Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-05-28
more determination, should induce all to renew upor
the otter OF our country our chapgeess cath to FIGHT on
fight ever for liberty, honor, property, and home,
From the haltanoopa Rsbal

The Van Dorm TrSgrdy.
IL time Of peace the Van Dorm tragedy wond NJ
cite commOtiOn in the land. No similar transocti
of late years be compared with it 10 point Of S
acter, and very few 10 point of interest 1t fortnno
for us that we have DO illustrated newspaper or aoL
weekly among US. II we had the country wopjJ ~
flooded with obscene pictures and vulgar reports /,
is fortunate, too, for the fame o. all parties and e.
got morals, that the boisterous tumut OF war cnnfn
es the mind and dstrGcts the atten ion from great
taint which has suddedy upon the escutcbeon NJ
a soldiers name and woman's repute
We do not regret the loss of Van Dorm hut va H.
plore the event 1t untimey to saw the Ieaa NJ =
All personal scandals and stgmas, tragedies in hgb
e, social revelatioLs which Ifs up the decent drans
les OF existence and disclose the moral leprosy OF Tia
age we live in, are lamentable They do not me, rt
tiers. The fall Of mans fair good name does M,
put prop under that OF another and the loas of o,
Woman's v.rtue-with all the attendant Comments ,C
press, pulpit and pnblic-sedom adds we b4Iiovo y
finer gloss to the chastity Of the Of her sex In
word, examples Of this species OF crime rather tend n
encourage than II suppress ts perpGtation ItisrooT
for bad men and bad women and il only rendered The
paatahe by being seasoned in the present in
stance, with dashing General OF cavalry and the
young wife Of an eminent citizen.
This is simply the DID, old story Veyv briaf oDd
in the end very bloody. There is not much romance
in it, nor mystery. The deed was done in DAYLIGHT
the cause which provoked IL oue Of common 90.
toriety Why, at least fortnight ago the scandal
reached US here In Chattanooga. What wonder that
It came 10 Inc ear Oh Tue Injured husband
avenged it? Few will blame him for killing Van Dorm
Perhaps the Of doing so may be rcgarocd bv
many unfair but did the charuC or Of the u er aud
the OF the fst deserve equality at The ha.ds
OF the victim? Not at all; principle is clearer or nj re
rally TCcOgnl1 than that he who invades the same
iity of the household and destroys the pace OF the de
and famly-uO matter who be the aggressor or who.
the real cuipTltmust expect lead. The wife NAV be
quite guilty as her paramour-and nine cases out OF
ten is sO-but It makes Nc matter. The husband has
the right 10 shoot when be pleases where tie peass
If he tail to do so be is dog aud dasard and deserves
10 die the dea;h himself SO hat Van Dorm sealed
his doom when be began career ct uneXampltd hbcr-
tinsm and the hand oi DIR Peters has perhaps wrought
vengeance for many another husband and father be-
sides himself The verdict of public opinion will so
proclaim upon an act OF public justice
That Van Dorm brilliant man there can be no
denial. \ person OF educal ion and bearing-Of many
graces OF manner and COW rJaton handsome in point
of expressive intelligence, warmth OF feeling and wealth
of resourc-a CLEAR full eye, regular ea ures easy ud
dess-aud above all, with distinguished position and
reputation for 0blndOn he was generally popular
among men, and very dangerous among the weaker
IF wUmel. He bad many devoted friends su.b meg
usually have tol an egant rake, be il seid 20 lle die,
credit of humanity, is SELDOM judged according as ms
acts merit Van Dorm was genial spirited fellow no
doubt, always loving bis aud his lass ana We for.
get 10 SO much good nature that the heart winch
prompts such w Of soul also enshrines seutltus that
could hardly excite admratiori they p1uu1 ont
as freely the tthe OF amablity wit and fancy Weura
glad he has gone by the board 1t was certain 10 cone
at elme another is better perhaps for
rybO6y that it before the effect of the lrgb fu
mania-fCr such ne only term the excess OF Van
Dorn-impared his military capacity aud proved soae
disaster to the cause of the South. 1t is well that lie
end has thus early for the sake IF society," and a
so for is victim OF passion, himself Few will .a,I
much sympathy for him. but be has at least left behind
him the redemption OF bold and dashiug cavalry r..
cord. People will conceda him MUD of woudruus
beauty, but moral system crooked by nature. II.n
Aaron Burr he had more brilla than ballast.
The Yankees will make much ado over this event
Harpers weekly and Frank Leslie will be fall Of ii.
illustrations "by our special artist" and invariably a-
ken The spot" will crowd tie pages of those
tional hebdomidals. he entire business will bc pcto
rally renovated with suitable criticism biographical
and immoral. Much capital will be sought to b. made
out OF it. It.wil be presented evidence OF the
depravity of Southern society. IL may be the theme
Of a nOveIet for the Ledger" by that ndomjta De
purveyor, SyIvanus Cobb, Jr or the mystic genius OF
Ned Buntline' But the only effect will be to disgust
the seusbllities and to degrade the vicious. II my
afford amusement for the Yankee soldiers Tor a while
especially in the camp of General Daniel f.. SIc,I.a
but it will die out just other m7haps Of the KIND
have died out
Meanwhile the least we say of il the better. The de
is done. The man is dead Give his ias to the past
leave his soul with bis God