Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1842-12-13
BY D. P. PALMER.
THE PROCESS OF PLEDGE Ia
KING--ANTI-DUELING SOCIETY.
[From the Cork Examiner.l

ing I1eTald, tRat meetlng was held IN
the county Hall, Alesbury, the other day
on the subject of dueling. The chair.
man John Lee, Esq, LII. D. stated that
asOciety was about to be established,
with view TO procure the dscontin-
uance Of the abominable practice Of duel
ing throughout the world The follow
ing extract from a speech, delivered by
Mr. John Dunlap, the we'll known advos
cate. of the temperance cause, contains
an exposition of the principles on,which
the new society is based :-"The mod.
ern dueL it is now universally admitted
arose out of the JUDICIAL combat or wa
ger Of battle OF former ages; some time
about the year 1920, about which time
the judicial combat was legally suppress
sed, or at least generally discontinued,
throughout Europe. In that strange
military, religious and legal process, an
appeal 10 heaven was made, and it was
superStitiously supposed that God would
defend the right of that champion who
did not lie, or whose legal plea was just.
lnssthe process fenlightenment,the super
stlious sentiment ceased; but still the
framework of the institution and practice
remained among the nobility and gentry
as a monstrons and preposterous method
of adjusting disputes, after the superSti.
tlous dogma that had formerly made it
apparently reasonable, had Departed
1t may be contended, that dueling pro.
notes national courtesy and prevents
men giving the lie, or censuring the mo-
tives of another for fear of being called
out, yet duelling is not an element fitted
to engender and promote general cour-
tesy aud complaisance, or system calcu
tod 10 instruct and rear the nation into
sentiments and habits Of civility and
kindness. it cannot be said to put all
men on an equal footing, and make
bosterous ruffian answer for rudeness
with his blood, because it raises up to an
undue height, and gives an undue advan-
tage to the wretch who is an adept in the
mysteries Of pistol saloon practice, and
invests him with unlawful power over the
innocent and the high minded. tits evit
dent that duelling cnnnot stand the test
Of abstract reasoning, and that no argu'
menls founded on experience or common
sense can be brought forward in defence
of the practice 1t then becomes US TO
enquire into the means of putting an end
to the dsgraceful and inhuman custom.
When it is known that the duel class in
this country amounts to but 10000, 1t
seems 10 difficult task to undertake its
abolition. To enact new laws on the
subject world be useless. Our present
laws are sufficiently bloody and severe
on the subject; but government has no
power to put them in force, when the
4 opinion of the upper ranks and juries are
against III Not only tho laws Of Eng.
land, but also all the states Of Europe and
Anglo o-America, have statutes at vari>
ance with the subject; but all are without
effect, because the code of duelling and
the laws Of punctilio, if they exist in any
circle, must be in their nature supreme,
and paramount even to the laws of the
land. This has been the experience Oi
more than 300 years. SO that legal en-
actmenis never have, nor can be effectu
a., without change of view and prac
tice in the duel exposed class ITSELF
TO effect such change is the object O.
the Anti.duel Society. 1t is presumed
that this may be effected by association
in the duel exposed class ITSELF agains
duelhug. The effects of association fo
the suppression Of intemPerance ant
drinking customs, and some other imprO
prieties, have been all but miraculous
and why should not similar pledge Ell
feet similar change in the upper rank
with respect 10 duellng? In the work
shops; and among many circles,
has been found that various con
ventional occasions Of drinking and trea
ting have been established, forming
very tyrannicaI code. These drink fines
footings and usag0s are, in general debt
of honor. Those who refuse TO full
these customs ale liable to a variety
maltreatment, and are put quite as muc
out Of the pale Of amity and social inte
course as gentleman would be VIII
should refuse challenge. And the "Al
sociation of Negation," the pledge,
abstain, established among the lew, hs
been found perfectly effeclual in abolish
ing among the many, in a vast number
coses, all these pernicious drinking usi
gcs. The practicability ofthe propose
pledge TO put a stop TO duelling in th
country, however,is not assumed, or fou
ded merely on an analogous case. T.
plan now proposed has been tried
France, and succeeded in entirely pl
venting, for 70 years, the pra ctice OF d
elling 10 that country. So that the an
duellists are not propounding visions
scheme Wich may or may not succeed. T
authority for this assertion may be fou
in the historical writings of Voltai
N..nu; Maaa; Mapriar and otba.s