Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-07-22

crecv which ahrouds the editorial staff Of a lead
iu1 paper, has almost put an end TO editorial
duels. Rnt when John Wilkes was the leading
editor of London. be never without an affair
On hand. he was trying. he said, how far the
liberty of the press went in England. His first
duel arose out Of comical occurrence. When
Lord Talbot was appointed High Steward of Eng
land he took immense pains TO train a horse he
had to walk backward. in order that he might re-
tire from the presence of the sovereign without
turning his back. His lessons completed. when
the day arrived for the coronation of George the
Third. the High Steward made his appearance on
his horse. oaparisoned at all points. But alas
the moment Lord Talbot touched the animal with
spur in order enter the hail. the too docile beast
turned his tail to the monarch, and backed down
upon him. to the horror Of his rider and the mex
tnguishabe merriment of the oouriers John
Wilkes made much fun If the incident, for which
Lord Talbot challenged him. They fought, and
exchanged a couple If shots without injury.
Another famous editorial duel wa that between
Moore aud jeffrey The former conceived him
self aggrieved by article In the Edinburgh
Review, of which Jeffrey the editor, and
having failed TO obtain the unine Of the author,
challenged him. While the seconds were loadlng
the pistols, and arranging matter, the two prin
oipais fell into conversation. aud More chose
That moment 10 ten dfuif1 Pifh-hbi rA'i hp'NA
an Irish acquaintance who, being in predico-
mont similar to theirs. exclaimed that it was Ind
enough 10 fake the medicine. without being forced
TO stand by and see it mixed. The seconds mixed
the Dose IN fact, well, that there were no balls
in the pistols. and Moore never spoke 10 his
second afterwsrd.
II is instructive to note how utterly powcrless
legislation has been 10 repress dueling. When
in the youth of the chevalrc institution four thou
D.. l.H tt.l
ten years. the king resolved 10 put stop to 1t.
Old laws were revivcd--new ones made-but
without effect Under Louis Mi. the father Of
the famous Marshal Luxembourg. the Marquis
dc Bouteve, Montmorenei by birth and nj
ready distinguished as n duelist. presumed 10
fight three against three. in the very Paais Roy
al, in spite of an express command IRON The King
He escaped unwounded, but the famous Busy
was killed. Louis had Bouieyille arrested and
executed in the teeth ofangry circumstances
from tho whole body Of the nobility. But the TX
ample was UNDECIDED. Louis the Fourteenth es
tablished Courts Of Honor 10 settle disputes be.
tween gentlemen. and issued ordinances yet more
careful and severe than those ofhis predecessors.
But the fighting went on. The monarch called
10 bis aid the men Of letters e the day. B,s
suet preached against the practice. Moierc as
sailed it more effectually by making Monsieur
Jourdan exclam TO his fencing MASTER "Ibcn,
courage at all. be sure Of killing his and Of not
being killed himself" But the duelists laughed !
at the sally and killed each other as before
BY the common law of England. TO kill man /
in duel is murder, and the attempt Il capital of |
funce. Yet there never was period. from th" /.
accession ofito Stuarts till very modern times, |
when duels were uncommon in the British Isles. /
For 10 allude TO ireland again, almost all the |
great statesman of England have set the example /,
r -. ..,st
Hastings. Shelbouruc. Townsend Wyndham, .
York-indeed, almost every prominent man, ha.
his shot or two in tho course Of his .
life In Austria Russia, and most of the German
States, the laws against duelng have al ways been
severe; bu; there is hardly student who passes
through college who does not two
of sword fight in crowded room.
The contrast between the law and the practice |
Is tolerably striking here. Eighteen States have
prohibited dueng by provision embodied in their !
State Constituiions-a these are Louisiana,
Alabama California, Kentucky |
Texas. and Missouri. In all the .
others dueling is prohibited by statute; and in
The district of Columbia by Act of Congress-
Yet the record of American duels is tocraby
'ul and swelling still
The reason was given by Mr.. Preston, Of South
Iarona,in his speech in the Senate on the last
dill for the suppression of this class of homicide
Tue state vi Puphc oplhIon, SAID ne, rs hNerae /
o the execution Of the law applicable to dueling.
The practice is, in fact, sustained by public
opinion. and 80 long il is sustained it will |
prevail in spite Of law" This is precisely what
The English French and Germans say when |
que STONED on the point. OF course, when it i.
'nalyzed. this public opinion, vanishes. 1t is
an aggregate, of which single component part
AN be detected by the incest scrutiny When
he last bill against dueling WAS pat To the vote
h 4 l r. E
'ut one, and he began his speech by stating his |
disapproval of the practice All the |
prominent men who have fought in this country |
Hamilton, Clay, Decatur, and others--have
eft their testimony against it. They bowed to
Prejudice perhaps, 10 passion Decatur
goes to his death, after stating the objections TO
inelng most forcby; Votare trains for IA duel, |
md makes his defeated duelst, in the comedy, !
Dry;
"0ui, vous raison--