The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-01-05
o II D u E1 L n G.

eHtoed only, by means of reafoning, expoltu-
lation and example. The eradication of invete-
rate errors, the correction of prevailing immora-
Iihes, are admitted by all competent and inn
partial enQuirers to be duties, that lye hey ond
The fphcre of government, legilation and po-
lice. Penal prohibitions and regulations, when
confined within their proper province, and di-
vefed of their foenn formalities and impohng
pretenhoEs, are nothing more, than the eoncel-
syation Of pabGe force, for the purpofe of pre-
venting, repellirg or Puniihing acts OF violence
and fraud, which the ignorant and INDECENT
would otherwifs be nceilantly prompted to
perpetrate, in confequence of the inepit0ble inc
eaaiity, with which property and Labonr are ap-
portioned and diN-ibuted. This fundamental
truth, which the le1ons of cxperience, recorded
by hiitory, and the lights of reafon, concentra-
teddy philosophical analysts, combine to eta
bliih, ought to be clearly comprehended and ha-
bitualiy recoilc6ted by every individual who
venturesto fpccu!ate on human affairs. To at
tempt BY authoritative prohibitions and penal
regulationst 70 extrpate immoralities that have
their root in general prejudice, is of all projects
the mot prepoiterous. IF Noah, when warned
by the voice of God OF the approaching deluge,
had eudeavoured to item the rufl,ing waves, by
dykes and mounds, he would not have betray-
cd greater ignorance than the legillator, who at
Scmpts by llatutes and penalties to eradicate
a proceeding OF this fort, as has been wifely
and cloquenty faid is " like gibbeting a car
cafe, or dcmofhing a tomb, Whit the fpirit
iuryiveS, tianfmigrates into more pernicious
form and acquires rejuvenated energy" Evils
of this defcription originate in misconceptions
AMI nifcalculatious, which can be corrected on
jy, by the luminous exhibition and diitintt APP
pTeheniions of the evidence, by which their alb
iurdity is clearly expofed and the uncompenfa-
Al
papably and wildly depicted.
We cannot therefore, nationally indulge a
hope Of eGc6ting the abolition of duellng, by
the authority OF the magifrate or the denuncia-
tions OF the preit. But l cannot concur with
thote who think, thatthe expoaulations & exam
pleof enlightened & influential men, would prove
equally Intellectual. The hihory of human To-
ciety, from primitive ignorance and barbarifin,
10 the mof} refined and expanded civilization, is
little elfe, than detail of the evils which have
arftn from inveterate errors and the means
which phofophv and reafon have fuccefsfully
employed for their gradual extirpaton. View
ed this light. the proportion that truth is ON
nipotent, Far from being an idle hyperbole, or
lnmeaning rant, is an important fact, attefed
and illuftr2ted by the progrcls of iociety and
fcience. Since the art of printing has afforded
depo!itary for the perpetuation and a medium
for the diffuiion of knowledge, the artillery OF
reaion, under the banners of truth have been in
ceilautly piled and fatally directed. BY this ar
tillery, we have feen the buwarks of tlefpotic
power dernoliihed, the internal fabric of iacer-
dotal imPoture ihivered into atoms, the iplen-
did iuiions Of ancient philo!ophy diiiipated,
the barbarous jarGon of venerated but vensl
ichools, iwept into oblivion. After achieving
70 many glorious Victories, ard DISCRIMINATING
70 many deftroying monitors, CAN'T be believed,
that deeliing will tong be permitted to talk a.
bread, and immediate on its unhaliowed altar,
the ditcipieS Of reaion, now that ihe gives laws
% the powerful, and lehons to Tie people. now.
.!t SIS has attained lie maturity OF her itrenSth
and the meridian OF her glory? The ara Of its
abolition is at hand Il is prohibited by law,
interdistcd by religion, Encouraged by tie
rlaNinlS Of popular and philofophical morality,
denounced by the impartial enquirer, and de-
plored by the philanthropiG. 1t maintains its
hold On Yaisar minds, by brittle and traniient
ties, which death viii fpledily BURT and bury
10 tbs grave OF its victims. It is fhieided in
minds of a hyperion order, by a cloud of delu-
sion, whichthe fpreading light of truth cannot
fail 10 penetrate and difpeI.
Let MS analytic in fucceiIion, the arguments
that have been urged in its defence, and their
incoHEhency will flath upon the unprecedented
mind, with the clearnSis of finihnc ard the
force of lightning.-'E Dueling is anctioned
by the invio!able laws of honour."- What is
honour! II has been defined "the noble minds
difingu;!hing psrfcttion,' and what is the no
bic niud's distinguishing perfection, but the ia
Guilty Of diicerning in every combination of cir
curaftaEces, however complex or unexpected,
with mtuitive quickncis, aud purifying with he
role energy, the path Of propriety and julice
The man who in any article of conduct or to-
pic of enquiry, is fwayed by prevailing error or
inyeterate cuitom, or by any Influence diftintt
from the clear and nnbia1cd convictions OF his
own understanding is diveitcd of thenoble minds
diGinguifhing perfe6ton.--No will it be con-
tended that the ptdetcc of duellne, the perpetra-
ton of deliberate fuicide and murder, can be, in
any pofiible combination of circumstances the
duty of dn enlightened man, the line of conduct
which iutiCc and rcafon pTcicrbt! When my
name is coupled with an opprobrious epi,het,
when charge the mof gnomnious or vile, is
attempted to be facened upon my character,
the dilemma is palpabe. The epithet is appli-
cable or inappicable, the charge is true or falfe
Thefs are facts, which the exhibition of evil
dence, the comparifOu of testimonies, the con-
formation OF wiineiies are alone adequate, TO
afccrtain aad efabIiih IL I am cOnfcioas Of iu-
nocence, ibal ihrink from invefigation, frall
deicerd from the VANTAGE ground" of free
dfcuGion, where truth never iss to triumph,
nor fdlehood to b. covered with ihame and con-
futon Shall in obedience 20 the impulie OF
Viudiciiye fury on the mandate OF barbarous cuff
tom, commit to chance or force, the decilion
cf 4 oueftiou which can only bp determined l,