The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-10-03

now supposed to be, will also have another
effect They will stimulate railroad building en-
terprise from the Missouri to the western limits of
Kansas and the roads will he links i'm the
chain Of the great Pacific Railroad, and hasten
the day when New York and San Francisco will
be brought within a weeks journey Of each
other We therefore hail the gold discoveries
in Kansas as being pregnant with beneficial re-
suits to the country and the world
A FIGHTING EPoCH-DuELLINd AND PUaI-
ILsx.-Within the last few days we have published
accounts of five or six duels several street fights,
fatal pugilistic encounter and a rehearsal of
an affair of the same kind which may terminate
in the same manner. In Virginia, where they
ought TO know better, and where the law against
duelling is as severe as it is in New York. we find
journalist and member Of Congress shooting
at each other four times on account Of political
quarrel. Mr.. Clemens said that some one would
not run for Governor, when the person named
had no particular objection to serve the Old Do
minion as its chief magistrate. Mr.. Wise "pitch-
ed into " MI. Clemens for making the statement.
efforts were made to reconcile the difficulty, but
without effect, and now Mr.. Clemens pays the
penalty Of his and Mr.. Wise's folly, and will be
a cripple for life. A similar duel on political
grounds was lately fought in California, and an
other in Mississippi. In the last named affair the
weapons were rifles, at the murderous distance of
thirty PAGES. In another duel, after the principals
had exchanged shots with duellng pistols with
out effect. free fight with reyolyers was gotten
up The friends y Of the parties who permit
such things ought to be lynchcd on the spot.
In referring to the subject of prize fighting,
the other day we were compelled to say that
many of the fine things which we hear about the
refinement of the age and the progress OF the
arts Of peace in this century were all trash and
limbng, the e!iusou OF "hifa'utin, journalists or
Burgundy -after-dinner orators. The bloody and
foolish duels whieh have taken place since the
time when those words were written make them
doubly true One expects that HE roughs and bull
lies of the city the Dead Rabbits" and expelled
Californians. and escaped foreign convicts who
swarm in great metropolis. will fight with each
other. One is not surprised to hear that one of
these fellows has bitten of moiety Of his oppo-
nent's nose. or gouged his eye. or beaten or
strangled or bullied m unfortunate woman. The
conduct OF Morrissy and ueenan. who, having had
slight difference Of opinion proceed to Canada
TO pummel each other until all traces of the human
face divine have been oblilerated. is natural
enough. They belong to class. But We are
susprised 10 see men Of intelligence and educa-
ton descending TO the argument of the pistol after
duclling has been discountenanced throughout
all Christendom. II grew ont of the brawls Of
barbarous age, and is almost the last relic of IT,
We are aware that in some parts of the South
duolling is supposed to BE- countenanced
by public opinion; but even in such districts the
man who fights is greater coward than the man
who refuses to accept challenge. Many duels
originate in the same way prize hghts-from
spirit Of bravado, or an angry word dropped in
the heat Of passion or the flush of wine. Morally
or legally. no man has right TO put his life in
jeopardy. We do moi belong 10 ourselves, hut to
society. to our kindred, connections and the
thousand ties which have their duties and res
possibilities. rs well rs their amenities and their
privileges. Stripped Of all exploded nonsense,
the code Of honor is not hit better entitled TO
respect than the rules OF the prize ring. The
duellist is not a whit superior 10 the pugilist.
Both are exceedingly polite. after their fashions
Ia the persons whom they have shot or stabbed.
or gouged or bitten. If the conqucror kills his
adversary, he takes of bis hat in the blandcst
manner TO the dead body, and deeply -ymps-
thises with the widow and orphans Of the de-
ceased. Duclling and pugilism are signs Of
semi-barbarous state Of society, and should he
sternly suppressed. both by the law and force Of
public opinion, which latter l. more powerful
than any legal enactment.