr. TURNER said, after what had passed, he should
feel it his duty, on a future day, to move a resolution to
the effect that duelling is immoral in its tendency ; that
it brings into contempt the laws of the country, and is
contrary to Divine command.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said it had been stated by the
Right Hon. Baronet (Sir Robert Peel), that the unhappy
widow of Colonel Fawcett had, from the mode of her
husband's death, been deprived of a pension she would
otherwise have been entitled to. He wished now to ask
whether it was the intention of the Government to dis-
continue pensions to the widows of officers who did fight
duels, and to break officers, as was now the case, if they
did not fight duels when challenged to do so.—(Hear.)
Sir R. PEEL said that after the notice of his intention
to move a resolution against duelling, just proposed by
the Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Turner) he thought
it best to say no more upon the subjet•t, but to reserve
his opinion until the subject was brought regularly be-
fore the House.