Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-06-17

host too is a polite, agreeable man, win {
whom | take now and then an excursion on l
horse back, and perhaps | may say, much to l
our mutual qualification. :
An incident occurred a day or two since,
indicating very painfully our meridian and
latitude, and perhaps revealing some moral
truths still more painful. My host and |
had mounted our horses to ride up through
the village on one of our ordinary excur-
sions, when meeting an acquaintance ia
professor of religion too,) he remarked with
a careless smile =" You must look out or
YOU will get shot, up in town. On being
asked what he meant, he informed US with
his unaltered sang froid, that a couple OF
"gentlemen f" had been fighting each other
with pistols, and that one of them was kill
ed In passing through the village, all was
calm and quiet there were no sad group
ings here and there rehearsing the gloomy
disaster-not a breath Of excitement stirred
to show that the death-storm had swept
there! And but one short hour or two had
elapsed since the fatal affray We called
on business at some Of the stores, and not a
word was said of the occurrence, except
coolly in answer TO inquiry. The very 81
lence and calm appalled, and sickened ne,
and as | gazed around, the life-tide poured
its chilling floods through the struggling,
shivering arteries-my God, art thou the
Father of US all!
have since learned the particulars ofthe
ARRAY with considerable minuteness. The
names of the principals were Cooke and
Topper, both lawyers, the latter, l belive, a
r native OF Vermont, and probably from some
where near your part of the State. Topper
had been paying his addresses to a young
lady in Kentucky, with the expectation OF
> being soon married. Cooke, on a visit 10
: Kentucky, saw fit, in answer TO inquiries
f by the young lady or her friends, from some
cause, 10 give an un(avorable representation
: Of Topper, which resulted in a dismissal
On the return of both to Mississippi, an in.
terview passed without satisfaction, then
hand-bills followed, Cooke refused 10 meej
b him in the field then the fight, the de-
tails of which ! do not wish to rehearse.-
Both parties doubtless felt impelled to de
n what they did, by the imperious law of Gus
tom, which is paramount, in its operations
IS to civil enactments. The State Of Missis
sippi has laws-good laws-such as, if rig
idly enforced and executed would give am
a. pie security TO life and limb and character
T. but they are left TO slumber in the statute
re books, or are trampled under foot by a viii
III ated and demoralized public sentiment
Public sentiment brands with cowardice an
es meanness the man who would inierpose III
ty shield of the law for the protection of hi
W character. A vindication of a more sun
a. mary kind is demanded. Good men her
deplore it, yet it still exists and continue
on Public sentiment must be reformed, chang
ed ed, or the law is powerless. The ster
he mandate of this imperious custom is felt e,
cry where, in all the business and int
he course of life, in all the modes of thinkin
Err and acting both public and private. Tram
ur ling everywhere, monster-like, it o~verlear
We The sworn and sacred bulwarks of the jury
lid box, and the LAW, the egis Of security an
,ro hope, is crushed beneath its iron heel!
", say, public sentiment must be changed, {
d. the law is a broken reed-a mockery
"a And where shall we look to find the eli
ar ments of this change, which in the GOO
er, providence Of God, must come-and wi
RI come? The press is afianced or hushet
gs the pulpit is feeble and tImid and tremblin
mt yes, the pulpit, could it arise and send il
n stern and lhunder-tones over the land, thel
1T would Dehope. And if aught on earth witt
CT IN the circle Of instrumenta!ity will or ca
effect the change, il is this. Yes, could bl
" the thousand sacred domes that swell anon
We our green hills be planted here, there wouI
be hope-aye, a heaven-dawning hope.-
God grant that such bulwarks may arts
al from which his servants, with hearts
y strength and lips of fire NAV rebuke ever
u life-cursing sin.
I" During the examination Of Mr.. T. befol
We the magistrates court, in order 10 commi
ment for a final trial and decision, wheth,
he had done the thing "gentlemanly"
= not, (part of which attended,J / observe
~ the friends of the parties having their pocl
els well stuffed with pistols, bowie knive
&C., e%vIncing a strong disposition to rel
upon their reserved rights" in case
emergency-this too in the courtroom, an
;, IN direct violation Of the laws of the State