The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-05-05


hill Gazette, in noticing the late duel at
Philadelphia, and of the Presidents striking
from the Navy list the names of the officers
concerned in the same, makes the following
just remarks:
This is an act which is highly credible to
our Chief Magistrate. 1t is an act of hon.
orable justice of humanity. 1t will have
salutary effect upon the moral character
of our countrymen; and will do much to-
wards abolishing the internal practice OF
duelling. In our view, the man who, in all
the blaze of light which is thrown around
the subject, kills his antagonist in .
deliberate duel, is a murderer. There
are no provocations 80 bitter-there are
no injuries so deep, as to justify an ap-
peal to arms. Blood will not wash out the
memory Of an insult; it makes no atone
ment for injury. The dead retract nothing;
the grave has no voice of apology for the
doings of its tenant.
Let US not boast of our christianity if
these things are to be tolerated amongst us.
Let Us not boast of our crusades of mercy,
among the uncivilized and the idolatrous Of
other lands, if red-handed murder stalks
through our own high places if our own
customs tolerate the shedding of blood, to
avenge an imaginary wrong, or to satisfy
some scrupulous point of fashionable honor.
We could never imagine to ourself, the
nature of his feelings, who, on receiving
some fancied, or even real insult,-a harsh
word spoken in moment of excitement-a
slight blow over the wine-cup, or the card
table-could call out the FORMER friend of
his heart, and, deliberately seek his life, in
deadly contest. The deed is seldom has
tily done,-the sense of indignity and
wrong is not unfrequently lost, before the
fatal preliminaries are settled between the
parties. Beyond the first hour of excite
ment, all is deliberate and cool-blooded.
The formal challenge and the still more
formal acceptance Of 1.-THE minute ar
rangements-the marked ground-the de-
liberate aim,-have not even the excuse of
sudden and unprecedented bloodshed.
DUELLING. In his recent charge to the
Grand Jury of Philadelphia, Judge King said /:
Every act which apparently must do harm,
and without proVocation, and of which death is
the consequence, is murder. Express malice
Is where one person kills another, with a sedate,
deliberate mind, and formed design such form
ed design being evinced by external circum-
stances, manifestng the inward intention, as
lying IN wait, anticedent menaces, former grudg-
es, and concerted schemes to do the party bod
lily harm. Within this class of cases are en-
braced those homcdes that result from the de.
testable practice of DUELLING. In these meet
ngs of blood, each party comes with the form
ed design Of taking away the life of his appo-
nent, and when death results to either, the sur
vvor is, as well in the eye of the law as in that
OF religion and morals, murderer of the most
unequivocal character
The General Government is now doing
its duty as regards the practice of duelling,
and we hope that the ministers of civil law
will do theirs. To kill a man in single
combat is nurder-so says the law-so says
common sense-and yet the duellist has
almost uniformly escaped punishment. 1t
has been his practice to pass few rods over
the bounds of his State, kill his man, and
then 60 back and set the law and it's ministers
atdefance. Shame on our institutions. that
such things should be. If duelling is in
deed murder as our laws have pronounced
it, let it be practically regarded as such,
ts1 q II ke hs @d
State, and made to expiate their crimes
upon the scaffold.-Hartfsrd ReUie,U.
Distressing CASUALTY We learn, verbally
that three young men (brothers) lost their lives
In the east part of Marion County, on FRIDAY
last, by the presence of carbonic acid gas, "a.
miliarly denominated damps. The first enter.
ed the well, for the purpose of cleaning it out
but had descended but part of the way, when
ne suddenly fell to the bottom. His mother
who was standing by, supposing he had slipped,
called another son Immediately to his relief
ha Al r
the same manner. She then called her third
and last son, who also entered the fatal we'll
HE had scarcely begun to descend, when he
called out "mother, | am FAINT" and instantly
shared the fate of his unfortunate brothers. On
assembling the neIghbors, it was soon ascertain.
ed tnat the well was SO completely CHARGED
with the noxlous vapor, that lighted candle
was extinguished within six feet Of the surface.
The llteless bodies were taken out as soon as il
could be done consistent with the safety of
those assisting. What makes this case pecu.
llary distressing, is the fact, that the father of
the young men is blind, and they were his prin-
eipal, if not his only dependence.
1t is matter of some surprise, that with the
universal knowledge of mankind. of this danger
so common TO wells, that SO little regard Is Maid
to it. No person should ever presume to de.
scend into any well, without having first let
down lighted candle: if that will burn freely.
there is no danger from this cause.
Dsla"Grs (OhiO) Gazette.
DREADFUL ACCIDENT. On FRIDAY last
as seven men and two boys were being
drawn up from the coal pit at the Paulton
engine, when they were nearly half up. the
rope suddenly broke, and they were pre-
cipitated to the bottom, distance of $50
feet. Five of them were dashed to peces
presenting, on their being brought up. a
more melancholy spectacle than was Der
haps ever Witnessed. The other four wore
dreadfully injured; of two there are no
hopes Of cure, and very little of the others.
rne cries ana pewaiIIhgs OF the wives and
children, were heart rending-waiting in
dreadful suspense, for period of five hours.
before they could attach tho new rope. and
bring up the mangled bodies, to know whom