Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-06-01

tukcS its en0rnlIyy.r w III ttlat uS 49,
heart. tha. n,aIignisy.of passion, which i
the constituent principle, the very essence
Of or; minality. excuse its own demerit
Z an L,sei;ter Justify his disobedience and re-
;yoltby the pride, presumption, and auda.
cityof soul, that iinpelled him TO the act
Tt is a new method of reasoning; It IS
logic worthy of its votariss, to justify a
crime by own intrinsic guilt
| This practice has also been justified by
its exbediency. 1t has been said, that, al.
though its prevalence is TO be deprecated
sas laraentable evil, yet since the custom
is so firmly established, he who will not
cenformis stignatized as a bastard he
loses his usefoness, and his poser either
of g promoti,tg good or repelingg mtschssjf,'
Immediately van:she.. lnexpllcable iaia-
,uation! Is guilt to be justified by IT'S
own prevalence Is it expedient to pur-
sue and encourage vicious practice, be-
cause it is fashionable !! If ei'stom could
excuse guilt, Sodom might have remained
{ TO this day, TO tiacturc or inundate the
world with its pollutions. lf$examPle
could Justify crimes, the whole herd OF
offenders might find shelter from the wrath
Z OF justice, under the wing ofth2 arch apos-
tate satan. Those, moralists who argue
that expediency is the rule of right, do not
mean that short sighted expediency which
views only the present moment and sin-
gle action. Its that general rxpedieaey
which is not confined the narrow Circle
Of aparticular time or space, but takes an
extensive and governing yiewYof the whole
mass Of mankind through all ages of the
world. 1.-THE general indulgence Of the
act is expedient, the resulting moral rule
totally forbids it, and condemns, as crimi-
nal, each particular transgression. On this
ground, duelling is forbidden; and it is
therefore every mans indispensable du-
ty to decline the challenge. It is a tal.
lacious argumen, to say, his character
will suffer in the eyes OF many, and thus
much of the utility of his influence be
lost by refusal. The reverse is true /;
for an influence which leads TO vice can
not be useful Suppose he falls in the
contest, where then is his usefulness 1t
is lost-but the awful and corrupting ex-
ample Rename. And if he survive, it
would rebound more to his honor, more
to his usefulness, more TO the innocent
satisfaction Of his heart, 10 be an exam
pie of forbearance, to oppose, with the
powerful weight of his character, the fol-
~ and absurdity OF criminal custom
than to swell the torrent of acknowledged
turpitude. The fallacy Of the duelists IS
obvious. Its not reason that blinds, nor
can reason open their eyes. Something
more energetic is required TO remove the
fascination. !. Itrecuiresa more powerful
antidote to check the circulating and cor
rosiye poison. .ia9
Would to- heaven, that the powers OF
elequence were niue to reach the heart
and n,.lt its obduracv. Bot alas my abb
lilies are not equal to my zeal. Let ina
gina'on in parssuPpls the deficiency. Let
her vivid pencil paint to our view our ccuu.
try assembled around rs. In the front
rank are placed the surviving duelists
those ferocions monsters whose hearts
have danced to the fnneral dirge Of depart
phae's lamentations. Proud men behold
before you the sable weeds implanted bv
your daggers, watered and stepped BY the
tears Of bitterness and cfangulsh, .wrurgby
your crueliies from the heart of sensibli-
~. See the roaming widow, surrounded
by her fearful offspring, bending in dis
iracted agony, over the remains Of their.
Departed pfetector-over those crumblng
bodies whose spirns have sgen ushered in
TO eternity BY the leaden messengers Of
your vengeace. 10 solemn silence, the
angel OF indignan; justice advances: in
his left hand is the open volume inspired
bs your Lord and judge: in his r;:ht
flaming sword points at the words, acd
BIDS you read: Apenge not yourselves--
VPpOp0flce re y1ins. 7 nil seJ,o,, eo;tb +ba