Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-06-06
2. The correct but scattered and 81 n.

= !. Z. =. z
i 2. The correct but scattered andstlum-
bering sentiment Of the nation mksf Be
concentrated and made 10 operate vilh
forcesand energy sufficient to constrain1 the
public authorities to dotheir duty in ref,
erence to duelists. Ii is notorious that
the escape of the duelist who has killed
his antagonist, is a matter OF course, in
many parts Of the country. His crime
may be committed at MONDAY, in cold
blood, and within limits where the law
has provided tor its. punishment. There
may have been twenty witnesses of TIE
ldeed, and yet it will be marvellous if he
I is even indicted or if indicted, it is al
most certain no jury will convict him.
Why is this ? Does the public mind In
any state in the Union sanction cold blood
ed murders Or is it only dormant and
inefficient We believe there is nothing
worse than criminal apathy on the sui
lject Almost every rejecting mind dlsap-
proves the practice. There = no need of
creating a public sentiment against duel
| ing. God has written it on men : hearts.
They recoil instinctiyely at the wanton
shedding of human blood: All that is
necessary is to combine and quicken the
lopinion of the country, and juries and
Judges will do their duty. If. one tenth
Of the effort had been made to rouse the
country on this subject that has been made
in reference to the evil Of intemperance,
Itherezwouh nowbe no hesitancy in ar
resting the duelist and conyicting him = of
murder; and no man would dare fight a
duel who had any regard for his public
character. '.-> ~ - ..'*'
1t is time then to awake on this sub
ject. All classes among us have incalcu-
liable interests at stake in the unwarped
administration of law and Justice But
the land is defIed with blood; while JUS
tice is fallen, away backwards And I'm.
til Christians and patriots lift up their re-
monstrances, and bring all their influence
to bear against this enormity. every drop
of blood spilled in single combat will lie
at ourdoor, and will be recompensed when
our cup is full. IS. ....@.,,. -...- t~..ssl -
The press has high duty to perform
in relation to. this practice. Its influence
is mighty, and must be felt. S. Let it plead
for an insulted nation against this abomi-
nation.--Let it call dueling by its right
name of Murder. Let it pour forth its re-
Dukes without respect to party, against the
monster who dares to trife with life aud
with his brothers blood And let those
rebukes roll like thunder peals over the
land till the nation shall awake and re-
deem itself, and the murderer in low life,
into the hands of Justice, that they may
be hanged by the neck till they are dead,
and thus expiate by a common ignominy
their defiance of the majesty of law and
the sacredness of life. r..~..-... - j., -. !.
Political men, patriots of every school,
are solemnly called upon to annihilate this,
custom, because it is subversive of our
civil institutions and of all free govern
ments. "A free government is govern
lnent of laws made by the people for the
protection of life, reputation, and proper
ty. "A despotism is where life and its
blessings are subject to the caprice Of an
Individual. Those maxims and practices,
therefore, which remove life, reputation
and property, from under the protection Of
law, and subject them to the caprice Of an
individual, are the essence of despotism,"
and ought to be resisted. Such a despot-
ism duelists have set up in the, face of high
heaven, and through the length and
breadth of land claiming as its peculiar
glory govern ment of laws. The acts
of Great Britain that drove the colonies
to revolution bore no comparison to the
enoEmity and arrogance of the despotism
established and maintained by duelists.
Look at their daring contempt OF the
foundation principles of free government
their unblushing defiance of law and ma
ture; their corrupting and blighting war
fare upon the public virtue and their hav-
oc of private happiness array before your
mind the CORY forms of those who have
ingloriously fallen without law, or trial.
or jury; and then sayif such despotic
code is to be tolerated in this age of light
and land of freedom. Shame, HONOR hui
manity, religion, forbid it Let this hea
ven daring despotism receive stern re-
buke from every patriot and honest man.
Henceforth let the man who will not for
swear and condemn this aboniinable code,
know that he is doomed man, exileG
from society, disowned by his party de-
spised by his country, and abandoned to
theterrors of justice and an offended God ;;
and let him feel, with the first murderer,
that he is "a yagabond on the earth" 3. u
The pulpit also is bound to speak out
on this subject.-This is no political mat
teLss Corrupt partizans may indeed take
advantage Of any excitement on the sub
jeci. and attempt to turn tito party purpo-
ses but for that they must answer. The
pulpit has its duty to perform, and is not
responsible for the abuses of the ambi-
tious and the unprincipled. Dueling is a
crime of such magnitude, and so directly
rebellion against God, that every minister