Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-06-21

A.. s;,hfully represented. The obi.
cation il imposes on every good ciuzen'
!, :. IN be wished, will not be Sithout Ia
nroper effect-but will give an imprrs-
sion. the sacredness Of which will be aes2
knowledged in oil the round OF moral
du,ies. and observed in the happiness
Of society.
al am sensible, (says the Rev. Di-
yine) that in a licentious age, ard When
laws are made to yield to the vices oil
those who move in the higher erelfs'
thi. crime is called by kno" net wha
mild and accommodating name BIZ,
before these ai,ars-in tals house cf
God. what is 1t! It's An,ssr- deH'
berct-, aggrapaitd Mardsr
/" n the dueliist deny this, let him
proaace his warrant, from the author
ollie, for taking away from his creature
tho life which had been sovereignty 81
ven. If he cam do this. beyoi d ell
controversy he is mufderer-f'r mur
der consists in taking away lite Without
the permission, and contrary to the pro-
,.ibi,ion Of him who gave It.
Who is j, then thu, call. The tneiiist
n the dangerous and deadly conba, I! |,
IT God! No: On the eonlrary he tar
bids il. Is it then his country M !:
She also uuers her prohi6i:fry Voice
Who is i, then! A msn OF honor! And
| who is this man of honor? A maa, per-
hans whose honor is name. Who
prs,es with polluted lips. 40 U; The sa'
! credness of cha' ac,er, when his own Is
stained with crimes, and needs but TIE
single shade Of mur-er, TO complete the
! dismal ard sickiy picture.
+" One man OF honor, by some mad
rs-tence, or perhaps. with design, in.
| lures the seD.ibib.y Of another man OF
| honor. Ia perfect character the Injured
gentleman rcsen.s ii. He challenges
the offender. The offender accepts The
challenge. The time i. fixed. The
plan is agreed upon. The circuHistan-
ces, with an sir Of solemn mania are
arrangcd-and the principals, with their
seconds ard surgeons, retire under the
| covert of some solitary hill, or upon The
margin Of some unfrequented beach,
TO settle this important question CT he.
nor, by stabbing or shooting at each O.
Their.
One, Or the other, or both tie par
ties, fall in this polite and gentleman.
| like contest. And what does this proret
| Ii proves that one or the other, or both
of them, as the case may be, are marks
men. But il affords no evidence that
either of them possess honor, proaiiy
| or talents.
1t j. true that he who falls in single
| combat. has the honor Of being murder
| ed-aDd he who takes hi. life, the no
nor of a murderer. Besides this,
know not Of any glory which can re
duund "a The infatuated combatanis, ex-
tept /, be what results from having ex.
! tended the circle of wrefched widows
| and added TO the number Of hspless Or
, phans.
{" And yet, terminate as 1t viii, this
| frantic meeting, oy kibu OF magic ~
aaenee, entirely ,arnishes over deiec-
| tive and smutty character-Ifanssorms
vice to virtue, co~ardice to courage
makes f.lsehood truth, guilt innocence
in ore word, it gives new complex
| ion to the whole state of things. The
Ethiopian changes his skin. me leopard
his spo, and the debauobed ard iTeseh-
erous-haviDg shot away The infany of
sorry hfe-tomes back from the
field Of tsyfeenbi!ify, quite regenersted.
and in the fullest sense. an hsno-o5!:
man. He is now 6t for the comp.ay of
gentlemen. Heis admitted to that com.
pany-and should be again, by acts of
vileness, slain this purity OF character.
so molly acquired and should any one
have the efrohtery 10 say that lie has
doae So, again he stands ready 10 sindi-
cate hi. homer, and by another act Of ho-
micide, to wipe away the stain which
has been attached to it."