Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-04-11

To the Editors of tho Gazette:
In a former number Of your paper i
inserted. from the National Intelligencer
notice Of the death Of Commodore STE
pHEN DECATUR; in which the following
sentence is conspicuous" Mourn Colum
bia for one Of thy brightest stars is SET
a son pithout fear, and WITHOUT reproac.
in the freshness Of his fsme-in the
prime Of his usefuiness--has descended t.
The tomb. -
Upon the reading Of this notice, il il
impossible to express the feelings which
arose in my mind. 1t appears altogether
unaccounlable that, after SO many expires.
sions of public feeling 90 the subject OIL
dueling, after so many attempts have been
made to prevent this wicked practice, q
repetition of the crime should not only be
passed over without censnre, but even
mentioned with evident marks of public
appreciation - Though il may be difficult
to conceive how person, in the exercise
OF his reason, could deliberately rush,
g without fear" from the mouth Of the
pistol into tie flames Of hell; yet that De-
ca~ua. or ANY other man, who las impli-
city submitted his mind to the guidance
of modern principles of honour, should
fall 10 single combat g sv,thout fear" is
thing, perhaps not altogether impossi-
ble.-- But that he should, too, fall 6 with
out reproach'' Righteous Heaveni-
Has it come to this ?-ls it, then, no re-
proach to mau, if he trampIe on the laws,
aud set at nought the sacred Institutions
Of his country? Is it no reproach to him,
II he even set at defiance thy awful prohi
billions; aud mock at the counsels of eter-
nal wisdom, the decisions of eternal jus
lice? Is il no reproach to stifle, effectu-
ally, the voice Of that awful monitor whose
residence thou hast fixed in every human
mind ?-Or, if such actions would stain
the reputation of common men, shall they
not blast for ever that Of the mighty great ;
from whose example the law ought TO de-
rive half its influence; by means Of whose
submission, the obedience of the vulgar is
more cheerfully rendered, more firmly
secured?
The writer is aware that for an Ameri-
can to utter thename of DEcATUR without
something like feelings of enthusiasm, by
whatever means he may have come to bis
end, would, by many, be esteemed as
little less than treason against liberty an
abandonment Of good republican princi-
Piles. But Notwithstanding this, while he
xro.,td hxr No ,,,ao.s cov fhof Tlrr r,vY,
never deserved praise, and while he allows
all due credit to his actions, he would
nevertheless claim the right Of questioning
the propriety of the manner in which his
fall has been noticed. For to what purpose
does the government impose its commands !;
to what purpose justice lift her threatening
sword; 10 what effect religion utter her
voice against the action Of the dueIlist, if,
when he falls, the public papers make hon
durable mention of the deed; and even the
representative Of the people propose high
public honours to his memory? What is
the plain, and undeniable tendency Of
such measures? Is it not to render nuga-
tory the law; so far, indeed, as any ex-
lists in relation to the subject? Is it not, at
once, to give the sanction of public appro-
baton to deeds, and to establish, beyond
the possibility of being shaken, practices
which humanity, law, religion, forbid p
Will the duellist be disposed to throw
aside bis weapons, SO long as the public
exonerates his reputation from reproach
Alas! would that the depravity of man
d:1 ma Lou f.s.,o ~ Jss .aoard mt ONLY, tba
utmost severity Of the law, but also the
heaviest weight Of opprobrium and dis
grace! But as it does, TO what length
will not human passions, and human To-
fiimities impel mankind, when once the
severity of law is mitigated, and the
reputation Of the offender saved from re-
proach and infamy, by the broad shield
OF public appreciation ?--It is matter of
satisfaction, however, that amidstthe lively
excitement Of public sympathy, occasioned
by the death Of DEcATUR, Ia proof, to be
sure, of the existence Of noble and gene
rous feeling in the American bosom,) and
amidst the attempts which have been made
TO honour his memory, there have not been
wanting men, in whose breasts, while they
were by no means Calous to all the finest
sensibilities of the soul, the force Of cor
rect principles has had its proper effect :
men who dared assert the superiority oil
the law Of God to that of honour; those
Of man to the freaks Of ungoverned pas
sion; aud the honour aud welfare Of their
country to the feelings and sympathies Of
individuals. Allusion is particularly made
to the attempt in Congress to procure pub
lie honours TO the memory Of DEcATuR
ia which those feelings and principles
which ought TO inspire every American
breast, were expressed and maintained. "a