The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-12-04
Salt WATER Bubbles.
A Hint 70 Men of lIonOr.--Or Duel in STYLE

The practice of fighting duels with
sword and pistol, as carried on SO extern
sivelv at the South and West in the pre-
sent dav, when we boast of having made
rapid progress in civilization, is poor
and Improbable business, to say the least
and sometimes dangerous one into the
bargain. 1t is an unpleasant thing, sure
ly, TO a kind and benevolent man, to be
compelled by the laws of honor, to turn a
deaf ear to the whisperings of conscience
and benevolence, and strive to kill re-
spectacle man, good citizen-nay more,
perhaps neighbour or friend-and some
would consider it still more unpleasant
thing to receive, while i'll the full enjoy
ment Of health, social comforts, and do
mestic happiness, bullet in his thoraX'
or a small sword or bowie knife through
the diaphragm. But as long as 'honora-
BILE men, conceive themselves bound to
fight their neighbors and friends with such
murderous weapons, on slight provoca-
tons, so long, it may reasonably be ex-
pected, will duelling be attended with such
disagrceable, such disgusting results.
have never fought duel, and | think
it highly probable never shall fight one.
My reasons are briefly these :-EtrStiy-
have an instructive repugnance to expo.
sing my own precious person where the
chances are equal that may receive my
iuietus by a lump of lead, impelled by
gunpcwder. Secondh-My life, have
r2ason to believe, is necessary to the com.
fort and happiness of othcrs-conscquent-
ly | have no right to peril it in this way,
without the consent of the ohcrs--a con-
sent which | have the vanity to think can
not be obtained. Ihirdiy-Dueling is
a savage custom, unworthy of the present
age-and it is the duty OF every man who
has any pretensions TO civilization or re-
finement, TO exert all his influence, by
precept and example, to set the seal of
public odium upon this barbarous prac-
tice, which had its origin i'll the dark ages,
and, Founhy-Duelling is practice
directly opposed to the laws of man and
the laws of God. 1t is therefore extreme
ly unlike that shall ever seek satistac-
ton for an insult by standing up in fair
combat, and shooting my antagonist
through the head or courting a favor OF
this description from him.
1t may be unreasonable to suppose that
the high-spirited citizens of the South
and West will ever rclinquish this absurd
custom of d,teiling-because ''they are
honorable men'-and none but honOr0-
BILE men fight duels. The most we can
expect is, that they will submit to some
qualification of the present rules of honor,
and perhaps agree to substitute some other
means of deciding who Is the "betiel
man." than those which are furnished By
gunpowder and lead and steel recol.
lect of hearing some years ago of a mode
of settling dispute on shipboard, where
both the combatants were ''men of hon
or'-and the duel was fought with un.
military weapOns-without actual danger
to life, and yet was conducted in man.
net which satisfactorily established the
inlrcpidity and vindictiveness of both the
combatants, and was attended with re.
suit which would probably satisfy the
most tenacious and cholcric man of honor
Such being the effect of the experiment
would most respectfully recommend its
adoption by all men who feel any dispo
;, sition to settle honorable disputes with
honorable warfare. believe that al
men will admit that the plan adopted OF
this occasion, is far better calculated tC
Sgive satisfaction, than to cut one others
throats, or 10 shoot one another through
the head-and in making it known,
conceive that Hawser Marlngale is emit
tied TO the thanks of a philanthropic com
munty.
On board tho ship Mcomacon, of Pro
violence, X. l., there was chap, a tho
rough gentleman, by the way, named
Jim Peacock. How jim ever came be
fore the mast, it is impossible to tell, al
he prided himself much on the respccta
bility of his connections, and often talke,
for whole dog watch about the propert,
which he expected shortly to inherit
His wardrobe was somewhat limited to b
sure ; Notwithstanding which, by mean
/. of high SHIRT collar, bushy whiskers
curling lovelocks, second-handed an
thread-bare coatee, and an ivory-heade
switch, he continued TO cut quite das)
whenever he went ashore in foreg
court, and to sport the air and manners {
thoroughbred gentleman. Indeed, h
was so neat and trim in his dress whenC