The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-10-27
TEE DUELLIST.

In an address delivered before wake
Forest College. June 10. 1857. by Rev.
VIM. Hooper, we find some strong argu-
ments against duelling. After showing that
there is no real honor in fighting duel. and
that it ruins the victor as well as the VICTIM
he thus speaks of the way in which duels
might be prevented ------e=-,--=------=--=-
Suppose the man that has fought duel
cuts himself off from all Offices of honor or
profit. Suppose society treat him as they
treat thief. a cheating gambler, vulgar,
beastly drunkard. Suppose the ladies to
shun him. When he calls they refuse to
see him in the parlOr. If he appears in the
ballroom the ladies refuse to dance with
him nay. they even retire from the room,
and complain of the managers as admitting
improper company into polite assemblies.
Suppose no lady would think of marrying
him; if she did. society would forsake her.
Suppose no father would allow him to visit
his family And all this because he had
shown, by fighting duel, that he could be
guilty of the deep crime of attacking the
citadel of human life. Who believes that
duelling would long survive such treatment
as this
But you will say: How can we treat
thus, young man. gallant in spirit. gen.
erous, kind. warm hearted. honest, honora-
BILE, amiable, elegant in manners, cultivated
in intellect! admit it is hard. but this is
the only way in which you can get rid of
duelling. And you will not have to do it
long. The first generation must be sacri-
feed, but the second generation, and all
succeeding generations will be saved
Duelling which lives upon the smiles, will
die under the Sights and sneers of society.
Society, then, has the control of the prac
tce. 1t will flourish at her bidding, it will
wither at her rebuke. And fear there is
no hope of its extinction until the popular
sentiment shall sympathise with the law of
God, which commands the magistrate to
shed the blood of the wilful homicide. The
arm of the magistrate must take the lead
in directing the opinions and giving force
t" tho sentiments of the community. If
they treet the duellist as the enemy IF So
cial life, the magistrate must pursue and
arrest him as Il oulprit. He must advertise
him, and offer reward for his apprehen-
sion. lie must apply to the governor of the
adjacent State, whose soil has been violated.
to deliver up the homicide. How prepos-
ferrous TO pass laws making duclling felony,
and then allow all the parties and accesso-
ries to walk at largo, stained with blood as
they may be, perfectly fearless and I'M
touched, and society to treat the hero as
favorite! But this will always be the case
where the sentiments of society do not ac-
cord with the severity of the statute. The
magistrates will connive at the breach of
the law, willie the public consider the law
as ''more honored in the breach than in the
observance" Let society insist on the ex-
ecution Of the law. Let governors and other
executive officers be forced, by the voice
of society, to arrest, prosecute and punish
the duellist and his accessories; and society
will not long have to mourn the fall of fine
young men in single combat. Until this
be done, | see not how the public them
selves and their magistrates can be exculpat-
ed from the charge of encouraging the duel.
or clear their skirts of the guilt of all its
tragioal consequences. God writes down,
in his book, the community that counten-
ances the blood shedding duelfst, as aoees-
series to his crime.