Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-06-25
THE CODE OF HONOR"

A lengthy extract in an exchange, taken
from the Atlanta Herald, shows that there
is one newspaper left in the South that
boldly defends that relic of barbarism
known as the "Code Of Honor" The writ
er openly avows his admiration for that
"Code" as n "rule among gentlemen to
be resorted to for the defense of character
| and reputation Alas for the character
or reputation that can gain anything from
| such defense. In our estimation, char
acter that requires blood to purge it from
| dishonorable imputations, is not worth de-
Tending. The writer takes the ground
that there is scarcely an instance where q
duel has terminated fatally, where such a
result was not "the best for society under
the imperfectness of humanity" Human
ity must be very imperfect, indeed, where
such result is necessary for the good of
society. In the name of our common hui
manity we deny such an assertion, and de-
nounce it as libel on the CIVILIZATION OF
the nineteenth century. ........
What is the object of ga meeting" under
the mis-called "Code of Honor?p The
Herald writer says that where the Code
strictly followed it will settle nearly
all difficulties How "settle" them?
These "affairs of honor" usually proceed
from some words spoken or published re-
t1ecting upon the honor or Yeraclty OF
some one, who feels himself aggrieved so
deeply that nothing short of the blood
of his antagonist will satisfy his
demands. Suppose A call b thief, or a
liar b challenges him to mortal combat
under the code. They meet and A is slain.
Does this prove B guiltless? Not at all,
but shows that he is unwilling to let the
world Judge of his character upon its mer-
its. If he is guilty of the charges,
blood does not wash his guilt away, and
the world still knows him, not only as
thief, but murderer. Suppose he may be
innocent, and suppose that in killing a he
has made a widow of an inoffending wo-
man, and orphans of helpless children. If
he is an honorable, heightened gentleman,
will he feel his honor improved, by seeing
these weeping over the remains OF a de
ceased husband or father, whose body has
been pierced by bullet the deadly aim of
which he directed? This is, indeed, q sight
for an honorable man to view. Dis
tressed, grief-stricken mothers wives and
sisters, or crying orphans are an agreeable
spectacle for one of these honorable "
men to look upon, and it must afford them
peculiar pleasure where they can point to
them and say behold the work of my
hands. L made that woman widow.
naue orphans OF JnOSe cnllurens AN re-
sponsible for their suffering and grief The
world has them as living evidence of my
vindicated honor" Away with honor or
reputation thus vindicated. 1t is the viii
est stuff imaginable. A truly brave and
honorable man would thousand times
rather incur the obloquy of the little circle
of hot heads which gather around the
''Code of Honor" as their rule OF action,
than to be instrumental in making widows
and orphans of helpless women and chill
dren. If there were no other feature that
would lead us to oppose this disgraceful
practice, except that just mentioned, we
would denounce it as utterly unworthy of
any gentleman who makes any preten-
sions to civilization. .enn. .r
Butin addition to this, it is contrary to
the laws of God, and of the country in
which we live. No question of fact can
ever be settled in that way, and we are not
surprised that the "Code" is fast waning
and that there are very few left who are
bold enough, or reckless enough of public
opinion TO defend it. We are glad that
the civil authorities everywhere are taking
hold of this question and that duelists are
being treated as other murderers.