Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-08-26
DueIliug I'm England,

Colonel Fawcett and Lieutenant Monro has
more stimulated the public journals to the dis
oussion of plans for the absolute suppression Of
the nhuman practice. The circumstances Of
the case were peculiar, and invested it with a
peculiar and melancholy interest. The gentle
men were nearly related by marriage, having
married sisters and there is this sad conse-
quencc attending their crime, that the wife of
the survivor can never clasp the hand of her
husband without remembering il is the hand
which made her sister a widow, ana that wild
ow can never reflect upon her sisters welded
happiness without remembering how and by
whom her own has been DESTROYED. The ori-
gin and nature of the quarrel too, were miser-
able inadequate To is unhappy termination. Du-
ring the absence OF Col. Fawcett in India,
whence he had recently returned after dis
| tingulshcd and honorable service, Lieutenant
Monro had managed some property in which
the sisters were Jointly interested. He had en-
| ploycd a real estate broker to sell house at
Brighton, and paid him fifty pounds commission
| for his services but the sale was not consu.
mated, owing TO some defect in the title, and
the fifty pounds were lost. On Col. Fawceit'S :
return, a meeting was arranged between him
and Lieutenant Monro, at the house ofthe tor
mcr, to examine and adjust the accounts and
Col. Fawcett seemed to be much annoyed about
the fifty pounds, lamcntng the loss with undue
acrimony, and even going so far, in the height
Of his veXation, as to nsinuate that to charge
him with half of the sum was a trck-a piece
ofdishoncsty. Lieutenant Monro is represen-
ted as behaving with great forhcarance- taking
no notice Of his brother-in-aws Incorporate
language, and apologizing for his agency in the
misfortune.
At the eatabe Col. Fawcett's vexation a.
gain broke ou'. Lieutenant Monro, wearied
and provoked at the Colonel's pertinacity, an
swered with some asperity. and Colonel Faw-
cett, starting up in rage, called servant and
ordered him to kick the Lieutenant out OF doors.
This was great and objectionable indignity :;
but Lieutenant Monto preserved his temper so
well as merely to say that he would not compel
Col. Fawcett to use a measure so violent, after
which he left the room and the house.
Feeling himsel: grossly nsulted, he sought
advice from the Colonel of his rerimcnt-a
| gentleman Of discretion as well as of honor
| who recommended that he should write TO Col
Fawcett inviting an apology but without any
design or intlmnton Of hostile meeting The
| oI, 4, l,l
was unfortunate. The note was written and
| sent and Col. Fawcett, after reading it, inqui-
red OF the bearer, Mr. Grant, what was to be
the alternative ofa refusal to apologize. Mr.
Grant said he was not prepared 10 anticipate
that question. "WelI, then,' answered the Co.
lionel, 81 am. The alternative is n challenge.
accept; and so you may inform Lieutenant
| Monro" The rest is known.
Now it is obvious that here was no cause for
mortal combat, even under the falsely called
laws of honor. Neither of the gentlemen lay
under any necessity of proving his courrge for
both had proved time and again, on the field Of
battle. Col, Fawcett undoubtedly insultcd his
antagonist but the insult was one which un-
| der proper advertisement he would probably
| have atoned for by an amply apology, and if he
had not it was one which Lieutenant Monro
might well have borne, resenling it only by
suspension Of intercourse. 1t was an insult, but
| 1t inflicted no stigma on the character orthe re-
cipicnt lie might have afforded to let it pass
unavengcd, for, in the estimation of all truly
honorable men, it was more dsgraceful to the
giver than the receiver. Discreet friends, du-
ly impressed with a sense of their duty To God
rel to end in murder As we have said, the oc-
currcnce Of this duel has once more put the
writers in the newspapers on the alert to devise
means for eilecting a total suppression OF the hi
dcous practice. They use the strongest and
most emphatic language in its condemnation
Commercial Adrcrtiser.
Az EDITOR IN TUE Suus.-Mr. T. Perry
Howe, editor of the "Democralic," Published at
Oxford Mississippi, thus harmonously describes
some of his labor -
We have been particularly engaged during
most of this week, cutting up domesics into
slips of suitable size and shape, and otherwise
domesticGlly amusing oursef; in consequence
Of which interesting philosophical dlvertise-
ment, we are unable to issue but halfa sheet to-
day. Fine boy fat lnd saucy very image of
his pappy weight II POUNDS astonishing
babe ate quart bowl Of mush first day, and