The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-08-16
Mr.. o,Donohoe and Duelling.


We see by our exchanges that the escaped convict
from Van Dieman's Land, Patrick O'Donohoe, was in
vited to public dinner given in honor of Thomas
francis Mcaghers birthday at Faneul Hall, Boston,
At which one Captain Treanor presided Atera very
complimentary toast had been given, Mr. O'Donohoe
commenced speech in reply, which tappears he was
not successful in making the people hear, andwhich
caused Capt Treanor to advise him to torego any at
tempt at speaking. Mr.. o'Donohoe became highly
insulted and wrote 10 the said Captain Treanor his
thoughts upon the subject, which led to challenge
and the usual prellmnarics to modern affair OF honor
Mr. O'D at first very properly refused 10 fight, but
getting his Irish up he concluded lie could not stand
every thing: and when about to take after his chal-
lcnger, the officers of the law overhauled him. and he
got into the strings:
1t is great pity that duelling could not be as sum.
marily treated every other State as it is in Massa-
ehus'ts where the laws stringent upon the SUBJ
jec and very properly provide, "That every person
who shall engage in duel with any deadly weapon,
although no homicide ensue, shall challenge another
to fight such duel or shall send deliver any writ
ten verbal message, purporting or intended to be
such challenge although no duel ensue, shall be pun.
shed by Imprisonment in the State Prison not more
than twenty years. or by fine not exceeding thou
sand dollars and Imprisonment in the county jail not
than three years and shall also he incapable Of
holding or of being elected appointed to any place
of honor profit or trust under the constitution or laws
of this commonwealth for term of twenty years after
such conviction The law in relation to accepting a
challenge is also quite severe"
Itscems strange that among the Improvements of
the age the march of civilization, tile progress Of sci
encc TRUTH and religion, that the custom of duelling
so grossly inhuman, and red with the blood of saugh
tered thousands who have fallen rs its sacrifices Should
still be adhered to with such wonderful tcnacity by so
large and respectable class ofpersons. although
they acknowledge its moral turpitude-have not the
courage to throw off its CALLING yoke and refuse to be
dictated to by system which assumes so urjusty the
arbitration OF mans personal rights and responsibilities
|. A code which assumes to decide, when man shall
jeopardze the life of his fellow and force him into
position either of risk in life reputation-which op
crates so unequally that Of dueling-is in our est-
nation ofthc very useless appendages of the ago.
and cannot possibly have It's origin or authority either
in the Bible the dictates Of humanity right reason or
religion but in the proud, prcsumptuous overgrown
cgotism OF poor, feeble man; who, compared to the
great being, mans Maker is but worm Of the dust
lie it is who daes to insult the Majesty Of Heaven, by
Offering upon certain established terms to take that
which he tan neither give nor restore. Man was not
created in the image Of Deity to take the life Of his le
low but to bless and benefit hisknd. lie who creates
has only the right to destroy; and why should crca
tre ike h2sas IS % ONLY ia his s body I
brary right of claiming our life at his pleasure, to
crafty some selfish caprice or to redress some real or
imaginary wrong?
1t does appear to us that it is time this sinful and
inhuman practice was stopped. Too many bleeding
victims-too many broken hearts and ruined homes
have been sacrificed already to tile blind aud cruelty
rant ofduelliDg. Humanity, from her thousand bleed
ing pores cries out against it. Homes ruined and de-
soatc ask protection. Hearts bruised and broken ask
for some healing balm. Widows and orphans claim
our sympathies but all-friends homc kindred, and
the dearest ties of earth and allection-a, ALL arc
sacrificed to the stern exactons of the code Of hon.
orC)" -
There are obligations which every good citizen owes
to his God and country, above those which false
standard of morbid public opinion has dared to erect
in place of that which by divine authority has said,
Thou shalt not kill"