Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-01-11
History and Practice Of DuelIing
--Debate i'm the Kentucky Com

History and Practice Of DuelIing
--Debate in the Kentucky Con.
ventiOn,
There is no community which will
better illustrate the practice and extreme
folly of duelling, than the State of Ken
tucky. In the debates of the Kentucky
Convention, we observe that some of the
ablest men there Lave arrayed them
selves against that foolish, as well as that
wicked practice: Among them the Hon.
Ben Hardin, from whose speech we OK
tract the following correct account of this
extraordinary practice:
In the course of my readings ar to the
history of mankind, have turned my
attention some little to this subject; and,
sir, from the days of Nimrod, the nigh
ty hunter of Babylon, down to about
three hundred years ago, | have not
found single instance where private,
personal quarrel was settled by a duel.
In every case where there were person
al combats, they were for public and not
private considerations. The private
quarrels fought before the walls Of Troy;
and the walls of Jerusalem, were fought
by men in each of the armies opposed
TO each other; and in behalf of each ar
my. Such was he character of the
case referred to by the gentleman, (Mr.
Nutall,) between tho three brothers Of
the Horafii and the Curiatii. There
the fate of the battle, it was agreed,
should turn upon their success. There
is no instance of the modern duel pre-
sented until we come down to the time
when Francis l., of France, gave the
challenge 10 Charles ", king of Spain
and Emperor of Germany. There the
practice took its origin, and it has been
in existence ever since. And why is it,
Because there is notion ridiculous
kind Of opinion going abroad, invisible,
intangible, and which no man can touch,
called the code of honor, which CON-
pels man to fight in certain cases.
Thus: do you want to kill me! No.
Do want to kill you? No. But there
is some imaginary insult--some suppo-
sed injury, and some sickly sensibility
feels itself insulted, and asks for an ex-
planation. The man who is asked is a
little too proud TO give it, and the parties
correspond little, and finally figh,-and
all about nothing.
We know that duelling does not stop
killing in the streets, or assassination in
the highways. No sir, This is mistake,
and nothing will stop it but a sense of
certain, positive, and pesdy punish
ment. And how are we to stop the
practice of duelling! We are to furnish
men who are in doubt as to point Of
honor, with a competent apology for a
voiding duel. That is all we want.
There is not a man IN the world, enjoy
ing health, and who has friends and con-
nexions around him, that does not love
life. Look at the man in the last ago
nies Of death, and see low he clings to
life. And why? Because he loves life.
And yet false notion of honor, or ralh..
er a false public opinion, viii force the
man in fine health to hazard his life to a
false notion Of honor. Frederick the
great of Prussia was one of the ablest
and bravest men who ever fought at the
head of an army, and yet what did he
say to the duellisl! Why, that if du-
el was fought, he would hang all con.
cerned in il, and if he could find out
where was the place Of meeting, he
would 90 there himself with his hang
man, and hang up ,he survivor without a
trial. Has not Great Britain lately hung
up several men who killed others in du-
els. A Col. Campbell, there, killed a
man in duel, not long since and was
hung. And other instances might be
mentioned.
And Kentucky is the only country
where no man has ever been punished
for giving, accepting, carrying chal-
lenge, or killing his antagonist in duel.
What inroads have been made in the
family of Alex Pope, my old friend,
with whom / practised law until he died,
by the duelling propensities of those two