The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-09-02
FOR THE BANNER.)
d II f. LLING.

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ought to be banished orsuppressed; espe.
cially those evils which endanger the
lives of good citizens, corrupt the morals,
and set at nauyht the laws of the land.
DurIlng is an evil of this kind. 1t is
a glariny, high-hanlcd crime Those
who engage in this honorable warfare,
,rarnpIe presumptuously on law and
gospel, on their own sense of duty, on
the tears and cries of kindred and friends,
and on the moral sensibii,es Of the
community.
And what benefit does the communi-
ty derive from durlIng as a compensa-
ton for all this combination Of evils tha,
arise out Of, or are connected with this
wicked custom? Whose morals arc
improved? whose heart is chrercd as
some worthy citizen falls on the field Of
false honor? Does the surviving duel
list himself return from the bloody scene
exulting in the deed of death, pleased
to recount 10 the excited and appiauding
crowds that surround him, his deed Of
noble daring2 No; no such crowds
surround him, at least from the moral,
law loving portion Of community and
instead of exulting in the thought, that
he has imbrued his hands in IL brothers
blood, and sent him unprepard to the bar
Of God-continual sorrow and sadness
must fill his heart, and "fcarful loo
king for OF Judgement" harrass his
mind.
Now the question is, will society sup
port or connivc ut this abominable Gus
tom? Shall men be allowed longer to
brave, and insult, and dishonor the chris
tian community by engaging IN this
murdcrous old custom? or shall not some
vigorous measures be adopted 10 sup
press cliectually a practice so pernicious,
and SO destitute Of any thing good to
commend it 10 the minds Of Of sober
men2
An cfiolt has been making, we un-
derstand, for several years, in the lcgis-
Iaturc Of this State, TO introduce clause
in the constitution, to suppress the prac
ticc of duclling. This effort has not yet
been crowned with success. Cannot
something be done on the part Of the
people to secure the triumph of principle,
and correct practice on the subject Of
duelling? We cannot, at present, car
ry the matter to the ballot box, but VIC
can petition. a long list Of influential
names sent up from different parts of the
State against duclIing: would exert n
powerful influence in the legislature,
and would prompt TO the enactment Of a
law prohibiting those fatal re-encoun:crs
which begin in honor and end in dis
grace and death. And if any thing can
be accomplished by petitions towards
supprcssing dnelIing, will not every
honest citizen, who loves law, and subor-
dination to law, and hates malice and
murder, send up his name, praying the
legislature TO adopt such forcible mea
sureS as will lead to the suppression, at
once and forever, of the bloody, odious
custom Of duellng.
The present is as suitable time
as any one could wish to move on this
subject.
will draw up Il brief form Of peti-
ton which can be drawn off by indvidu-
ais in the different parts of the district,
and Of the State, and circulated, and
names procured in time to forward the
same to the next SESSION Of the legisla-
ture. 1t is to br hoped that even duel
list th"mscIvrs, and every man who
;. loves his country, her houor, her Laws,
and her religion will lend his name, and
exert his influence in multiplying forever
the code OF honor" L1NDo
Pc ETITION.
To the Honorable, the Senate, anil House
IF Representatives. OF the St1te of South
Carolina M Legislature ass~mbled:-
We, the undersigned, citizens of Alb
beville District South Carolina, feeling
aggrieved at the prevalence of dueIing