The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-04-20


mailing 10 friends In the countsy.
Duels and Duelltng.
Tho n. z. Hmss OF the 18th, taking the late AZ.
fair In the House Of Representative 1t wash
ington for tex, prsaches long ssrmoa on that
particular Incident In the course Of which It
branches OF into . general history Of dueiling
II tells Ne that the difference Of sentiment
upon the subject between the North and the
South, resembles that which existed some
centuries ago between the French and the
English. The South considers duelliug as the
necessary and proper remedy Of mar whose
honor has been tmpugned; the North. on the
contrary, regards 1t with horror. The South
ern people nnd mo- fault with public man
who aghts duel. Attic North, 1t IL political
death to the offender. For this reason, &C.
cording to the Times, the South assumes hec-
toring attitude towards the North on the floor
OF Congress; the North assumes an attitude
OF non resistance, almost Of timidity.
Now, we have nothing to do with the late
case in the House of Representatives, and rs
for duelling In general, we abhor the practice
as much n did old BEN FRANKLIN, who
thought nevertheless, that the freedom Of the
cudgel ought to exist alongside of the freedom
of the press. Nevertheless, it is in vain for
the Times to endeavor to ineulcate the opin-
ton, that the Northern man who fights duel.
especially duel with Southern man, de-
stroys himself a. q politician. The Times
knows better. CHILLY was almost deified after
his death; the whole Northern press united
in celebrating his apotheosis. POTTER, to-
morrow, II placed before the Northern people
for the Presidency, would receive higher
number Of votes than all the Black Republic
cans combined can command. The admira-
ton felt for him is of the same character with
that which women feel for daring man,
even though he be a dsspcrado, and it pro-
ceeds from the same cause, that is. both are
non. combatants. 1t is precisely this last
class OF men, who, most Of all others, admire
great fighters. We do not believe there Is .
Quaker in the United States, who does not in
his heart admire Gen. GREEN infinitely more
than he does GEORGE Fox or WILLIAM PENN.
(GRKRN was Quaker, rs our readers are
well awars.) We are confident there is not
man deserving the name, in all New England,
who does not despise CHARLES SUMNER from
the bottom Of his soul.
The position assumed by the Northern press
in regard to this matter has always been un-
tenahie. A man may very properly, and with
out the slightest necessity for calling his cour-
age in question, declare himself non.conbnt.
ant. 1t is the position assumed by the clergy
everywhere over the world, and il they as
sumed any other, they would be regarded with
horror by united Christendom. It is . funda-
mental doctrine of the Society to which we
have just alluded. Nevertheless, nobody be-
lieves that the clergy and the Quakers do not
reckon among their members fully as large
proportion of brave men as any other body
whatever. It is NO evidence Of cowardice to
aah0r fighting; on the contrary, those who
fight the hardest are generally those who most
detest the practice. But the clergy and the
Quakers religiously observe one rule of con-
duct, which the representatives of non-com-
blatant communities at the North are but too
apt to forget. They never use insulting Ian
guage to others, or If they ever do, the cases
are so rare as scarcely to deserve thaname of
exceptions. They feel that their OWL persons
are protected by tho principles which they
openly avow, and they are too true to their pro-
fession, and to their character as gentlemen, to
make their position a plea to protect chem
from the conseQ uences ofinsolence. This is pre-.
ciseiy the very point on which the representa-
tives from the N orthern States differ from them
The most provoking and most outrageous
biliingsgate ever uttered upon the floor of any
deliberatiye assembly, is constantly uttered
by these men ON the floor Of Congress and
they use the non-combating principles of
their constituents, as q cover to which they
may retreat In safety whenever called to
account. No man doubts that if they held
themselves responsible to the duello, ana
would be damned in the opinion of their con.
stituents il they refused to answer for the |
atrocious insults they daily offer by exposing |
their lives in the field, there would be an en-
lire cessation Of the practice. Who ever heard |
If such speech As that of SUMNER in the
legislature Of South Carolina, or such gross
1illinesgate as that Of LovxJoY in the Parlia-
nsnt OF Ireland, when Ireland had Parlia-
nent! Liberty of speech, Gotha! A very
'eautifui liberty it is, indeed, when one party
laims the right to denounce the other as ruff
lans. thieves, murderers, worse than polyga-
nists, &c. II that be liberty Of speech,
hen we say the sooner it is prescribed the
'etter. If the only good arising from this
'Oasted freedom of speech consists in .the
light to abuse others in style never witness.
d in civilized society, with perfect impunity
hen we say, away with it at once. 1t is
othing but q shield for cowardice, a cover
y malice. A Congressman abuses you like
dog; you ask satisfaction he replies, my
onstituents abhor duelling; You rejoin, then
our constituents ought equally TO abhor low
buse. What answer can he make to such
roposition?
The position assumed BY the Southern
lember 10 infinitely better. It is exactly that
ldicated by DIR. FRA1kLIN in the maxim
hitch We have quoted above, with respect to
10 freedom OF the press. II the Southern
Ian indulge in harsh and in.lecorus language,
e certainly does very wrong thing. but
is case has at least this redeeming feature:
e does not shrink from the responsibility, or
Ike refuge behind his constituents, when ,
llled to account. To say that Southern men,
J general thing, use irritating language to |.
orthern men because they know Northern