Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-09-06
The Duel Without Seconds
A DAGUtRROTYPE FROM THE STATE HOUSE
or ARKANSAS.
pY a MEMRnR oE rnE LEaIsLArVRE.

The Western desperate offers for analy-
sis a new type of human character peculiar
to the American frontier He has no exem-
plar, either among the fercest forms of sa-
wage life, sor in any of the widest regions
of the old world. Like the fresh forest
embowering the rude log cabin Of his
home like the novel medium of circum-
stances, that environ his political, social
and moral being coloring all his fancies,
and inspiring all his feelings, he is sheer
original, as thoroughly unique as he is ter
rihly interesting.
1t does not enter into our present pur-
pose to discuss the tangled rationale of eau
ses concurring to yield such singular spe-
cimen of humanity. We intend, not to
explain why he is, but simply to describe
him as he is. In doing this, however, it
may become necessary to show, first of all,
what he is not, SO as to contra distinguish
him from certain analogue, with whom he
has been frequently confounded, by reason
of some common attributes and affinities,
though, in other respects, he is toto celo an
opposite.
l. The desperate is not an assassin. As
his very name implies, he is too desperate,
too fearlessly and blindly brave for that
He never turks in ambush never stabs in
the dark never assaults his enemy when
the latter is unarmed; never seeks to take
him by surprise, and never manoevres
for the vantage ground. Doth he chance
to meet his mortal foe--the man who has
slain his father, or violated his sister, OF
profaned his own person with the stinging
touch of the horse whip-before he cocks
his pistol, or draws the big bowie knife
from its scabbard beside his heart he asks
the invariable and formal question care
you prepared ?" If the other answer -
''No, | have not got my tools, )" the desper-
ado says: "Go and get them arm your
self well, for one of us must die" Thus
it is evident, he Is not an assassin.
2. Neitheris he bravo. He never Stays
for hire, lie would slay the wretch out
fright who should dare propose bloody
bribe; and so great is his loathng and
horror for all kinds of dishonesty, that he
even deems immediate death, without any
formalities of law or trial, the just punish.
ment of detected thief or swindler anC
he stands ever ready to execute such pen
atty himself And thus also it is plain he
is not a bravo.
3. Again, he is not either in disposition
or demeanor, an ever bearing tyrant, prone
to bully the weak and cringe TO the power
full. Onthe contrary, he makes a theor
etical division of mankind, into two granC
classes-"hghting men" and 'peaceablC
men" He never attacks individuals whC
fall under the second category-such can
not insult him by any indignity short o
personal violence. But sneering word o
supercious look from "fighting man
sets him on fire as with lightning.
4, The desperate differs widely, too, from
the professed dueist. 1t is true they ar
both mentally sworn to avenge insult bu
there the similarity ceases. The duelis
fights for etiquette, and from a sense O
!, honor; the desperate from passion, an,
for the pure love of danger The one o
beys an organized code, burdened wit
y multimdinary statutes as to times, places
formulas, weapons, and the personal equal
ity of antagonists the other recognize
but one law-on the proper provOcatior
and at the precise moment of its reception
to wage deadly combat, at any time, in an
place, and with any and every weapon
The one must needs have his second to al
S rangs preliminaries and see fair play tn
other can have no preliminaries for h
does battle on the insult, ere the though
t gets cold-he, himself, will make fair pla,
~ ~ and Death is always his second. The on
calls for pistols, or the gentleman's swor,
or perhaps in strong case, will risk tb
surer rifle, especially if attended by tl
. surgeon and his instruments the otht
will combat if ye prefer it, with kniye
hatchets, short guns or oannon-nay,
c would even handle red-hot thunder stone
had he power to command the artillery
storms and there may be business for Il
- grave-digger, for the doctor never, whe
he is done
II is worthy of remark that the desp
RADIO has characteristic division of insul
0 and injuries, denoted by the terms "pa
donable' and d"unpardonable." The nun
ber of "pardonables" is large and rather il
all definite but spit in the face, the strol
tn of horse-whip, the imputation of a Ii
ed the denial of courage, the murder of a +
ca lation, and the seduction of a fema
of of friend, are fixed, incapable " unpardon
ate bles s'-sins that must be answered
rk blood.
to The man is not necessarily, in other l
spects, a dangerous or disagreeable mel
Der of society. He may be an affections
husband, fond parent, II pleasant reig
bor He is commonly courteous, oft
humane, and seldom inhospitable.
sh- In fine, two, and only two essential, e
ip- meuts may be assigned ms constituting
logical di6erentia Of the desperate CHI
acter-perfect freedom FROM fear, and d
,n NE conquerable determination to punish ov'
or. insult from one of his class.
Ss, This much may suffice as a general
scription of the strange species We n
proceed to exemplify, by detailing dre'
Ell ncnnrrnnnn whera ihn writer had