The hydraulic press., 1859-09-24
HUMANITY VS.. HONOR.


I of the theme, We should be false to our con-
yictons of duty did we not utter one more
protest against practice that we consider
barbarous, unrighteous and absurd Over
the. graves of Gilbert, Ferguson and Broderick
we make an appeal for our modern humanity
against the bloody relic of a savage past
for the gentleness of civilized manhood
against the foolish code that would level us
again with brutes. We repel with scorn
and loathing the hateful idea, still entertained
by too many and sought to be defended by
some, that an upright and noble man can
protect his reputation against mendacity,
envy or incorporate rage only by making
monstrous absurdity that pure character
can be kept so in certain contingencies, only
by a compromise with assassination! 1t is
the weakest Of all arguments in favor of du-
cling, to say that it protects the feeble
against the strong-that it makes every
gentleman the vindicator of his own honor
the preservation of refinement in society
what nothing else could ever do The good
sense Of this intelligent age laughs at such
argument, and the enlightened States that
do not tolerate systematic manslaughter for
the settlement of private wrongs, regard it
as mptible--Vindicate honor! Is
Terry more honorable man to-day than he
was before killing Broderick q? Or wonld
the latter have been more honorable man
if he had slain Terry? Is good repute in
community held by such slight tenure that
the breath of SANDER or passion can DESTROY
it, unless the stain is wiped out in blood
We know that it is not. We know that an
insulting aspersion wounds the honor of no
man who does not deserve it, but surely re-
coils upon him who falsely or angrily utters
it.
In the days when the code was first regu-
larly established men believed or pretended
to believe, that Deity itself would interfere
on the side of the right, in favor of Injured
innocence or aspersed honor; and that be-
lief, if sincere, justified the practice of pri-
vate battle. In these days, however, no one
entertains such mean opinion of Deity and
it is known the innocent or aggrieved party
is as likely to fall in the trial as his guilty
opponent--and where is the ssatisfactonn
if he does? In this age there is higher
code of honor than that of the chivalrous
epoch. Moral and intellectual superiority is
the true criterion of manliness, and not
skill in the use ofarms or success in combat.
A majority of the worlds best people every
where denounce resort to arms for the set
tlement of personal grievances, and the true
man of honor sfirms, in the language of
one who eminently deserves the title that
no gentleman aciU insult him, whilst none
other can. A man panoplied in an incor-
ruptible character, with will to obey none
but the loftieSt motives, needs not the duel
ing pistol or sword to prove his courage or
maintain his integrity While he does not
claim to be a non-resistant, and will oppose
force to force he yet resorts not to t" the
code, and would scorn to place himself M
position of equality with one who would
degrade himselfby the utterance of oppro-
brious expletives and cpithets. He knows
that universal recognition of the duello
would blot ont what is best in modern civil
ization, would restore the days of violence
and once more elevate physical daring above
the sweetest virtues of humanity. He be-
lieves, with the eloquent man who pronounced
the parting words over the remains of poor
Broderick, that s'the code of honor is a de-
lusicn and snare. 1t palters with the hope
of true courage, and binds it tat the feet of
crafty and cruel skill. 1t surrounds its vic
tim with the pomp and grace of the process
siony but leaves him bleeding on the altar
1t substitutes cold and deliberate preparation
for courageous and manly impulse, and arms
the one to disarm the other 1t may pre-
vent feuds between practiced duelisss who
should be forever without its pale. but il
makes the mere ''trick of the weapon" supe-
ror to the noblest cause and the truest
courage. Its pretense of equality is lie.
1t is equal in all the form it is unjust in all
the substance"
Away with custom which disgraces the
age, disturbs the peace of society and makes
bleeding victims of its best members. Let
humanity and the law of the land be vindi
Gated. Hereafter permit no duelist to escape
the legal punishment of his crime. "Honor-
able gentlemen" wilTavoid procuring s.satis-
faction by homocide, when the ofrense in
sures them long residence in the penitent-
iary. They will not seek to heal their
wounded honor by a process which society
condemns and Furnishes as in itself dishon-
orable