The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-01-17
TIE DIJEI..


That lie died MS a fELo DE SCI!
TIE DUEL.
The author Of I" Recollections of the
Peninsula" gives, in the Winter'sWreati,
an account of a duellist who had killed
his antagonist. We are not without n
hope, that this affecting narrative may,
perchance, meet the eye of more than
one Of the rising generation, to whom
those false and pernicious notions of
personal dignity are familiar, which too
often lend to the calamitous results that
are here depicted. Of all the delusions
to which The silly pride aud real weak
ness Of mankind has given rise, there is
none SO utterly indefensible as this of
numbering each other, by way of wiping
away what is called a stain upon our
honor. What stain, we may well ask,
can tarnish that honor more indelibly
than the blood ofa fellow creaturel Who
deserves to be summed by society, to be
exiled from it's ranks, to be driven into
the solitude of his own despair, more
than the man who, for some hasty word,
somo unintentional offence, some mo-
mentary burst of passion, takes away
the life which the Deity has given to
one Of his children? But let us hear the
remorsc ofthe murderer from his own
confession; we knew not whetherthe story
be drawn from fancy or founded ON fact;
nor is it Of any consequence one way or
the other, inusmuch as the moral is true
in all its parts, and the example impress
ive.-The adversaries are said To have
been friends of their earliest youth, and
to have entered the army together. Up
on some occasions, the spirits Of one of
them were particularly exuberant, and,
in aplayful mood, he tipped offhis friends
cap in the presence of his fellew officers;
an act which was unexpectedly repaid
by blow that knock ed him down. The
consequences are related in these words.
IL was instantly picked up by tall,
vulgar young man, who had lately joined
the regiment by exchange, ip consequence
of some affair of honor, in which he had
been engaged with his captain, and who
was ready agent of mischief "This
business" said he, "can only be settled in
one way, and the sooner the better.
~ cast my eyes around to look for Hill
Hc had caught up his cap was walking
away barc-headed, and two brother en-
signs were following him, one ofwhom !
knew had pair Of duelling pistols. A
little fellow, who had only joined few
days, and was not more than fifteen, and
to whom we had both been kind, came to
me. % Vernon, said he, run after him;
make all up; it was all foolishness: why,
il was only play till he got vexed, and
that was your fault. arm sure he is sor-
ry. Let us All agree to say nothing a
hout it nj mess, and to keep it from the
Colonel"
"Such was tho thought of the artless
boy. Oh, that he had had mans wisdom!
j mean not that Of such men as were with
us then; for my tall friend called him a
young blockhcad, and bade him hold his
nonsense, and remember that officers
were not school-boys. To think that, of
the seven persons present, there was hut
one peacemakcr, aud he n child Had
he but gone to the Colonel or any of the
senior officers, there would'not have hcen
wanting some worth and wisdom to stand
between the boys and their calamity. As
il was, wc were both in the hands of
wicked and unreasonable men,-both
the dull and passive slaves Of cruel Gus
tom.
"My tall friend went home with me to
my harrack room, and wrote challenge,
which copied. scnrce knowing whnt
did. He carried it himself, and was long
away. How busy were my thoughts dur
ing that interval He will make an
apology methought ;--he will do any
thing rather than meet me. Il never saw
such fellow, said the wretch who had
volunteered to he my second. Knock a
man down, and then offer him an apology!
Why, you would both he turned out of
the service,-he for offering, and you for
acccptingit. j would give my life,' j
replied, 'to avoid this meeting il i, wcfe
possible WELL said my second, it is
not possible however, il is a pleasant and
safe duel for you for after receiving your
shot, he'll Of course fire in tie mir and
make his apology bur got ground he
mus, and you need not be uneasy, per
haps you may miss himi' 'Perhaps Il
might miss him., said i; why would
not firc at him nor hurt q hair ofhis head
for tho universe. AS to that replied