Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-02-24
9OM0RMSSa
TwENrY:rInsr CoNeREss-sEcoNp Srs.
THURSDAY: FEBRUARY II, 1881.

The act for the punishment OF crimes in the Dis.
trict oil Columbia, was r. al third time.
When the bill had been re al through,
Mr.. Hayns remarked, that he ha not paid that az
en'ion to the bill which would justify his ac tinc npon
It, He thought, however, that he heard the clerk re
ac'ause Tin the l2h secon) making it peni.entiary
ofsnce to send challenge to fight a duel. Hea.ked
that IL might again be read
Alter the reading OF the IL h section of the act
which ranks duellng with Jorgery aud other infamou
crime.,1
Mr.. Hayne said. he was no advocate Of dueI,ing
he would be very glad if any means could he devis
cd to put an end to tbs practice. Bu, his experience
had taught him that every attempt TO legisate unrea
sonaoiy upon that subject had only tended 10 make
the ma ter To class IT, as The pre,en, hill J;d
with the crime OF pr1ury and its kindred offences: II
seeued to lim would be productive ef more evil than
bench. Under these circumstances, he moved IN 70
commit the bill to the Committee the District OF
Columbia to give IN opportunity for ils revsa in this
particular.
Mr.. Woodbury. observed that there was another
clause in The bill which 10 him seemed rather ex,raor
dln1ry IL was that which mad the off.ncs of gam
bling punishable by confinement in the ,ni,e,iiarv
He wi he'd, il the bill should be recommiited to draw
the attention OF the commit % 20 this clause.
MIR. Chamber said, the clau alluded 10 bv tho
gentleman from South Carolina M. Hayn.0 that of
dueng, had met the attention OF the committee aad
the f'ree OF some of the objections bad been fel In
his own view OF the sut the most Objectionable
clause was thatin relation toemony, 10 relation to
''uels, where Witnesses called upon in cages Of
prosecutions or dusl'. He could not say that this W
entirely recOncieabc with his vie wa of Fob1. Inn,
character, il conceived thai the most eH.C-
tna way Of destroying those fatal IDEAS which honora
Die ana hlgh' minded men ente,aned Of the practice,
was to degrade it, and place II on level with crimes
OF the most Infamous hue This course il was b, LEV
ed would DO more 10 eX rrm nate this evil from th
land than any other II was designed to assis it that
low and degraded rank. in crimes which should make
II infamous, and thus the honorable and biob
ed portion OF mansiod from participating in H. II was
evidentto the committee that nothing but public s,n-
timent could correct this great ev and If was The
sense OF the Sena'e that the provison OF the bill was
ineSPediens, 1t would be shown by voting for lie
recommittal
The view taken by the gentleman from New Hemn
shire (M-. Woodbury. the penalty for certain kidd
OF gambling, also dsserv d some confederation He
could however, inform that gentleman that the pro-
vision was not entirely a new one. He irs,ancsd a
case In bis own SAto, (Maryi,nd) where an inIiviJ
al bad been iDcarcsrs,ed in the penten,ary for ibis
crime In relation to the evidqnre Of this crime also
wac wen known that il was difficult TO procure IL by
my other nean1 than through those who were them
selves the victims and were enrspoed in the ,ols n,
the gambler. '''
Mr.. c. said, it was the sense of The Senate 10 re-
comfot the bill, he should not srenou.ly oppo,e H.,
though he though tho su' iect was now bsiore the
Senate, lis features couIl be regulated there.
Mr.. woodbury. said, in relation to toe clause which
ne had Alluded o,that OF making gambling n penenti,ry
offence no would only remark that In the State he had
which the honor in pact TO represent and indeed in ali
'oe eastern States where IL was conceded that The people
were a. strict 10 their moral views and feelings az in
aoy part OF The world the crime in question was only
punlth'ble by iue 1t nigh, be that in other p,ris
where the evil was mere prevalent srooger ni.h-
ems were requisite. OF a. he would not pretend
oJndge though IN most ofthe constitutions of t6s es.-
eTn and northern States 10 which he hal adyeried
clause was inserted declaring that no new or noTdnate
punishments should be inflicted.
Mr. Poiniexier said that ne vas no. an aiyoe,,e for
dueIing. He referred to the laws nj the several
states upon ,be subjec'; 10 those of New York viz
ginia, and, he believed, North Carolina I'm ,ho.e
a'e' the penalty for dueng Disqualification from
"ihes "nd oihcers were required to take an tb that
they hid DOT bseD, and would MT he engaged in f,
duel This wes as far as any Of the States went in
ther euacmeDs on this subject The honorable zen.
ueman from Maryland sdid Mr.. p. must be AGAR,
that the most distinguished, the most honorable and
ngh-mInded men 10 h' or in any Cther country, had
oeen involved 10 dues aad he aked Il there was not
reason TO fear ihaiihe suppfes OF the practice would
lesd TO worse result the introduction Of the sileuol
" dusHhng were rendered infamous or lmyFaciicable
would not men find II Dece srry ~ wear dix to de.
Tend the mssvcs from in.uil " man Of independent
mind ard honorable feelings partook Of none Of The
eharaet rstics Of bully, he would still defend hi,
honor AZ any hazard. n ask n II tuch result I'D
no, been seen 10 Virginia where peOsli.s had bssn
imposed upon the practice. lie al not advert IN IN A.
Sne with sny fe-Iibg Of iii respect far fron i. IN,
there were Who held c,sdable 70 be sn.eion,
Of their henor But he believed u a, the snacn emit o.
'ev re penalties would baye TIE tendency Of compel