Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-07-05
NJ MBE Fl.

OF public OPINION. lhey even lament that such
state of things should exist; but, while it does ex-
list, they must fight, or encounter disgrace. Is it
not our duty, then, to undeCeve these deluded
men, and to rescue from death these reluctant
martyrs of honor2 Must they be haunted all their
days, and be driven to desperation, by a mere
spectre of the magnation--by public opinion
which has no being? Are we not bound 10 teach
them their mistake, if it be such, and to wrest from
their hands this mere pretence if it be no more!
There is relationship in crimes, which renders
familiarity with one harblnger to familiarity
with another. The wretch who has destroyed
two or three feow-creature in duel will feel fit
| tie compunctOn at any crime. Nor can the moral
senslbilities of people tamiliarzed to murder in
duels and accustomed to look upon criminals of
this description with confidence and respect, be
preserved in full strength in reference to other
crimes. Dueng, therefore, while it destroys d.
rccty its thousands, destroys, by It's depraVlng i'll
HuPnce, its tens Of thousands
The present may be the only time in which it
shall be practicable to suppress this great evil.
lfthe effect of dueling upon the public mind Is
great, why is it that murder be committed in
open day, the crime be made notorious, nay, pro-
claimed in the newspapers and the murderer re-
main unmolesed in his dwelling? Why does he
not flee? Why are not rewards offered by those
authorized by the laws, and expresses fastened IN
all directions to arrest and bring to justice the gull
ty fugitive? Because no one is enough shocked
at his crime to make these exertionS. Because, If
such measures taken, the public mind would
y awake from its torpor; duelng would become
- dsgraceiul crime and the criminal WonId be lost to
" himself and to his country. He could not be gou-
! ernor nor SENATOR nor judge He would be eXlled
= from public favor mmured in dungeon, trans
ported to the galIows, and launched into eternity.
If the prevalence of dueling has not and to an aw-
full degree, affected the public mind, why such q
;, number of half apologsts for the crime; and how
= can we so patiently hear, and canddy weigh, and
- almost admit their arguments? Could you hear
- with equal patience assassination justified, though
-, Gas it well might beg by arguments equally con-
~ elusive? Why is it, if this deadly evil has not al
N ready paIsied the feelings of the community, that
~ even the members of our churches have heretofore
T. with so little hesitation, voted for men of bIoodt
w. Is Christianity compatible with murder' Can you
- paronize the murderer by granting him your sui
q. frage and not become paraker III his sin:
10 The thcitity with which, in the way proposed,
M this evil may be suppressed, will render us fOrev
,L er inrxcusabe-wII constitute US partakerS in the
- SIM if we do not make the attempt.
n There are, indeed, many dueliSts in our land,
ho and many half apoogiss for the crime, from whom
-, no aid is to be expected. There are many too
w. unprinciped, and others too nd0Icnt to he engage
nM ed by considerations of duty; and there are some,
20 and even professors of religion whose strong party
" preudcps, and political attachment to duellstsI
is- will be liable to STEEL them against conviction, or
impeI them to make shipWreck OF faith and good
10 conscience But after all these Deductions there
10 are yet remaining mutitudes thousands and thou
d" q sauds whose adherence Of dueling, though d.
minished by the frequency Of the crime, is still
~" a sufficient to oyerwheln its abettorS with inlamy
90 But it will be said, especially in cases OF con-
tested elections if you refuse to vote for this man
I because he is duest, his opponent, worse man,
oh will come in.
g." A worse man cannot come in. The duelst is q
w. w murderer; and is mans difference from you in
i political opinion more criminal than murder! AnC
Nd will you vote for a murderer, despot, proud
" naughty, and reyengeful, to keep out another man
,y perhaps equally qualified, s. of fair fame, merely
~ because he thinks not in politics exactly you do
=, To what will such bigotry lead! There viii b.
m no crime too gross to be overlooked by party men
uu and no criminal too oathsome and desperate It
:" float into Office the tide of party. When tn
violence CT competition rises so high in our coun
nv try as 10 lead parties in their struggles for victory
you to tread down the laws Of God, disregarding en-
'un rey the moral character of candidates for office
't"e ftheir being on our side will sancy their crimes
P' and push them, reeking with blood, into office; thu
. time is not distant when we shall have no lbertie
'l's to protect. Such people are too wicked to b.
oy' free and God will curse them by leaving them
'n- eat of the fruit of their way.
noe But suppose the opponent of the duelIst, besid
"n his political heresy, to be bad man also, and gull
oio ty of the same crime If do not for the mai
lsls on my side in politics, will not this be helping hi
l'o antagonist, and will not this be as bad if vote
ua0 directly? No. You are accountable for your oW
,o ,n conduct only If other people put into office
o''' bad man, whom you could not keep out, but b
= voting Tor one equally Dad, LOT lnelF conduct yo
Ie ! are not accountable. 1t is certainly dlfferer
""u thing whether vile man comes into power b.
-. your agency directly, or in spite Of it, But sup
p'n pose the dueIist, in all respects excepting thi
'So" crime, is better man than his opponent, of tW
evils may we not choose the least? Yes, of tw
are natural evils you may; if you must lose finger q
an arm, off the nger but of two sinful thing
Pln- YOU may choose neither; aud therefore you ma
"" not vote for one bad man, murderer, to Keep on
Tno another bad man, though even worse one 1t
ny to do evil that good may come; and OF all who q
ou this the apostle declares, their damnaton is just
- I What must do then, in those cases where tn
n"l' character of the candidates are such rs that
cry would be sinful to vote for either of them? Vo
e' for neither aud in future you will not be nsute
ypHp by such candidates for suffrage.
'l1 But perhaps the liberties of our country are
I I stake-mght we not for once, and on such an
'uiy mergency, vote for duelist9 The same song hi
~ leen sung at every election these twenty year
eyo' and by each party. 1t is an eeconeerlng trick
gill excite your fears, to awaken your preJudIces,
;, ;, az nhame your passions, to overpower your col
laws sciences, and to get your vote, whether right
n wrong.
,.' But suppose your liberties are in danger tth
'uI are so far gone depend on the election OF OF
49, man, and that man a tyrant-a murderer-h
;P| pro- are gone rrerieVaby. Beside the absurdty
Pe' appointing murderer to protect lite ana deSp
u to protect liberty, it is 10 be remembered that Y
wiz is our only efficient protector, Men are mere
t'e instruments; but will God bless such instrumen