Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-10
Duelling.


a personal friend of Mr.. Dunovant, who,
a few days ago, shot Mr.. Legare, in South
Carolina, writes us deprecating the lam
guage and tone of our remarks on the day
before yesterday, concerning this affair,
and those involved in it. We have no
desire to do injustice to any one, being
anxious only that the Star, in our hands,
shall be the means of spreading useful
information, good principles, and enter
tanning news, broadcast, through the
land, without the slightest regard to the
interests of parties or men in accomplish
ing these ends. As this case now stands,
we really cannot see that, in speaking of
the affair as a cold -blooded murder, we
have done injustice. The circumstances
are as follows, if we have been correctly
informed Mr.. Legare challenged, Mr..
Dunovant accepted the challenge; and for
terms, weapons, &C., he o. selected
three PAGES, to toss up for the first fire,
and pistols. Mr.. L. accepted these terms,
and, subsequently, Mr.. d. won the first
fire. He availed himself of his right,
under his run of luck" and fired,
standing, three PAGES from Mr.. Legare,
who was, practically, unarmed; for though
he had pistol in hand, his antagonist knew
that lie could not, and would not use it
until after he (Mr. Dunovant) fired the
shot which sent him into eternity, the
ball going directly through his heart.
Now, if the circumstances of this duel
were as thus represented to us, we cannot
bring our minds to the impression that
we have done the survivor injustice. If,
however, they were not as here represent
ed, we may have done him wrong, and
shall be most happy to correct our error
on being informed wherein this account
of the facts involved embrace an error or
errors.
Ten years ago it is possible that we
might have held different views of this
affair, for we were then probably not
older than is the gentleman who writes
us on this subject is at the present time.
In ten years, however, our views on such
matters have undergone radical change.
We are now free to confess that we look
on all duelling as barbarous practice
a remnant of the false ideas of right and
wrong, which descending from the vitiated
condition of sentiment existing very gen.
orally in Feudal times, has subsequently
proved no guilty man innocent, afforded
no real reparation for Ajuries done, sacri-
feed the life of many an innocent man,
robbed society of many who, had they
lived, would have done much better by
and for the world than those by whose
hands they fell, &C., &c. We have lived
long enough to believe that there has
been right and a wrong to every per-
sonal quarrel ever transpiring and, fur
ther, to come to the conclusion that the
drawer man is he who, on finding that he
had injured another by word or deed, is
frank and honest enough to acknowledge
the fact, and to atone for it as far as DOS
sible. We believe, further, that, at least
in this region, public opinion will sustain
these views, more especially ss we know
that We have a law which consigns any
man or men concerned in duel, it mat
tiers not what the provocation or the cir
cumstances may be, to our United States
prison or penitentiary, where his or their
doom shall be to e1patiate the offence by