Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-02-23
GEORGE WILLIAMS.
Baltimore, 10Th February, 1919.
IN SENATE. FER. 0. lsio.

IN SENATE. FEB. o. ESi9.
Upon the motion submitted by Mr..
Horrit. for requesting the President to
strike from the rolls OF the army or Navy
such officers of either as were engaged in
the Duel la, ~ fought in this vicinity,
between Armistead Il. Mason and John
NJ McCartv-
MIR. BARBOUR addressed the Senate as
follows: Mr.. Fresident-The event TO which
the resolution relates has filled me with the
deepest affection. claim the melancholy phi.
vliege of being the chic. mourner here. Mason
was my friend--a long and intimate acquaint
ance, rirened into a sincere friendship by an
assoc. eaton in this body for several years. gave
me AN opportunity of appreciating his distin.
guished worth. Virginia loved him DE-
her tavorHe sons in war her sheld-her ornaf
ment in peace. With her the very name had
been consecraiedt TO patriosism. thrO 'succ,s i've
generations. It's Iustre lost nothing in the
person of the deceased. He unitrd tue aniab,e
qualities of the man to the higher virtues of
the patriot. His loss will be mouiued by his
country as public calamity In the vgor sf
life, uniiin: both the affection and confidence
OF al, and suiIou' ded with every p,eS ling that
promised happiness, lie has suddenly fallen the
victim of a barharous practice. Cut ui IN the
commencement Of splendid career, he leaves
wretche'i mother, dIsconSclate widow,
tatherless child. aud a weeping country.
Oh, what "a scene was there Bnt Yesterday
SELMA wac the abode of happiness; today il Is
wrapped III mourning. See OIL Yesterday the
atfectonate husband, the amiabe wife. The
tender ihfaHt-the pledge and cement OF their
happiness. To-day behold tliat husband carried
into the presence of his wife, batbed in gore.
see her, frantic with despair, pfecipitaiing
hers u upon fhe corpse of her bleeding nus
band,. mingug her tears with his flowing
blood, ami rOnttndlng with tie ICY arms OF
death for the iilelesS .rize. She iitts hci ewes
10 heaven, the last refuge of the wretched, aud
in tones otagony cries out, My God, my God ,
restore my husband Her prayers are given 10
the winds, his diseul bodied spirit has found its
refuge and Its home i'll the bosom of It's God,
willie his earthly remains are consigned 10 the
coid and narrow house appointed for all the
living. Peace be 10 his aslesl And may
kind Providence become the friend of the
widow pour balm into her afflicted bosom,
and bind up the broken heart be the father of
the fatherlsss, and let him be tue mother
prop; rock The cradle of her declining years,
and he consolation in her dying hour. 1t any
thing eau now administer to The affection OF
his Surviving friends, it will be the knowledge
lhat Virginia, this day, through all her borders
weeps his untimely fall.
AS to the practice OF duelling, | have already,
long since, given proofs of my sentiments, more
substantial than mere professions. Whatever
creutt, II any, be due TO il, to me il belongs, of
haYng first presented to the legislature of my
native state, the law against duelling. What
viii be its result ON society, all trying time
must decide. The best hopes OF humanity are
connected with its success; nor is il presunip-
tnous to hope that heaven may smile on our
efforts.
And yet, sir, with these sentiments, must
still be opposed to the resolution under consi-
Iteration. AS to the rumors to which the mover
refers, and on which he rests, in part, at least
ihe success OF his motion, they may or may not
De trne. incidents of this kind are generally
attended with the most exaggerated state.
ments. If, indeed, they he true, as represented,
silouid feel no hesitation in pronOuncing tlemN
as deserving the deepest adherence. Ofsome
OF the persons concerned in this melancholy
tragedy, know nothing; with others have a
slight acquaintance. Their characters forbid
the belief that they have acted dishonorably.
he statement made By the mover, unsustain-
ed by proof, furnishes strong reason against
the adoption of the resolution. For il is paipa-
bly, an ex parte proceeding, and we are called
upon TO conslgn to iDfamy men who have had
no opportunity of being heard in their defence.
Let us not multiply the regrets already atteHd-
ing tins melancholy event, by doing an act of
injustice. Let us not commit the dignity of
the Senate, by taking co nizance of a subject
which belongs 10 others If crime has been
committed, the offenders are subject If, as the
resolution suppoSes. they he military men, 10
trial by court martial and, in any event by a
civI tribunal. To the President. as commander
N chief, belongs the former the latter to the
civi magistrate. BY this irregular proceeding
should ii prevail, we depart from orr own duty,
in prescribing to others, to whom of rigi the
subject belongs, and OF whose remissness there
~ no imputatioD. The crime of dueiling not
To be corrected by proceeding Of this kind.
1 ne roots of the evil are too deep 10 be extir-
Paied by solitary paroxysm of zeal. Public
opinion is the only corrective. No matter what
may be the member or severity of penalties
that are denounced against this feTocious
practice; thcy, as experience has evinced, are
imperative. unless their enforcement can be
secured by the coincidence of public sentiment
or unless, as with lis, the law executes itselfby
DISTINGUISHING the offender So long as public
opinion requires Of an individual submission
10 what is most improperly called the laws Of
honor, to maistain his grade in society, IT as
capricions as unjust to aHathematise those
VINO submit to its DEGREES. Let The press-let
your schoois-let the pulpit-Iet your iegisIa-
tureS, throag lIOut the ma ton, make simaIta-
neous effort, and continue il with zeal and
perseverance,, TO extirpate this practice the
undisPuied progeny of barbarous age Upon
such an undertaking, let us hope for tile bles-
sing of Heaven.