New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-03-03
TIKI PaL.P AND The TRUE.

share in the late tiaeeoy at Washington entirely
e1cperstes bin from the iuputatOn pat forth in
The \. \. 7imts Of having oetsnrd Mr.. Key 10
conversation Until Mr. Sicsles could come up aud
ass.ssuate bin. it contains some striking in'tri-
tons Of the theory of honor held anong dueliss,
sbich may with propr ety 10 be examined. Mr.
BUterwofth cay. that be Vas sent for BY Dir.
Sicsles. BE found him IN 81 sgony Of grief e1-
claiming - an dishonOIed and ruined msu, sud
cspDot look ! in the face " He learned tie
circumstances, an hen esye bis advice as follows:
al ADVISED hlG to sd hi. wife 70 her mother NeT.
vol; excite 10 InHk TIA; eut sjhe time Intervening be
c.e Ct This ,,ssi Sc the OF the
be oord tuiPs for f-T mouths acc in the -sn
pHrtiea c"ud :. Snsreed b-s-vu himself sHd hi'
wifi thar pre'uusd tbs ,Hu k,o~s o.s too
..-o, tsyots ,ur's- AZ h., io' the hon"r u n se
dAusltr h, -s. fisnt TIL. should ~ pursu.d
ponUe cour,e doued haze Key aud
and wie ben that al tie nsrs' ia that HehSo'hAt
dave not h= oissv persoz tnow al ABBOTT the
'ciIeumssEce''"
Here we bsve Mr. Butterworth stating, IS the
ground of bis advice to Mr.. Sckles TO settle the
matter quietly, the probability that it d" known
"Oply TO ore or two persons" and Mr.. Sicsles sn-
sweriCg, that be would gladly follow his friends
counsel, but that 4" ali the negroes 10 toe oeigbbor
/" hood" aud many other persons besides, knew
all shout the circumstances. Mr. Butterworth
thought bis friends honor mad DOT been injured TO
suct 8 pOiIt SIS toTender violent rtprs.lon neces
sary, b.csuse the cfeO:e bad not become public;
while Mr. Sickes recognizing the truth Of the prooO
sItion thst the dishOuor INSISTED not in the event
but ID its bee mig public maiotained that all
the negr,es Of the neighbOrhDod, aod m,ny other
L.. l.. -,
ard ruin were complete. We quote again:
"I,,d NJ, scsls. you must be calm .ud look h, matter
square the face lfotre possibility Of keeping the
tain Of ttis crime from the public must DO
poti osstroy that possibility VOC m.y be mistaken IN
your bsleftba,sb Known TO toe whole city
lie irs,srty replied No 10, my friend-l am not.
ID, ,sil thtrei. bot lsf. for
'you Of boLor You need no sdsi's'
Here tie idea repeated; the injury j, not in the
evil Itself but 10 its being generally found out.
"If that were so, nothing remained but for S,kles
10 kill Key; but if the certain knowledge Of the
adultery could be kept from tie public, then Key
might be allowed to live.
This doctrine seems 10 us as false and foolish as
it. result is savage and sanguinarS. In the first
place, it makes the honor and mental peace of q
man TO depend, not on his own actions, nor even
Oh the actions OF those who are nearly related to
bim but on the accidental discovery Of these &C
tons BY any considerable number Of persons. And,
in the second place, it converts the assassination
OF Key from the vengeance Of husband heart
broken and enrseed, because he discovers that the
afr ctions and person Of bis wife have been seduced
from him. into the fury snd despair of one who is
enrsped mainly if Dot altogether, because the pub
Ii, have discovered the fact.
Mr.. Butter@ortb, having thus learned FROM Mr..
Sickle, The cause Of his suffering and the name of
the seducer of bis wife, goes out into the street.
and there meets the man whom be knows TO be-
guilty Of this great crime. We quote again
al waIsd slowly down the the south aide to the
Gene sUd crossing the street Key advance
Bu.teiwoI,h-vhr fDe day we have responded, and
said, Have you come from the Cub De said have
quite uuuel' then said going up HIM good
mouh 60 AID tuned 20 ie,ye him
This extract exhibits another Of the sb'urdi-
ties Of tlis theory, rather another aspect of the
some sbsurdity. 1t would seem from it that
although Mr.. Butterworth had just admitted to
Mr.. Sck'es that his honor was outraged, aud, IN
effect, that he ought to kill SIR. Key on th.t account
be yet d not regard Mr. hey as being himself dis
tontredby the act be had Committed aud he was
take his band snd converse with hlm in friendly
and courteous manner. This would seem to imply
what We believe is the view Of the world that the
seduction of woman is no disgrace to the seducer
but rather an exploit to be tolerated, # Dot ap-
plauded, by all except Der husband or other near
relative; while, a, has before appeared, the hus-
bond OF relative required to punish the deed only
when it becomes known to the public.
We discuss these points 10. 10 express any
unfriendly or severe judgment Of Mr. Butterworth
who, we presume, hiss acted like man Of the
world and man of honor through all this revolt
ing business, but ,impIy to set forth, with proper
distincDe-s the features Of this prepo,terous and
pernicious idea of what constitutes that invaluable
treasure, honor treasure possessed alone BY the
UPRIGHT, conscientious, and uBptetendiDg soul, aud
no more dependent on outward accident or the IN
certain ;tances of mems passions aud opinions than
the shining Of the Sun is dependent on the clouds
aud mist. that may temporarily obscure bis light
..-=
vERIFICATION OF THE FLAG.