The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-08-15
Dueliirp The Boston Daily Advertiser Of

yersy between MIR. Cook an insurance broker
of Boston and Mr.. Darrell formerly OF thai
place. but now of Malaga. In The course OF
The DISPUTE Mr.. Darrell sent challenge To Mf.
Cook in order TO convince the public Of the
Justice of this statement by attempting the HE
of the person who had coiiradicied IT, Mr..
c. instead Of accepting the challenge, very
properly instituted suits against Mr. b and The
person who bore the challenge. Il Is said by
some that in the army and navy, il is, IN GER
tain cases, impossible without disgrace TO a
void duel on that question we stall otter
no remark. Here is different case, two
Merchants are involved in dispute IN which
one party must be wrong aud must have been
guilty of falsehood Each shifts the blame
from himself and casts il upon his adversary;
bu, cne in hopes of indicating himself, de-
nands the privilege OF shooting at the other
AIR. Cook says, no sir, ] am convinced tina,
what have said is true, but whether true or
false my being fired al and even shot by you,
will prove neither the one nor the other !;
may be shot, and shall certainly be called
fool by the public, without satisfying them OF
my innocescy, or deriving any possible ad-
vantage from the glory OF being killed IN
private quarrel on ,rifl'ng subject. Under
this impression OF under any view Of the case
we say Mr.. Cook ought 10 be justified by The
community and in decided manner, tor put
ting himself into the protection OF the law
gainst man who seeks his life. How absurd
Is the contrary doctrine; does snan gain any
honour by being killed IN duel i? Is The name
OF Decatur any more respected, than oelore
the fatal affair which terminated his lite :!
Does the survivor gain any reputation Is he
not hunted and puls sued. aud Is he not shunoed
by society F? Not indeed SO much as he ought
to be, bu, still in degree. No justification
is produced on either side, the parties remain
in precisely the same state as TO The facts that
did before tist. tick HE held and one
and sometimes both are killed or wounded;
then frequently a reconciliation takes place,
winch comes in many instances too late fof
the victim Of such false notions OF honour. Is
a man therefore, in such case, TO hazard
life valuable 10 his friends aud the community,
to feed monster engendcred by unsound aud
dangerous principles on minds too tImld to ACT
right
But public opinion must correct the evil,
and we are therefore pleased to find mer-
chant taking advantage of The laws Of the land
to protect himself against another merchant
who has no regard for those laws.
We are requested to state that the annual
meeting Of the Portland Foreign Mission So
risty will be held at lie Westinghouse of the
third parish in this town on THURSDAY NEXT
at 8 O'Clock, p. nj. The importance Of the
business TO be transacted by the Society rem.
ders general and punctual attendance OF all
the members very desirable.
Apprentices Library-This Library has
increased by the generosity of the citizens and
the activity Of the committees to between z
and 800 volumes; and we are happy TO notice
in the collection many valuable, standard
works, and some that are very rare.