Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-03-16
Re,~sh es "so.,hern sathar-
Haas.


ono NJ Ne hoasts Of tho now civ.
ilizkiion, which tho victory Of the
Union fbrccd upon 'dlib benikhled
people IL no 'Sdrth whs tlil't of
extinction Of TINT "barbarods' IN
stitution known ms tho duello, tho
relic, ~ y wts styled, "Of tho Dark
agcs,' With slavery, We were told
wonld vanish these "brutal and
erhguinary' usage, this tho most
Illogical and irrational mode Of end.
ing quaircIs AID concluding con
trovesiesl People urc hencciDrth
70 tsctlfo thcir'disputcs by verbal
wranglcs, newspaper billinsgatS,
nm indulgence nsgae dd pduSealn in
cnphatical rhetoric, hid by faw.
suits, actions Of libel and damagcs,
and like benign MODES Of ecntrovcr
sy and arbitramcnt.
Tins was far more RhfM'lihf hhd
civilized, aud css dangcrots to the
physlcal security and immunity OF
men tAi.n tho old custom trans
United e. ns from tho Age when
there Nero neither newspapers
nor p,HitRitn'' Slangwangcrs nor
dcmagogtcS, blatkguarls nor bull
lies, This rnstom had grown up in
this section ofonr Union, and has al
most become one ofolr institutions
1t was not without its benefits. 1t
prevented the noisy brawls OF poll
lician. from giving annoyance to
peaceful people 1t shifted contra
ver-ics from the public assemblies,
the streets. and the presn, u retir.
cd unlrcqncnlcd localities, and
there ended them by II puick pro
cess 1t pu. am cIrrctral Curb upon
the impct,,ors anger OF two violent
men, and a restraint hpon the H.
censc of the tonghe and the pom
1t arrested tho tendency to physi-
cal conflicts IN the streets, and
brought down the pride and want
ing of the Goiahs by compelling
them to meet their Davids on terms
Of equality.
1t gave y higher t"no to the man
ners and bearing of men toward
each other. Like all human insti-
tulions it was often abused and its
principles violated but, nevcrthc-
less, it is undeniublc that there was
much less controversy, quorrclling,
calling hard names, general and
special vi.lifications, and distur-
banco Of the quito society, than
among those communities which
rep ld'uted and punished any in
diligence in this custom, OF any re.
cognilion to it's demands and its
b lepuacy to settle qharrels.
The conclusion appears to be sat.
is fed by recent occurrences in our
midst, which 90 to show that even
our benign civiIizcrs and enlight.
cncd phiIanthropists of pest belium
Importance, who have 80 gracious.
" taken charge of DIR politics, our
morals and our offices, have been
driven to this fesort TO indicate
their honors or avcngc all their
wrongs.
There has been within the last
few days, no less than two duels.
in which all the parties involved
were missionaries of the new civil
zation, and three out of the four
were Of that sublimcl y philosophlc,
virtuous and sanctificd party which
exults in the name Of "Radical."-
Harmless as were the results in
both cases, the incidents may be
accepted MS encouraging Indication
of Il change in tho Radical morals,
regimen, and habits. Bafbarous 8
the ducllo may be regarded, we
think the general public will hail
its re introduction as grateful di-
version from those far more serious
and expensive cmployments and
amusements In which the Radical
chiefs have centrrd their clicf n
ergies during the last three dismal
years N. o Times