Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1838-08-04
MISCELLANEOUS.
HISTORY OF DUELLlNG.

HISTORY OF DUELLlNG.
aThink, Oh think what it is to rush I'M
called into the presence of an offended De-
ity your heart fermenting with evil pas
sion, your hand hot from the steel you had
been urging with your best skill and ma
lice, against the breast of tellow-crea-
ture."
The practice of duelling was entirely I'm.
known TO the ancients. Their illustrious
heroes and sages did not revenge their
private quarrels by destroying each other
in mortal combat, nor do we learn OF such
thing as hostile message being sent on
such occasions. Sylla and Marius, Cesar
and Pompey, Octavius and Anthony, en-
ded their disputes at the head of their ar
mics, and not while hacking at each other
behind some hedge or on a"blasted heath,"
deseerated by such savage Practices
When Euribiades lifted up his cane over
the head of Themistocles, the hero ex-
claimed "strike, but hear mem and his
forbearance, so far from degrading, rem
dered him popular with his countrymen.--
The origin of dueling can be traced to
those times when darkness overspread the
intellectual world. The first historical
notice we have OF it is in the reign ofGon-
debaud, king of the Burgundians, who pub
shed an edict to regulate the practice
When chivalry became the established
usage in Europe duelling was as 1t were,
blended with it and received from code
Of laws which were observed with scru.
pulous exactitude. In the progress OF cl-
viGzation, most of the Gothic customs OF
the dark ages were superseded by man.
ners and habits more consonant with the
advanced state of human reason; but du-
eIling, the most savage of all these relics
of barbarism, remained, and even seemed
to increase with the rehnements OF educa-
ton. At length, so many valuable lives
were sacrificed in this way, that the au-
thority of various governments were ex-
erted to suppress duelling, but in vain; tor
the law was usually evaded by passing
the frontiers, and such was the rank Of
most of the offenders, that the royal pre-
rogative of mercy was generally exerted
TO snatch the criminal from the fate ne
deserved. The chivalrous Henry Nv. gave
encouragement to duelling, which was
carried TO a great extent under his son,
Louis XIII. Louis XIV. endeavored to
suppress it by the severest edict, and by
his immense influence over his subjects,
and there is no doubt that the practice was
somewhat on the decline during his In
creased violence. Under Louis XIV. how
ever, personal combats, although more
frequent, were not so murderous as here
tofore. Gentlemen of honor decided that
they would continue to fight for nothing,
but not to kill each other without sutfi.
cient reason. They accordingly invented
that mezzo termine of duels, Gu premier
sang, as they called it, in which the com
bat was ended on the first drawing OIL
blood, and man was only run through the
BODY by chance. This "first effusion OIL
blood" was combining derision with cruel
ty. "Gracious Godr' exclaims Rousseau
in Of his most eloquent passages, sand
tell me cannibal, what do you mean to dc
with that blood; do you intend to drink
it?"
In the reign of Louis XVI. the habit o.
wearing swords, which had been so prev
alent, was restrained to military persons
and courtiers---so that there were not sucf
frequent occasions as heretofore of ap
peaiing to the rapier. This introduced
the custom of fighting with pistols, If
which courage is no match for skill Of
practice. Our country has the distinguish
ed honor of having improved upon thin
method, by leaving no chance whatever Z
the conbatants. We allude to the saw
age and most disgraceful plan OF murder
ing each other with rifles, a custom which
will 60 farther in sinking us in the eye'
Of foreign nations, than any other whlci
could DO devised. Thegreat Frederick 0
Prussia, used all his unbounded authority
TO his immortal honor DO it said, to sup
press or diminish the frequency Of duel
ling. Perhaps some of our readers ma!
not have met with the following anecdot
0fthat great man, with which we will con
cluae. Two officers Of rank engaged .
meet in PERSONAL combat. Tbs king com
nlaudeH that they should fight in his pre-
sance, and at time and a place which i
appointed. Whom the parties appeared
they were assonishcd to find the whole a