The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1870-12-01
THE FOLLY AND BARBAR1sM OF DuEL1NG


fought just across the State line He was EN-
gagged to be married to q beautiful and accom-.
plished lady. He had an affectionate father,
doting mother, fond sisters and brothers, q
large circle of friends and brilliant prospects
for the future. He did not wish to fight. There
arose before his mind on the one side, an un
natural strife and Il premature death; on the
other, the sweet iace of his betrothed, the
venerable form Of his father and the fearful
eyes of his mother. He did not wish to fight
but the challenge was peremptory, and "honor'
demanded its acceptance. lie was shot nc
cording to the most approved rules of the code
No point of etiquette was omitted. The most
punctillious propriety was observed in the kill
ing. He died ON "the field of honor" in the
most honorable and approved manner. The
courteous department of the seconds and the
chlyalrous bearing of the principals were be.
you'd all praise. The whole affair was man.
nged SO artstically aud so beautifully that there
is nothing to regret-saye that an immortal
soul was thus hurried into the presence of God
save that sleepless nights and wearisome
days are appointed to the slayer-save that
the fair young girl, the tender mother, the ven.
cradle father, the loving sisters will carry q
burden OF sorrow to their graves. Worse than
all, pernicious example will be set. which
will lead to imitation and TO the establishment
of q false standard of honor and TO more mis-
cry and bloodshed.
Can nothing be done to arrest this horrible
system OF legalized murder? It rests upon
the false assumption that it is necessary for the
pudicatlon Of courage and of honor. We had
foudly hoped that the war had demonstrated
the notorious want of pluck of protessed duel
lists and that the veriest towards were those
who had had most personal af'rays. We re-
member that u captain OF company ran at
the first fire at c0ntreras, Mexico. Col. He
bert, afterwards Governor of Louisiana, told
the writer of this that the poltroon had fought
six duels and killed three men. The professed
duelist. like the old field bully, has all the ad-
vantage in the contest and il is this which gives
him artificial courage. When all chances are
made even on the battlefield, bis native coward
ice appears. Ii called upon to name the man.
who IN our opinion was the collest, the calmest
and most determined OF all. who shed their
hearts blood in the cause of Consttutionalliber.
iy. we would rcsereutiaIly designate man
Who repeatedly declined personal combats On
the other hand. We know many instances OF
men behaving badly in action. who had made
reputation in ducls and afirays.
Two substantial reasons can be given why
dueling can never be- test of courage. First
of alI. the moral sense of a large part Of man.
Kind condemns the practice rs barbarous, brn-
tai aud wicked A man of tender conscience
will. therefore. go on the field unnerved by the
consciousness that he Is perpetratlng a wrong
against society aud his own soul The man OF
more brutal instincts and less conscientious
mesa does not 90 ON the field under this de-
pressing influence. On the contrary, he may
fancy that be is performing highly commend.
able act of hcroism. How can that system
prove anything in regard TO pluck, which
makes man brave according to his dcpravity
and cowardy according to his moral worthl
The second reason has already been men
toned incidentally. The expert has the nd
vantage immensely over the inexpert. Fa
miliariiy takes away the sense of danger.
The sailor, who, in the widest storm, will go
without fear on the yard arm will turn pale
when mounted on n restive horse. On the 9TH
er hand, Rarey, the horse-tamer, might be
frightened at slight storm ut sea. The pro.
fessed duelist then is artiicially stimulated not
merely by confidence in his own skill, but by
familiarity with the weapons and modes ot
combat. His antagonist might be braver than
he, and yet lack GOODNESS on the dueling ground
from his want of confidence in bis own skill
and from the novelty of the scene first pre-
sented to his view. The expert might be cool
and collected though naturally n coward. He
would feel no nervousness on account of a lack
Of dexterty in the use of the deadly weapons.
He would not be startled by the novelty Of sit.
uation. The greatest nuisance and curse to
society il the man who trains himself to kin his
fellow creatures. But the pcrnicious system
OF duelng makes this man appear to be hero
ON the field, when 1t is probable that he is a
miserable craven Mt heart. Put him where
shot and shell are flying and he is on level
with other men with no more advantages than
they, it is likely that he will then make as good
time as our Kirk-Ku-Klux Governor did when
the Georgia soldiers were after him. The sys.
TEN of duelng develops, fosters aud encour.
ages this spurious class of heroes Under this
murderous code q pestilent set of fellows has |
been fuisted upon society.
We condemn the whole thing rs n relic of
barbarism. and as establishing false standard |
of courage and honor 1t can he abolished by |
the united action of the late Confederate sol. |
diers, who know so well what does and what
does not constitute true courage. The bully
with his fists and the bully with his pistols
could not be depended upon in the hour of
trial Let the soldiers then declare everywhere
that there is no dishonor in declining chnl-
enge. Washington declined; so did Stonewall
Jackson. The iustrious rebel of rs and the
rebel of 81, both put the seal of their
tisapprohation upon code alike silly, wicked
md barbarous.-Southera Home
A sELFCoNCEITED, boinbastic individual
having heard it remarked that the ..hydrant
n one of the streets has been out of order for
ome time. sapiently said that he hoped the