The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1858-05-01
For the Herald Of Freedom.
Encouraging pusIing,

At the meeting held in the Unitarian
church on Friday evening, 10th ult.,
certain distinguished gentleman announced
himself as a candidate for the United
States Senate, and, as one reason why he
claimed the support of the people, said
that he had challenged Senator Douglas,
and that that Senator, shielding himself
behind the privileges of his position,
refused to acceptit. he therefore wished
to be placed there as Senator SO that he
might be the peer of Senator Douglas and
have the opportunity of lifting that chal-
lenge. He wished to be so placed that
Senator Douglas could not plead any such
excuse against fighting duel with him.
In article I'd of the Constitution just
framed at Leavenworth, we find this
Every person who shall give or accept a
challenge to fight a duel shall be inelligi-
bic to any Office of trust or profit in this
State"
This distinguished gentleman asked
that he. might be made Senator SO that
Senator Douglas could not plead his posi-
ton against accepting challenge to fight
duel. He asks the people to send him
to the Senate so that be may violate a
section of the Constitution just framed,
and he also calls loudly upon them to
sustain this Constitution at the polls. He
asks them to vote for an instrument which
wisely and justly condemns the barbarous
and inhuman custom of the duelo, and in
the same speech invites their support for
him to position which will enable him
to commit q crime against it.
At that meeting this distinguished gen.
tleman read some resolutions. One of
them says: q Be it resolved. that as
Christian people, it is our duty to humble
ourselves before that Power that directs
the action of statesmen and holds in His
hand the destinies of nations, and acknowl-
edge before Him the obligations we are
under for the blessings of peace and free
dom he has vouchsafed u.s."
OF the language we do not complain
on the contrary we applaud its sentiment
and respect its declarations. We believe
that if our people had BUNDLED them
selves before that power, and if our dis
tinguished men had been directed by it,
political adventures would not now be so
sure of place nor dare to be so faithless to
pledges of public and private nature
We are at loss, however, to divine the
feelings of that man who, after claiming
position on the ground that he will thereby
be the better enabled to shed the blood
of man, which to US seems most un-
christian act, then asks Us TO resolve that
it is our duty to humble ourselves before
Him whose teachings remind Us that He
is the prince Of Peace" and who has
especially enjoined upon Us to @forgive
our enemies
We may err in the opinion, but it is
nevertheless our belief, that the hand Of
God will never be found directing the
aim of the duelist; nor will he regard
that people as Christian people who
elevate 70 power men who desire it, for
such unheiy and murderous motives.
Tits with no desire to injure the feel
ings, or the political prospects of any man,
that causes us to speak OF this. Many
times have We taken the pen within the
past week to write our views upon this
matter, and as many times have we laid it
by. fearing that our motives would be
misjudged. But when we have seen how
yalueless is human life in Washington;
how common it Is here in in Kansas for
challenges to be sent and provoked. and
how popular It Is becoming for young men.
born for higher purpose and nobler end,
70 follow these examples, We could not
longer forbear. We can not remain quiet
when We hear men appealing TO the creed
of the duelist, and in the same breath
invoking the Divine sanction.
We were in hopes that here, far away
on the western border, our people who
have so YEARLY marched through blood,
fraud, persecution and sacrifice in free
domss behalf, would be able to found 6
! commonwealth where life. liberty and