The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-06-04


mediate admission of Kansas as a Free State,
and of restoring the action of the Federal
Government to the principles of Washington
and Jefferson, are requested to meet in Con-
vcntion at Middlcbury on Thursday, the
fifth day of June next, at zen o'clock, A. NJ,
to make nominations for county officers and
Judges of Probate, TO be supported by the
freemcn of this county at the annual election
on the first Tuesday in September next.
BU the County Committee.
May 10, 1856,
The last Development of Chivalry.
In the bluff old times when every
mans hand was against his noighbor
when force was law, and all acted on
that
"---good old plan,
That they should get who had the power
And they should keep who can"
race of men sprung up whose sole oc-
curation was the use of arms in the
achievement of deeds of military prowcss
and in the protection of tho weak and
defenceless This was the order Of Chiv-
airy. Every good knight held his hon
or above life, and valued himself upon
courtesy and fairness with which he
treated an adversary. According to the
old Legends he often struck with terri
bic emphasis, but never the weak, the
surprised or the unarmed To sneak up
behind his enemy in the security of sur
prise, and despatch him without notice,
struck off his spurs and put him without
the pale Of honorable consideration. He
was hooted at as false and perjured
Knight wherever he showed his face, and
was branded by each brave Knight and
"fayrc lady" as u dastardly recrcant
Nor was it considered honorable to for.
tify his courage, by invoking the pres
ence Of friends to assist him out of dan
ger. in case he should be worsted in af
fray. These, it viii be perceived, we're
the barbarous notions of the middle ages,
before Modern Civilization had thrown
new graces about Chivalry, and render
ed it that perfect pink, which at present
blooms among the Palmottos
Subsequently to this, the World be-
gan to spin cotton and print newspapers:
Gunpowder came and the Mechanic
Arts. Chivalry took itself out of the
way and left behind it, as memorial Of
its courtesy as well as of its barbarity,
the practice of Duolling. The man who
felt himself aggrieved, selected his friend
sent an honorable challenge, and gave
choice of weapons, to him of whom salts
faction was demanded. Upon chosen
time and place, with equal number of at
tendants, face to face, at an agreed on
number of PAGES, the combattants bowed
one another's brains out, according 10
approved forms Of chivalry, and the u.s.
ages of christian gentlemen The only
thing which can be said in favor of this
kind of maneuvrc is. that it gave the as
sailed a chance for his life, against one
who reasonably and unreasonably sought
its destruction In this bloody code
which has since been driven from all de-
cent society, he who took an unfair ad
vantage of his adversary, was branded
as a coward, and.presented as a murder
| or.
But the last development of this noble
institution, as cultivated among the say.
ages of North America, differs in some
essentials from either Of those which we
have mentioned. The individual, who
concevcs himself insultcd, arms himself
with a bludgeon or other dreadly weap-
on, lies in wait for convenient oppor-
tunity, engages a few friends to guard
against accident, and in some unexpect-
ed IN Omcnt comes down upon his un-
guarded victim and with one gallant
stroke places him beyond tho power Of
resistance.
The advant ages of this method Of re-
dress are obvious. Satisfaction is OBJ.
tanned effectually, and without danger to
the heroic assailant. Above all, it af
fords an opportunity, uncmbarasscd by
resistance, to inhict a classical Gaming,
or such other punishment, as may be
deemed suitable, upon the unconsciou,
body of PROSTATE enemy,
This sort Of thing however, has no
yet been prac'ised except among the Sc
lcct class of the First Families. 1t il
luckily unknown to the Short Boys" il
New York, and the 4" Rufiians in Kan
sas. The fashion is not yet become com
mon. In view of the democratic anC
levelling tendencies Of our masses, i
may be a matter of serious apprcLen
sion to a refined and chivairous taste
lest it may, sometime, commend itself t.
the commOnest bruisers, and ultimatel,
enter into the laws of the pugilistic ring
Noib;nn ,pitI;n o,,, cooolloo.;o,, 10