Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-07-07
We gaze, we weep mixed tears of griE and
joy;
Amusement strikes; devotion turns to lame,
Christians admire, and infdels believe.


Amazement strikes; devotion turns to lame
Christians admire, and infdels believe
The Effect Of Duelling an Deadeni,k
Public Senstbility.
II the effect is not great, why thk dis
) tlnction in crimes of the same grale--
why SO alive to the guilt of robberE, as
sassination, s. murder Of one kline, aid SC
dead to the guilt of dnelIing I? If the dice
OF duelling upon the public mind i not
great, why is it that murder can be com.
mittedin open day? the crime notorious
nay, detailed in the newspaper, and the
murderer, REGAIN unmolested id his
dwelling? Why is he not advert led
! Why are not re wards offered by rhosl au-
thorlzedby the laws, and expresseshalted
in all directions, to arrest and bring to
Justice the guilty fugitive Becape no
ore is enough shocked at his crime to
make these arrangements. Because il
such measures were taken, the public
mind would awake from its torpot-du-
elling would become digracefulcrime,
and the criminal would belost tehimself
and to his country. He could neither be
governor, nor senator, nor Judge. He
would be exiled from pulic favor, i'm
INJURED in dungeon, transported to the
gallows, and launched into eternity. If
the prevalence of dueIling has not ,ild to
an awful degree affected The publicmind,
why such number of half apologies for
the crime; and how can we so patiently
hear and candidly weigh, and alm(st adj
init their arguments ? Could you hear,
with equal patience, assassination ustifi-
ed, though Gas it we'll might be) BY argu-
ments equally conclusive WHY is it,
if this dreaded evil has not already palsi-
ed the feelings ofthe community, that e.
ven the M embeis of our churches have
heretofore, with SO little hesitation vot-
ed for men of blood Is christianit. COM
patible with murder? Can you patron
ize the murderer by granting himyou
suffrage, and not become partaker in
his sin Admit as the mildest, and as in
general the true construction, that this
has been done by christians ignorantly,
not knowing often that those. for whom
they voted were dueliists, or inconsider-
ately not realizing the enormity of the
crime--why did they not kaow---why
did they not consider? The reason is
obvious 1
10 q az ~
AS to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace"
This is precisely our alarming state
We have sunk through all these grades
OF moral degradation. We endure, we pi-
ty, we embrace murderars. And what
will be next? A total apathy TO crime.
What is done, therefore, must be done
quickly. Let the maxims of GuelIing
once break out, and spread in the cpun-
try, and infect the rising generation lei
the just adherence Of the community be
little more efaced by the growing fire.
tquency OF the crime, land we are undbne
There is no place to make stand. Our
liberties are gone--our bands are brass,
and our letters iron--no mans life l. safe
the laws of the land are a nullity--
every man must tremble, and walk soft.
ly;-lest he impIicate his neghbor's
honor, and jeopardy his own life. Du.
cling will become as common, as ir.
remedia5le, and as little thought of az
assassination is iii Spain, Italy, or Soutl
America.
| Then, indeed, will the description.
of the prophet be horribly realized
"Judgement will be turned away back
ward--justice will stand afar off--trutE
will fall in the streets, and equity be un
able 10 enter. Yea, truth will fail, an.
he that departeth from evil will make
himself prey,"--None will call 70,
|justice--Revenge and murder will b,
the order Of the day.--E'We shall crop,
for the wall as the blind-we shall
stumble at noon day, as in the night
we shall be in dessolate. places as dea,
men -
I Can you sit and calmly await the ap
tProach of these evils ? Will you bow
your necks to the yoke ? Will you thrus
1your hands into the manacles prepaI
ling for them? What if these evils ma
not be realized in your day-haye yo
no regard TO pOsterity? What if never
every man, woman and child will ia
in duel--is there nought to be drea(
ed in the sword, or peslilence, or fan
inc, because they do not extcrpate ou
race. DR.. Beecher.: