The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-10-07

The LATE FATAL DUEL AT CHAuEsroN.-It is
impossible to read the account of the late duel at
Charleston, in which most gifted man, Mr.. Ia
Der, the editor of the Charleston Mercury, was
shot dead by his antagonist, without feeling salts
fed that society-by which we mean political So
ciety-is in such state in the South that every
body appears to be demented. A thirst for
blood, violence and disturbance seems to prevail
in every mind over the sober dictates of reason.
The whole correspondence between the parties in
this unfortunate affair-as indeed every other
correspondence, and almost every expression Of
opinion-breathes violent. reckless, blood and
murder tone. There is talk of gentlemen with
out gentle thought or expression; there is men
ton of honor but seemingly only as an excuse
for brutality. The whole complexion of the bust
ness, and the color of the written documents re-
veal an abnormal spasmodic, revolutionary state
of feeling; just such feeling in short as might
have reigned among the old seigniors of France
when the revolution threatened their downfall,
or the older Roman lieutenants and governors
when the Gauls and the Franks began to clamor
for freedom. 1t all seems to f0reshadow pass
ing away Of power.
Not otherwise should be viewed the assault of
Mr. Brooks on Senator Sumner. Those who, in
the North, have called Brooks all the hard
names they could think Of, and depicted him as
the ruffan type of the Shareholder, have
not only done him injustice by false state
ments of fact, but have weakened the cause they
desired to strengthen, by putting out of sight
most instructive and significant spectacle, name
ly, that of gentleman like Mr.. Brooks, so per-
verified from his original nature, and convulsed
by the premonitory throes of the revolution
airy fever, that he could without scruple,
as without remorse, act like Five Point
ruffian and emulate drunken assassin.
We say the spectacle is instructive and sig
nificant. At the time the scene was fresh in
mems memory, paragraph from one of Mr..
Brooks old speeches went the round Of the
papers 1t was to the effect that violence was
the resort of ruffans that the civilized man
used no other weapon than reason. People in
quired how his practice could be reconciled with
his principles, and wondered why he had spoken
like hypocrite, when he intended to act like
brawler. But they were misled by the superb
cial appearance of matters Brooks was no
hypocrite when he denounced violence. That
was no doubt, the sober sentiment of his real
heart and mind. But, mark you, as the time al
preached when power was to pass away from the
party and the clique to which Mr.. Brooks be-
longed, his feelings underwent gradual convul-
sion; what was order became disorder; what
logic became passion; what sense became folly;
in fact, the whole man, in the anticipated agony
Of the moment, lost bis balance, violated his own
and illustrated the operations to which
the human intellect is liable under severe trials
The case of Mr.. Taber, with its attendant cir
cumstances, is only another illustration of the
same thing
There is another point of view in which we de-
sire to remark upon this latter case. Mr.. Taber,
as the editor of leading paper at Charleston,
felt bound to admit into his paper dsparaging
comments upon the qualifications of candidate
for Office, for which the brother of the candidate
challenged and shot him. We are very sorry
that Mr.. Taber should by his conduct, have en-
dorsed such violation of the liberty Of thu
press There are societies, as at the South, where
private individuals are expected TO hold them
selves answerable for their language and their
opinions with the pistol in the field; but even
there the responsibility is bounded by the pale OF
private society No Southern gentleman Is bound
to fight the man who assails him in his public
capacity, in public manner and for public
cause. For instance, no one expects Henry A.
Wise to challenge John NJ. Bolts, though the lat
ter has fayed the Governor mercilessly. The
came rule should protect the press. Mr.. Taber
was not in any degree bound to fight Mr.. Magrath-
and in doing so we think he committed fatal
error. He should have rcplied:-"No, sir, will
not fight you, because il admitted my response
bility in the field for the course Of my paper, any
villain might neutralize my efforts and silence
me with a challenge" The point in the North
and West has been conclusively and properly set
tied by the course pursued in the like case by
McMichael of Philadelphia, and Prentice of Louis
vile. We notice that Mr.. Taber's course affords
one Of our Wall street cotemporaries theme
for wholesome and cdifyiDg comment; We are
glad to see denuncations Of violence come from
such quarter, for they possess, in some respect,
a self-accusatory character, and may be viewed
as a sort Of colfteor on the part Of the editor
LOCATION OF THE Posr OFrrcE.-We learn that
the President has not yet decided upon the loca-
ton for the new Post Office in this city. There