Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-09-08
From the Pias5urg Gazeiie.
THE DUELLISI.

4. The DOELLioA' -, |
Messrs Maclean: A few days ago neisn'o'
of mine pu, into my hands very Ola i'okls'
musty, stained newspaper, all d'esi ", "J'"
saving, very emphatcally, "read 'ha'. Nv.
ancient appearance and solemn dress ha'u. any
snyges,ed The idea tina, it contained the obitua-
~ notice of some great and good man, VINO
had long since passed from the theatre oil lie,
perhaps Of some worthy statesman or nero OF
the revolution; for it is only to Distinguish me
rit, civil or military, that the press usually oe'
slows this mark OF respect.
The paper is now before me, and is styled
aTHe Lmpariinl Review and Cumberland Reposlio
ru.' and is dated Nashville, Tennessee, June 7tn'
1906; and contains, not the death OF general,
or a statesman, but the mournful intelligence
Ina, one of the best citizens OF the place, an
amiable, virtuous and highly respectable man;
one who was eudeared 10 the circle oil his ae-
ouain,ancc, and respected by society at large,
for his es,imable qualities, had just fallen by
the hands Of ruthless and savage duellist, lea'-
ING an amabe wife and infant child helpless,
unprotected and dseonsoia,e, 10 buffet Ihe
storms of life, and endure the continued OUT
RACES and iudgniIies, Of the destroyer OF their
earthly happiness!
| Gentlemen, send you the paper, and request
YOU To publish the VIII ole transaction. In my
view, il is one Of dark and deep atrocity. here
mav be men in the community who Can look
upon scenes Of this kint, and the vlllated WORK.
/ ings Of human nature that produce them, and
the heart rcnding consequences that iobow
them with indifference or composure; but, thank
! God, virtue and morality have not altogether
fed from amongst us. They still MAINTAIN
their empire over large mass OF the commu
ni,y. that would recoil with horror from TIE
contact Of hands ba,hcd in the blood OF hui
man victim. Let the public Judge Of The case
for themselves. The statement is beyond the
charge of parlali,y or unfarneas, as IT was 81
ven by dsin,eres,ed person, Immediately al
ter the occurrence, and al the distance oil i"en'
ly-one wears from The present date.
A few reflections obviously arise oct OF the
details given in this paper. 1t happens that Sc
yenty-two cilizsns of the place ard It's Vicinity,
signed a written request, addressed to the edi'
tors, "to put the next number OF their paper In
mourning, as a tribute ofrcspect Tor The memo
6 nv. and regret for the untmeiy dsIh' OF their
friend Nashville, a! that lime, did not contain,
three hundred Of population altogether, and
of course the above number must nave COM
Driscd almost the whole ofthe male inhabitants
who were competen, 10 give an opinion on
subiec, Of the kind. Ii was, therefore, moss
. unanimous expression of their good opinion OF
the deceased, and Of cordial disapprobation Of
the conduct of the person by whose lawess VIC
lenee he had fallen.
II also a.pears that the survivor in this boo
, dv ira edy, having heard that such request
had been made, immediately addressed a note
TO the editors, in which he demands them to
" set forth the names of those citizens who have
made,he request. The thing is SO novel, lie
SAYS, "that names ought TO appear, that the
signers we're tribute Of respect 10 the drccas-
ed or something else that at first sight does
not appear" Unparalleled effrontery.! En-
ragged at the above independent proceeding of
his own townsmen, and viewing il as an over.
whelming vote Of censure on his conduct, he de-
fermiaed 10 Jrkythem out ofa! 10 drive them from
their purpose! and unfortunately he was not al
together unsuccessful, as the editors Stale that
twcnty-six Withdrew their names shortly after
it was known that such note had been handtd
to them, leaving the forly-s that are still ap.
pended TO the request.
But view this high.handed transaction IN an
other light.
!. In those horrid ARRAYS, although false honor,
or excited and rc'engrful passions, may sustain
an. infuriated man till he has completed his
dreadful purpose, the sickening spectacle of the
dying struggles Of fallen enemy usually rous.
| Is oil lne ConpuCtlOuS rrIeHllnbS OI human ma
ture, and forgiveness and regret take the place
of every roug her fccling-but how different
STATE OF mind is exhibited in this instance! The
survivor having sacrificed his victim on the al
tar OF his revenge, still retains his deadly hate
the smoking blood, the quiverng lip, and the
dying groan Of his fellow man, move not his OBJ.
durate heart-he fees not from the s,inps of
conscience, the insuI,ed moral feeling and the
outraged laws OF the Communily-nav he not
only has the hardihooc to return 10 the mids, Of
that society he had jus, robbed OF one of its
brightest ornaments, and endeavor to prevent
by bullying and intimidation, any manifestation
OF respect for the me mory, or regre, for the un-
| timely death, his adversary; bu, wha, is still
worse, he plants another thorn in the widowed
and dIsconsolate heart of her whose grief was
already insupPortable, by throwing ihfamy and
contempt OH the name of him whose memory
was clearer 10 her than all things earthly, and
declaring that The PUBLIC ,cas not in no,r.
n'ng at the tragic event that had torn from
her a 6eIoredhusband, and from her orphan
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