Smyrna times., 1873-07-30
Modern ChiValry.

Apropos of some late duels in the South,
The Republican Banner, published at Nash
vile, Tenn, utters some wholesome truths
concerning chivalry The Banner does not
think that any fne-spun sophistry can divest
the crime of murder of any of its revolving fea-
lures. The bloody rough, the assassin aud the
savage in the lava-beds do not work more det-
riment to the peace of society or to the morals
of the time we live in than the aristocratc and
chivalric hfe-takers of "Our best society.
The Banner concludes:
10 the romantic, sentimental, and gushing
school of tragedians, who are devotees at the
shrine of chivalric MURDER it may seem very
shocking to utter it, but We here affirm it,
nevertheless, that in our unretined judgement,
the only true chivalry is that in which life is
bravely offered up to save the life or lives of
others From the Crucfxion, Is centuries
ago down to the present era of modern clvili-
zation, there has been no chivslry like that of
nobly dying to save life. The commander of
the stranded vessel who goes down with his
wreck in the very act of saving his passengers
an crew; the engineer who dies with his hand
on throttle-valve, and the poor uncultured
brakeman, with hands stiffened in the death
clasp upon the iron brakes he would not
desert; the rough-spoken but g-hearted
pilot, enveleped in flames and yet "hOlding
her nozzle agin the bank till every galoot is
saved"-are not these great heroes and nobler
representatives of higher chivalry than your
reckless, shallow pated, self-worshipping ego.
lists who are willing TO risk their own lives or
take the life of another of profcients in the
noble art of pistol and gunshOt murder? Ii
not then morality, and virtue, and religion,
and Christianity, and civilization are a lie.
The natures noblemen are they who are
| humanist and most self sacrificing, and whose
heroism stands out in boldest relief, at the post
of duty and danger, aud wherever a human life
can be saved-not destroyed-they will lids
trate the truth of the maxim that "the bravest
are the tenderest, the loving are the daring
We would not give one Of the brave spirits
who stood nobly by the sick and dead and
diving in our epidemic visitation for all the
surviving parricides and assassins and victori-
Gus duelists that ever lived and disgraced the
civilization of the nineteenth century. Surely
life is short and uncertain enough, and sad
enough, at times, without the aid OF modern
so.called chivary TO accelerate Its breVlty and
diminish the slim chances of longevity. Surely
this world is wide enough to afford room fol
all of poor, weak, suffering and struggling
humanity to live out IN peace, their allotted
time. without the interposltion OF the code OF
the duelist. who could not, with his beautiful
code, create or restore one rough human lie.
1t may be ignOble, but we cannot help but con-
fess IL that there is more true chivalry in the
mitigation of human suffcring-the salvation
of human life-than all the red. handed glory
that may follow the desperate and selfish
brayadoiam which dispenses widows weseG'
and orphans walls throughout To-
blessed with peace and manki~ @
uoh Dy courtesy o'Manii'he Sheriff warran''