The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-10-06
Duelling and Public Sentiment.

case, invariably in advance
Duelling and Public Sentiment.
It has been supposed that the practice Of
duelling was gradually dying out IN TINS coun IN
try under the influence OF an improving CIVIL.
zat;on but we fear that the facts do not warrant
] This conclusion. The occurrence of appeals to
what is called "the code of honor" but which
Is in reality the code of revenge, have become
of late. at least in some localities, alarmlngy
freouent. There is prevalent public sentl-
ment in some sections of this country which
stigmatizes a man who refuses to accept chai-
lenge. AS long as this state of public sentl-
ment exists, duelling will continue, and all ap-
peals against it, to reason, religion and human
ity. will be of no avail. To call it barbarism
is to give it better name than it deserves
Barharians have no higher law to regulate their
condnct than their own savage passions. with
them revenge is virtue. They do not, with
sickly cant, profess religion whose great cor
ner-stone is the forgiveness OF enemies, and at
the same time set up an altar to demon Oh re-
venge, falsely called honor, and sacrifice upon
4 f6eir sons and brothers. Ofall the astonish-
ing inconsistencies of humanity none is more
wonderful than the contrariety in some Chris
tain countries between the professed religion
and that social opinion which casts cloud
upon every man who refuses to engage IN what
t6e law of God considers murder.
It is not the duellist that should be denoun-
ced, so much as the revolving inhumanlty ana
hypocrisy of public sentiment which, calling
itself Christian, requires men, under certain
circumstances, to expose themselves TO the
double crime of murder and suicide. So tar as
reason is concerned, dueling does not settle the
Justice of any quarrel; it does not even prove
the courage of any combatant Instead OIL put
ting the weak on an equality with the stionS
it often institutes reign of terrorism, IN whlch
the skillful dead-shot tyrannizes over the peace
able and well-disposed, wearing complacently
the belt of courage and chivalry. 1t IS as often
tbe,wronged as the wrong-doer who is the VIC
tim of an appeal to the code. The New York
World, referring to the late duel in Memphis,
between Hamlin and Freeman, says that
chat state of feeling is pretty clearly barbar-
GUS which permits any man to take shot at
any other man by so simple device as calling
him bad names" The following correspon-
dence, which led to the meeting, as published
by the Memphis Aualanche of the 9th ult.,
will explain the allusion:
stlie,aphis, Tenn, August IS, 1S70.-Mr. Ed,
ward Hamlin, Memphis, Tenn.-Slr: Ih1s Will
be handed to you by my friend, Mr. Charles P.
Woodbridge T wish him to arrange with you,
oryour friend, a speedy meeting in order to
settle all existing differences. In this commu-
nication it is hardly necessary to refer to the
past. Let it suffice that shall, and do now, de-
nounce you as coward, poltroon, and Dase
scoundrel IF this is not sufficient to induce
you to give me the satisfaction every gentleman
has at all times right to ask of another, IN
form me, and will cheerfuly give you.
"E. T. FREEMAN"
"Hopetseld, Ark, August 20, 1S7O,MaJor
E. It. Freeman-Sir: Your note OF tne lotn
inst. has been received. l am unconscious OF
having done any wrong or of having given you
any cause for this most extraordinary commu-
nication; but the peremptory terms OF your
note debar me from any reply other than the
acceptance of the meeting you desire. My
friend Mr.. Scales, is authorized to represent
me- and; will arrange the terms of this meeting.
HED. L. HAMLIN."
Mr.. Hamlin fell, mortally wounded, and be-
fore he died reiterated what he says in the
above letter, freeman, / never said aught
against you, or injured you in my life" What
the cause of the offence was is not stated,
though the world infers that both the young
men were suitors for the hand OF young lady,
which she promised to bestow upon Freeman.
Without vouching for the accuracy of the state
ment, the note of the fallen man is enough to
show that he was the victim of monstrous
and remorseless despotism of public sentiment,
which he felt that it would be in vain for him
to3resist. He AYERS that he is unconscious OF
having done any wrong or given any cause Tor
the challenge, tsbut tho peremptory tone OF
your note debars me from any reply other than
the acceptance of the meeting you DESIRE"
Why should it debar him but because of the
inhunian tyranny behind it, which would make
him marked man if he allowed himself to be
spoken of in the language used in Freemans
note, and did not offer up his young life in its
refutation? His last message to his father, i
died gentleman" shows the true source OF all
these horrid tragedies That source is the false
and cruel system that makes it essential to the
character of gentleman that he should accept
a challenge. And this too prevails among
communities which profess to receive as Divine
revelation which makes Gods forgiveness OF
men dependent upon mems forgiveness of each
other. Happily there are few civilized por-
tions of the world in the present day where
such fragrant inconsistency, productive, too,
of the most deplorable and bloody consequent
ces, can possibly exist. There were few coun-
tries, even among the most renowned of hea-
then antiquity, where dueling was found es-
sential to the character of q gentleman and q
hero. 1t is scandal and infamy to our own
boayted civilization that any part of our coun-
try-should be in this respect behind the civili-
zation and morality of ancient heathendom.-
Bait San. o
A STRANGE SU1CIDE-A strange suicide was
committed in Harrison County, Missouri, on
the 1st traveller stopped at farm where