Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-03-03
From Littell,s Museum.
THEPRoGREss OF DUELLING-Sc

duelling down to the present time, we do |
not pretend to lay before our readers de- |
tailed accounts of all the celebrated duels, |
which have taken place during the current
century. Der object is to present snch
cases only, as ungarnished with remarks
or arguments irresistibly lead to the con.
clusion that, even admitting the present
laws of honour ought to be acted on, the
majority ofduels ought never to have been
fought.
Notwithstanding the instances we have
given in former paper, and are about TO
proceed to give.of the progress of duelling
it cannot be denied that duels have not
been SO numerous of late years as former
ly, and have more frequently terminated
without bloodshed. The combatants now
meet under the influence of a cooler tenn
permanent, they do not fight outrance -
second shots are rarely discharged the
practice is merely conformed to, with a
view of preserving their stations in society
TO whose memorable and absurd laws
their Incorporate language or conduct
has rendered them amenable. Explana-
tons and retractions are now also more
willingly given and eagerly accepted. i, 1t
Is no longer mark of coBardice for
gentleman to explain his intention when
misconceived, or acknowledged his error
when wrong. The reputation of duel.
list daily more and more approximates, in
public opinion, to the character of a bully.
Moral courage is fast snpplanting physic-
al courage, as the characteristic of true
bravery.
The brave man is not he who feels no fear,
For that were stupid and irrational
But he, whose noble soul It's fear subdues,
And bravely dares the danger nature shrinks
from.
AS for your youth, whom blood and blows de-
light,
Away with them! There is not in their crew
One valiant spirit ny
Why, then, should the practice be contin-
ued! The substance has long since gone;
why follow the shadow /? Why not by
one short struggle get rid of custom
which has now no defenders on principle
Why longer tolerate a system which, ''by
separating the man of honour from the
man of virtue, gives the greatest profit.
gates something to value themselves upon
and enables them to keep themselves in
countenanCe, though guilty of the mos
shameful and dangerous vices?"t Moth
ing can be more absurd and barbarou;
S than the practice of duelling, except the
argument of those who Justify it by saying
that it begets civility and good manners
If fear be the source, or even one of tn
sources, of good manners and civity
what state must society be 10, and wha
a tiend must man be! If fear be the onl
corrective agency for bad manners or in
civity, then it is a panacea for all the mo
4 raj evils of humanity, and the philosophe
of Malmsbury, after the wrangIing of tw
)! centuries, is right.
. We know well,'' says Bruyere, ''tha
e an honest man is man of honour but
e is pleasant to conceive that every man c
: honour is not an honest man." True,an
it only requires a determination on tn
y part of honest men not to ackno Sedg
a mere men of honour as their fellows, t
d put an end to foolish and unnecessary du
/ cling. tits by the force of opinion, an
e not by the force oflaw, that duelling ca
o be suppressed. Every where opinion
!. supported by its two wings, the past an
), the future" Individually assents to lis SD
!. preston all that is now required TO rel
/ der it irresistible is, that ii should be en-
is bodied.
At "This, being well forced, Land urged, must hay
the power
III To move most gallants 10 take kicks in tim
a And spurn out the duelloes out o. the kin.
ny DON'T
as When that embodiment happily taxi
n; place, the history of duelling will be Il
y history of past crimes only. With the
IS predatory remarks we resume our annal
m The two earliest duels of the nineteen
rs century, which were of any importanc
nd took place in that land of fire. eaters, whe
IS "After being fred at once or twice,
ID The ear becomes more Irish and lessn !"
m In The first, the great defender of Iri
IL Il, independence took part. The exciteme
/. and agitation which the proposal of legi
nv lative union with England caused in Il
a. IIish Parliament, are well known. Z
an supporters of the measure adopted, it
IL generally believed, truly national mo
g. of aiding their project. They determin
= that no man should advance upon them
nd Degrading the party they had adopte
no and the measure they were pledged to su
ID port. They resolved to have a dim
as every day in one of the committee char
at bers, where they could always be at ha
ln- to make up house, or for any enlergen
~ which should call for an unexpected re-
forcement during any part of the discl
a. sion: lie short, they determined to e
r N drink, speak, and fight for the Union.
no the first debate, in lsOO,it appeared ind
est pu.ably that Lord Castlereagh had infus
TX his own spirit into many ofhis adheren
of and it became equally apparent that it "
me not met with correspondent ardour by
pe Opposition to this, however there "
,ne one memorable exception-to Mr Graft
the alone was it reserved TO support the sp
,ng ofhis party, and TO exemplify the gallan
one which he had strongly recommended
ned Others, in opposition TO the warllke tact
ION of The ministerialists. Reused by \
u a1e CORY, the Chancellor of the Excheqr
. .ror Grattan gave him no time for repentan
ich and. considering the temper of the Tn
| IS and the propensity Of the people, it's m
'eit yellous that this was the only instance
NC bloodshed during the contest. Mr. GI
are fan demanded an instant meeting,and
low severely "O1l .rLe ;,,.all;0anco ofthe 4