Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-06-19
From the Friend Of Youth.
THE DUEL.
BY DR.. WILLIAM FLDER.

I0lSSlO0. 06Sc wars WCIO WIN III
thirteen colonies, or United Sta:e
France, Spain, Holland, the Frenc
Republic, Bonaparte, and again wit
the United States; sometimes singly
sometimes with several of these ma
tions at once.
The battle of Waterloo was Tough
on the 18th June, 1915. That yea
:he army OF England amounted Il
three hundred thousand men; and il
1885, although she had enjoyed thir
ty years Of peace, her standing arm!
was still one hundred Thousand
strong.
In time Of peace one would thinl
that such a host of soldiers woult
not be required for any purpose; anC
they probably are not, but it is thu
policy of such Governments as tina
Of England TO keep as many men ir
the public service as possible. Tt
say nothing OF other purposes, it il
easy in an army Of five hundred
thousand soldiers, TO have four ol
five thousand commissioner officers
who generally belong to the class ol
gentlemen-a class that is found TO
furnish the most useful and most
submissive slaves to those who feed
them. The most useful, because
being well born, well educated
and well connected, they are very
capable in themselves. and very in
fiuential in others, and most submis-
sive, because they are so well paid,
and have no other service than pub
lie office which suits them to accept.
The army of England is crowded
with officers who enter il merely as
a trade or profession, by which they
may get a living. A horrid business it
is, indeed, to undertake TO DO any kill
ling Of men anywhere that the Gov
ernment may command without ask
ing any questions, or knowing or car
ing whether il is right or wrong! But
so il is, when rightly understood,
and yet we must not be surprised if
we find, once in a while, a man too
good for such trade engaged in it,
for it is generally thought honorable,
even the most honorable OF all pro-
LESSONS, and but few stop to enquire
if it is also right.
Ny story will introduce the sort
OF a man that is an exception to the
rule.
To be perfectly candid with my
readers, | must inform them that |
have forgotten the names of the per-
sons that | am to tell about. The
precise place where it happened has
also escaped me, but am sure that
it was somewhere in ireland; and the
exact date is gone, too-but ] know
that it was after the year 1915, and
before the year 1885, for that was
the time when heard il.
The general peace OF Europe,
which followed the fall of Napoleon,
released the army of England from
foreign service, and after reduction
to about one-third of its former num-
Der, it was distributed among the
stations within the kingdom
and provinces. A large number Of
the surviving officers Of the field of
Waterloo were garrisoned in Ireland.
They were generally men who had
seen hard service, and had earned
their honors and offices in the battle
field; but considerable number oil
new men received appointments
through favor Of their wealthy and
powerful friends, and came among
The veterans with commissions in
heir pockets which gave them high
rank in the army. The old soldiers,
naturally enough, looked upon these
raw recruits as mere upstarts and
intruders. They despised them for
their inexperience, and hated them
for the injustice suffered by their pro-
motion. In profession where hon.
or is gained by killing the country's
enemies, it will scarcely be thought
immoral 10 hate the Individual RI |
vals and supplanters. The Apostle
John says the murder and hating
one's brother go together. And, ia
king the military sentiment Tor the
standard OF judgment, il is mean to
beg or buy promotion, where other
people have to fight for il. But this
is done elsewhere as well as in the
British army; for the Offices which
are thought the most honorable are
often obtained by means the most
The hero Of my story was in this
situation; and whether he deserved
the Judgment we have passed upon
bis class, or not, he certainly suffered
it in full measure. He had obtained,
by patronage. the appointment OF
Ensign, after the establishment Of
peace, and was quarteredswiih some
dozen or twenty officers Of Yelling
TOMS army. in one OF the cities Of
Ireland. An Ensign is the lowest
commissioned officer, and the salary.
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