Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-08-18
liz 1-2 CENTS sIsGLE]

. H'o~NASS' etiu g NiStiil - w Ill ~,
young inen. of spirit and pride be encou'
ragged TO continue or engage in this prac.
tee, when they see II is considered by a
large and leading part of the community
as no disgrace ?--Let sober and pious
=, men reflect on these things, and not give
any countenance to a practice which so
Aagranily transgresses the laws Of Cod
and man, and jeopardzes the peace OF so.
ciety. To-,
When DR.. Franklin, Samuel Adams,
and DR.. Prestly died, did the federalists
so deeply deplore and so loudly lament
their deaths !-These men were in nv es-
uination as good, as great, and as useful, as
Alexander Hamilton and the manner Of
their deaths did not, like his, cast bior
on cheir lives. But these iius,rious men
were not of the federal parry. And do
tederalis,s mourn Tor none but their own
Partizans How then can they expeGl re-
pubiicans 10 unite with them in their de-.
monstraIions of grief?
with regard 10 the question whether
General Hamilton fred al Colonel Burr OF.
nor, 1t can be by no means interesting.
Ills gong on the ground at all gave his
example In favor VI duelliDg, and ndicat-
ed TO Col. Barr, an Intention to FIRE at
MN. Nor have l seen any thing to con-
vince me that he did not FIRE a, IA, adyAr-
saty. He went on the ground took his
s'and-hls pistol was put into his hand,
cocked-he presented on the wortl-ahtf
MS pistol instantly went off.--Dinsrent
persons are entitled to hold different OPT
mons; but from the.e facts, Can draw
but one inference, which is, tina, he fired
at his mark
The paper which Gen. Hamilton left
behind him, and which is called a hyo!ese
against a" ing, cannot view in that light.
IL is true he offers several powerful rea.
sons why he wishes to avoid 4 meeting
with Col. Burr--his " religious and MORAL
principles"--h;s " wife and chiidren;" his
credilors"-and his deficiency Of :. III.
"iiI--but notwithstanding ali these rea-
sons against accepting the challenge,
which ought not only It, have salystisd
his own mind, but have justified him 10
every good many yet has reasons IN Iaror
OF 1t ouITel3h all others III his Judgment,
and " impose on Lin peculiar necesSitv
nor 10 decline me cGN."---Ard is his
protest against dueiing ?-If men Of his
standing in society have not iorti,ude to
bear up against public prejudice" and
dissent from the barbarous praGi Of du.
cling, what can be expected Of young
msn, whose reputation for Courage is
not established, and whose passions have
not yet been subjected lo lie contiol Of
reason
There is one thing in the paper which
Gen. Hamilton leti behind him which
seems very mysterious. He says, the
ability to be in future useful. whether in
resisting evil or eTecling gopd ii, those eri.
seS Of our fu6iic affairs zphith s,eD, 6k.lv To
hafIlen, would probably be inyepa,.ble
from conformity with pubic prejudice in
this parlicular."--Of what crises Loes The
General here speak ?-ile givesus no idea,
except by describing them as those qo,ich
seem likely 10 occur. As eleSl.ols positive
y, and certainly gfN occur, and co nos
merely sem likely, he cannot allude 10
them. 10 what then is the allusiun -
This expression is worth the serious re-
tlection OF the republicans. Danger may
still Turk near US: and lho' he who was to
have " rode on the w3irlwind, and direCl-
ed the Storm" has been taken away, e.
nough yet remain who will be ambitious
TO fl his place, and able 10 take al active
part IN the expected . crises"
The late duel, fatal as it terminated.
may have one salutary effecl. Iieretolore
The iederalisis have been foremost in up-
holding the practice OF duelling, and loud.
est III their censure Of those Who had an
aversion for il. 1t cannot be FORGOTTEN.
that WHEN Mr.. Ellery, a senator from
Rhode-Island, refused q challenge FROM
Kutledge, representative from South Ca
rolina, he was abused aud lidicnied by The.
federal papers from one end OF the United
states 10 the otber.-IVhen Mir. Clinton,
senator from kew.York, refused a chal-
lenge from Mr.. Dayton, senator from this
state, the federalis;s were very free with
their " gbes and jcsts" at his supposed
want OF courage. when Mr.. Clinton
refused to exchange fourth shot with Mr..
Swartout, after having fired three times,
and wounded him twice, he could not es.
cape the impu'a'ion Of cowardice. When
RuIledge killed DIR. Setter IN duel, thew
found no iault.--- But now, when neuIe,k
the fatal eiieSls ofthe practice, they (who
before deemed 1t but shDrf) denounce it as
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