Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-03-21

0nraSel the details Of these Two Gus
toms = war regulated By law Not so
much a. duelling il. But does the duel
liR yet sside all laws bun bis own So
does war. Does the doe|list nliudicate
his own casef So doe nation in war.
Does the duellist, without witness, Judge |
or jury, take vengeance into his own |
handsi So does war. Does the duellist
make might. or skill, or chance the arbiter
ofright2 So does war. Does the duel
list often fight merely 70 satisfy the laws
Of honor, and render il consistent for him
10 e1plaini Nations do the same in war.
Show US, then, the difference between
these twin-customs. Will you End any
in their origin. any in their motives. any
| IN their pretexts. any In the passions they
excite, any in the deeds they perpetrate,
any in the fearful catastrophe at which
they aim, any in single one of their es-
senlial moral elementsq
Yet how differently do men :reat these
J customsl Should the government arm
} all our citizens with dirks, and pistols,
; and sworG-canes. ami bowie-knives. ready
for mortal combat at q moments warning,
> would such preparation for bloodshed
> prevent murderf Yet this is the funda.
!, mental maxim of every nation in Chris.
tendon; and we are told as confidently
j as If it were self-evident truth. that +the
q best way TO preserve peace, is to be vel
II prepared for war !" maxim which has
! occasioned ifiy wars, where it has pre-
}. vented one.
), Were ministers Of the gospel to attenc
o duels, and sanction them by their prayers
. would they not thus render the custom
q more popular, more extensive. and more
o inveierate7 Would no, the land come
o ere long to swarm with duellists reputed
! " pious2 Would not the custom soor
d claim the sanction of Heavenq Yet fo
d fifteen centuries have ambassadors of tn,
d Prince of Peace lent their countenance 4
Z the far worse practice OF national duelling
Il Should Congress appoint orators al
J. over the land to eulogize the fallen Cilley
d should bis murderer be crowned wit
n laurels. and be carried in triumph from
ID city to city, amidst the huzzas of the mul
N litude, and the brightest smiles Of woman
Y, should some jealous partizan write hi
le history even before his death, and extc
N him 70 the skies as man worthy of al
% praise for bis bravery and skill, shoul
sr the highest honors Of grateful and ac
Of miring nation be lavished upon him as
re reward for the bloody deed; should song
"a be composed, and monuments erected, an
: annual celebrations held BY the rich, tn
ID gay and the great to commemorate th
,h glorious victory Of the duellist: would a
Of this tend 10 check the practice of duelling
be Yet all this is done throughout Christe'
e. dom in support of war, with scarce VOL
n, of rebuke or dissent from Christians, (
es, Christian ministersl 1ua aa Esa5e
ce Not few Of them even tell Us, that WI
q is inevitable so long as human nature 7
mains the same; that il Is vain to NAL
Of any specific efforts for the abolition
: Ill this custom; that we must wait for Il
al gospel to overspread the globe. and exc
ri else the war-passions Of mankind, befo
we peace can come. Do they reason thus
ire regard TO duelling7 Whence this Gu
an toni From the false notions, the wror
sx- choice Of men; change these, and y
,et- annihilate the custom. And shall nothil
is be done for this purpose ! Would y
ou- have duelling continue without rebuke
az the midst Of Christians themselves IN
the millennium comes7 Would you ha
zen no law against it, no denunciations fro
the pulpit or press, no warnings 10
young from parents and teachers. no &C
centration Of public sentiment no rallyi
Do Of the wise and good, no special effo
ose whatever 70 crush this blood-leech9
ing has been banished from New-Englan
'ur- and why may it not be driven from
! to South and the West7 But, if duelli
nly can be abolished before the milleniu
and even without any change in the 1
zeal ture Of mankind. why may not the pr
49, tie Of international duels be made to ce
FIRST wherever Christianity prevails2
was 3d.. PAcIFIcUs