The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-03-30
MEDICATION OF DUELLING.

nifhment and horror, in the mind of perion unac-
quanted with the actual uiages and manners of civil
Gzed nations, does rot fsrprife II mutt be adj
ntted, that when tried by the Gandard of impartial
reafon and mmutabe iuiliec, no practice appear
more abiurd, barbarous and abominable. But the
practical propriety of eitabilhed cuton,, ought
not to be determined by its conformity foley the
maxms of Philosophical morality In determining
ry quefion of this nature, mutt weigh alfe i'm
partially extenGvely and infinitely the prevailing fen
timents of the age in which i've the community
to which we belong, the perfons with whom are
mott intimately connected, whole confidence and af-
fection dearer than life, and without whole
confidence and affection, life is diveed of its
tions and death of its If this petition be add
mtted, the practice Of duelling, lociety is 1t pre-
fent conitituted may politely admit of fubaantial
vindication.
Throughout the civilized world, the laws Of honour
and opinion which individual has power to abro-
gate, efficient magnanmity and energy diiobey
with mpunity laws, for the operation of which, how
milchievous and tragieal loever, individual be
conidered Perfonally refpon6ble, becaufe they
enacted without his content, and attach their
violation, consequences runous his relpe9abiity
the awful and nviolable laws of honour and opinion
have ehabiihed and fan6tioned the practice of duel
ling The laws of honour, inlcribed not on moul-
derng parchment, but the tablets of the heart
proclaimed not by the voice of the detected depot
the venal legiflator, the giddy multitude, but by
the principle Of honour in the nnot recefes of the
foul, command every gallant and generous fpirit to
expoe his life, and ed his blood in defence of his re-
putaton In vain do the precepts ofaw and religion
the maxns OF popular and philosophical morality
combine abolifh this practice. So long as general
opinion hal fan6tion it, 70 long pre-eriinenly
dihinguiihed by Cation, character and reipeaabity
ihal refort to it, the mon honorable method of
avengng nfult, 70 long the alternative fall be
diain&ly prefented to brave and generous man, of
calmly repairing the " field OF deliberate murder"
or tameIy fubmirtng to dihonourabe rnputations
70 long, in depe of the dictates of reafon the expof
tulatons of the moraR, the terrors of penal law aud
the tremendous denunciations of the ecclafa{fioal
hepherd, in defpite of the foul-fubdung nfiu-
ence, the heart-rending remonitrances of coniugal
flial and parental love, will the practice of dueliiny
maintain its afcendancy. Yes when fummoned BY
challenge the bloody field, the man of honor r,uff
tear hnief from his fond partner, dearer TO him
than the ruddy drops that bis heart, the huff
bard from the arms Of bis dtra3ed wife, the father
mutt untafp the ciinging hands of bis weeping in
fants from his trembling knee, the fon mutt turn
deaf ear the remonfrances of his relpeded father
to the hrieks of his frantic mother, the .nentati-
ons of his ororn er, and repair, with dreadful de-
liberation to point weapon fraught VITA DEATH at
the bolom of-whom !? his mplaca5ie fee, a pei 20
fociety2 No. whom perhaps his foul had
been linked by the bands of difinterehed frendibp
endowed with every anriable and admirable quality,
and placed in iituaton the mott aufpicious for the
fruition and difuiion of happiness. Yes when fun
moned by challenge to the bloody field, the man of
honour mul obey the luminous that field invef-
ed by the vindetive miniGers of penal law, did, the
heavens grow black above and the bolted thunder
mutter Ger his haad, Though hell CAPPED under
and the fures were ieen preparing torments for the
dilembodied fpirit
1t were futile and abfnrd to endeavour to explain
the motives that actuate man OF honour occaons
of this IT'S affair, rot of reflection but
of ienlaton, of rcatonng but of feeling. To
IN continued IN he iufenitle feel
ings, the practice of duelng mutt be viewed as
compounded wanton atrocty, incorporated wretch
ednes diabolical malevoience, and the wilde infant
ty. The pafhons and feelings of the human mind are
eminenty, if not entirely, the of education
and habit. An ancient loic when expofed to wan
ton nlut and the bale afperions, regarded the ca
umniator with COMMUNICATION and contempt and IA
tisfied with the concioufnels of innocence INDUCED
no malevolence vindiaive emotion. A Grecian
hero' when the vibrated over his head
could calmly fay, ltrike! but lifen" The
primitive chriftian, when fnlitten on the RIGHT
cheek, could deliberately preient the left to the
fnter. But the feelings of the modern man
Of honour altogether different the properties of
ice, more oppote to hofe of fire, the in
Rintf of the lion to that Of the amb--When inful-
ted, he is mpelled feek hetreparaton and redrers
which the laws Of honour command him to exact bv
uncomfortable mpulfe. Unlefs he fhall obtain
this repatriation and redre the very conlciounefs of
exifence is agony, the myferous attractions of life
are broken, the 6nef lenGbtes of his foul are Wi
thered, be with oathng from the face of friend
fhp and of love. To attempt by phegmatic reafon-
ings repefing the inufite Of duelling to controul
thee nexplicable but mperous feelings betrays the
profoundeR ignorance of the nature of man. As
well might we attempt by argument to quench the
fever'sfi guel the phrenzy Of maniacs BRAIN
Nor are thefe feelings polluted by any admixture of
brutal ferocity and favage revenge deire TO aert
that rank in public elnnation which he is iuHly
entitled preerve unfulled the digni6ed confcouf
nefs Of independesce and innocence, to fecure the
confidence and affection Of the generous and brave,
the only motives BY which of honour is
actuated The elevation of his motives characterize
his department. " He is determined without poi-
tivenefs elevated without nfoence, his behaviour is
marked by franknefs urbanty and generous forbear-
ance, even towards the perfon by whom he is inful-
ted. When the Of honour repairs to the bloc
dy field and in obedience the awful fgnal prelents
his deadly weapon the heart Of his antagonG, he
experiences malevolent vindictive lenfations.
Far from thirng like the RUTHLESS Tiger, or inhuman
canniba for the blood of his viEim, he deplores the
dreful necelity that calls him the field anticipates
with horror the cataarophe that may enfue, and at
period Of his exitence does he experience 70 DIFF
timely the divine emotions Of forgiveness, humanity
and compaiIion In " the many-coIoursd drama of
human life, in the black and bloody catalogue of hui
woes, fcene can be felected, 70 rongly ealcu