Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-08-24

no llSJlC6 AIN ~
no. by whom, as it was popularity eeieved, ligl
- ;ssoes were righteously controlled buI mi
: tbe motives and objects of the modern duei pei
no sbau seek in vain for a redeeming trait. Blu
In this day, it is well known that the SUI
,rd;narv indictments to this deliberate attempt ties
At mutual homicide are imputations against m;
personal character, of too trivial importance sn
to society in general, or too readily corrected su
NV nrivate investigation and arbitration, 10 De ba
by legislative interference. In ca
some rare instances the provocatlon may DC m
of another kind, such as an aggression upon
domestic purity and peace, for which no legai m
penalty that has been, or perhaps could De Ia
nrov;ded. would furnish an adequate repara- S.
t;on. And in this case, the natural but un- b
christian passion of sanguinary revenge, IN Il
selecting the duel as the means of its gratifl- a
cation. descends from its abstract dignity,
compromises every appropriate and available t
nlea that could be urged for its exercise, and !
becomes reduced to a mere maudlIn impulse
and folly, by endowing the aggressing party
with equal advantages for destroying the life
of the injured, that the latter demands on the
distinctive grounds of retribution. And how
often has it occurred, even under the peculiar
w poignant inducements to revenge suppose
tiously presented, that the unhappy victim
of irreparable domestic injury has fallen be-
meath the p~ractised weapon of a monster OF
,iniquity, giving a new pulse of triumph to
his callous heart, and adding new plumes of
impunity to his brow!
In the generality of cases, however, the in
~cen.ives to duelling are not to be traced to
any of the strong natural passions of the
mind, nor to any sense of injury or of honor.
s0assnapaavay arsIuUaaa, anu sprngaHg from a
pitiable, if not actually despicable social cow
ardlce. A servile dread of the discountenance
ofa few lotteries ofa~cquaintances, sometimes of
but a few individuals, and at the utmost, of
that apparently limited but uncertain and un-
defined circle of society, by which the crime
of duelling is practically upheld, is undoubt-
edly the most prevalent cause of its perpetra-
ton. 1t is not an apprehension of the disre-
spect OF society in general; for the trembling
slave of the horrible institution, well knows
that all men, save the fictitious few who
sustain 1t, would shudder to touch a hand
stained with the guilt of deliberate murder /:
and he knows that the social penalty of this
crime is virtually an exclusion for life from a
cordial intercourse with the great community
of his fellow-men. But he is the yassal of .
, barbarous conventionalism, and he has not
I the moral courage to burst his letters and
!, take his station with the high-minded. the
!, good, and the free.
!, There is, however, much evidence for tn,
opinion that a prurient desire for the mer,
G n~otoriety of having appealed to this test, in
f decisive as it is admitted to be, is scarcely
= less frequent incentive, than the ~pusillani
: nous apprehension of a loss of caste by decli
e ming it. How few duels would be foupbt
:, none were to be published? How seldom d
l. the parties seek the obscurity of deeply Sc
(, cluded scenes for the achievement of tbei
: ~valorous feats, and bind themselves and friend
d to lnviolable secrecy? No, the object is puE
. l'city thus presenting a monstrous anomal,
/ acombination ofmental and moral perversio,
t. among all the other phenomen
n OF the human mind. Here we behold me
to- professionally so jealous of the slightest tine
w OF disgrace to their characters. not merely
TACT but by implication, that they would wir
1t out with their blood, and are reckless
lie IN comparison, at the same time desiror
OF being known to the wide world as felo,
rs OF the deepest dye as daring v~ioIators of II
rd laws both of God and mani as ruthless 4
IN stroyers of the happiness and welfare of i
ry nocent families as deliberate authors of >,
ut inconsolable anguish of bereayed widows. ar
OF the ruin, perhaps utter restitution and a;
perSion of helpless orphans-of their ou
w wives and children, and of the wives .,
ri children of othersl
ng The remedy for the evil, in this country
ms least, becomes plain and practicable. II
of simply for our judicial authorities to enfor,
be our laws against duelling with rigid fdelit
cir and impartiality, upon all offenders, whatev
,xt may be their character, condition. or static
in society. Instead of suffering them to G
On, cape, as they now do, without trial or indie
of ment, let them be accused, arrested, trie
,ur and ANONYMOUSLY punished.
i've \ few examples of the ignominious pu
ON ishment of persons in high station, establis
So ing, as they would, the certainty that a lii
=, punishment would be visited upon all Othe
guilty OF the like crime, would soon rend
yn- the crime itself ignominious; and, stamp
sh- with disgrace, its charm of aristocracy won
be broken and d~ispelled, and its perpetratc
would stand in universal opinion, as they nc
, do in stern reality, the most deliberate a
Gu inexcusable of willful murderers.