The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-20 00:00:00

Otf eningnL

LONDON, THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 20, 1845

We have read with much interest the report lately issued
by the Committee of the Association for the Discouragement
of Duelling, and rejoice to see such decided proofs of the
effectiveness of its labours It is, after all, by the good
sense and voluntary efforts of individuals, that the moral
plague of duelling is to be abated. Something, indeed, may-
be done by better legislation; for the unpopularity (to use
Mr. BEyritAm's phraseology) of the existing punishment for
duelling has doubtless contributed to foster the evil, and
modes of punishment more in accordance with opinion would
doubtless be more efficacious. Common sense revolts at a
criminal jurisprudence which makes no distinction between a
murder attended with cowardly violence, and the killing of
a man in a duel, where the deceased has exposed himself to
the danger, and that danger has been shared by his anta-
gonist. Without saying, then, that nothing is to be hoped
for from legislation against duelling, we repeat, that by the
good sense and influence of individuals—by the example of
men of high station and character—by the use of all
the moral influenceis which society can command,—infi-
nitely more is to be done than by the best possible legisla-
tion. And hence we view with great interest the progres4 of
the Anti-Duelling Association.
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The Association was established in 1842, and has just
published its second report. The number of its members is
now between five and six hundred. Of these, nearly three
hundred are officers of the army and navy. It contains
twenty Peers, among whom are Lord WESTMINSTER, Lord
BURLINGTON, Lord EFFINGPIAM, Lord GLENELG, and Lord
STOURTON. The following Members of Parliament are
members of the Association, whose names we publish, 'as
names are of use against a practice which rests upon opinion,
and whose names, as we write them, will show that noble-
men and gentlemen of all parties are united in this good
cause :—the Earl of Arundel and Lord Ashley, Lord Ber-
nard and Lord Robert Grosvenor, Lord Ebrington and Lord
Sendon, Sir Robert Inglis and Mr. Cowper, Mr. Plumptre
and Mr. Ewart, Mr. Pusey and Mr. Christie, Sir Thomas
Acland and Mr. Ross Mangles, Mr. Dudley Ryder and Mr.
Childers ; Messrs. Hardy, Abel Smith, Tolemache, C. Howard,
M'Geachy, and Colonel Verner. All these gentlemen, in be-
coming members of the Association, have declared their in-
tention " to discountenance, by their influence and example,
the practice of duelling"—in other words, they will abstain
from duels themselves, and do everything in their power to
induce all within the reach of their influence and example to
abstain also. It is impossible not to feel that, within the last
two or three years, much has been done to lessen the hold of
duelling oa tke public mind, and that the improved practice,
and the declared opinions of public men, have gone much
further than even the most sanguine anti-duellist could have
hoped, to make this sinful fashion unfashionable.
It will be remembered, that in the year 1843, after the
universal horror caused by a duel between the husbands of
two sisters, ending fatally to one of them, her MAJESTY was
advised to issue some new articles of war fur the more effec-
tual prevention of duelling in the army and navy. One of
these articles subjected every officer challenging, or accept-
ing a challenge, or, if privy no the intention of fighting a
duel, not taking active measares to prevent it, or upbraiding
another for not fighting, or rejecting a reasonable proposition
for the honourable adjustment of a dispute, or advising its re-
action to a court-martial, and, on conviction, to be cashiered,
or to suffer any other punishment which might be awarded.
Another of the articles declared her MAJESTY'S " approba-
tion of the conduct of all those who, having had the misfor-
tune of giving offence to, or injured, or insulted others, shall
frankly explain, apologise, or offer redress for the same; or
who, having had the misfortune of receiving offence, injury, or
insult from another, shall cordially accept frank explanation,
apology, or redress for the same; or who, if such explana-
tions, apology, or redress are refused to be made or accepted,

shall submit the matter to be dealt with by the commanding
%nfrtatt aftWitment or detachment, fort, or garrison." The
report befq shows that these new articles of war have
been by no M_ a dead letter. Within the last year two
court-martials- been held in the navy, and severe punish-
Aff PP74tidins =acted with duels. The
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