Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-09-18
The Dueling Code.
ITS OBLIGATIONS IN THE soUTH--ITs DANGER:
AT THE NORTH.

The recent announcement that Ex-t'0yern-
or Paul EIebert, of Louisiana, has sued the
Word for libel, gives peculiar interest to
the following article. which we copy from
the New Orleans Picdync;
''0ne of the most absurd things south
ern gentleman can do is to attempt to extend
the so-called code of honor beyond its proper
Jurisdiction. This may he safely assumed to
be confined to the SOUTH 4 states and to n
limited number of perso therein. Even in
the south it has never been regarded as
essential to the position Of a gentleman, or
as obligatory in the view of honor and con-
science to recognize the binding force of that
code Nor has it ever reelected upon the
manhood of gentleman to decline such
mode of arbitration when he bases his re-
fusal on grounds of reason, morality or con-
science. 1t is only in a case where a man
gives out that he acknowledges his obligation
under that code, and assumes the aspect and
character of a so-callcd man of honor that
he may be regarded as subject to its require
ments, and n proper person to be invited to
that mode Of settling personal issues. Such,
at least, is the social sentiment which has
always existed in the south.
- But the application Of this rule at the
north is rather periloas to the dignity, as
well as to the liberty and peace of mind of
southern gentlemen An instance Of this
recently occurred in Cincinnati
- zen. Hodge of kentucky consented to
bear message to the editor of the Cincin-
natl Enquirer, on presumption that that
gentleman Acknowledged his amenability to
the code. The message was from n Ken
tucky Judge, upon !whosc Judicial conduct
the Enguirer had reflected with great seyeri-
ty Gen. Hodges mission resulted as might
have been expected What is very simple
and often cheap mode OF acquiring rcputa-
ton in the south for manhood and proves.
is very serious business across the line
which divides the sections There is no
offence which could be more promptly pur-
sued and more severely punished under the
criminal law of state like Ohio than that
of sending challange or fighting a duel.
Hence the great inequality Of danger and
responsibility between the challenging Ken
tuckian and the challenged Ohioan. The
latter would be compelled to choose between
fight and exile, or the penitentiary, and
most expensive legal prosecution, while the
kentuckian would be honOred and feted for
the very act which involved such serious
consequences TO the unfortunate Ohioan.
This WAS the unhappy fate Of Gen. james
Watson W ebh, who many years ago fought
4 duel with Col. Thomas +. Marshall and
was shot through the leg. Before he had
recovered from his wound he was arrested,
was tried and convicted before jury and
sentenced to Sing Sing, and only escaped
this miserable penalty through q pardon
from Gov. Seward. for granting which that
governor WIS lerHdlS' more Dittcfly cen
Sureu ;. 'i'n iuF any act V' ms oiuclai sef'Ice
Even tre SooI hear'ed ''ree.ey l1r many
years ai'er"!TuS' "heh enE1sed IN poitlea,
u ui7cus7ioh WIN 'cH' "e"p, never ini9'cL
tle olPoI'uni'! - Ie'vI 20 'rc "tiA"eNS VI
SG'; oe""fu : SaS'i7 "o'' ii'i' 'l' ''S"'
III. uCo-H vi t'y .e'on
'1n' io1-'. ,Ne'o''''' ,'i'""v v>'ei Il
"o,Ul HSH Oh J1dshehV I, ana Eo'l sens, sens
ana an ooH.loIsie9s 9l 'HiS i4te 0' eoo
H"c" nc in'!'ed 'He o!'''I q! 'Hc | INC 4iillA''
l-"Y."'I 20 J2lI mn aiir ms lIi'i' IN an
excursion 10 O"''"'ia' win we" o! lr,'-
sin' II . o' S'lol'' To ue i3llo"eG og
ce.'iin arc .'''l '''vre lcna-''e7 "A''"
A"''i1eu tue S1i''''l on MS return nome
bIl II apl ear 'N't zen rouge j. nor
the only one "l our southern chlIis VINO mas
iatien mo TINS oOii'lo1s state. II the story
", Hi'ioll ii''S Iea'l Us oc rue our eA-,'oN'
ii ~ IA w.! % 'i'o pa III NJ
'eH iioIs. mas "''" i.'u'ii'i Li2 ''.i N'i.0'
ne .oig ''ln' opiiliou5 niS>i'e % 'ile mem
hatl gui'or' hesalulii- hilHS5" groN9ly ln-
sul'eu' Ms iunoI a5S''l-eu' anu i9 leI''hal
stanI,l5 "'S.'oieu ~ i recent eI''1r' Al
lHe >, '''a' 10, uo' IICoGr1 re Iass'el 'nf ser
we y. " =',i.n' ~, Jo.iy''ci''1. oecl 70 .''i'
ne9'is L, " 10 NJ -I''' y'e' Il i proper u a'u
t1A' .le 2'eIiior iau Ico, iet 10 "e4i9'e tta'
lr' -HI'"-e a,Ano"ie1set Ms re- 'l'l.l'y
iol sucH Ir'lcie' i anu "oU-l y respond % ai!
geilAnu '''9ei ''e'Vo"' be'ore' ho"r'or, |
ueS .I eSi'a1cllns M .lJ7''Se' " wa ,us-r9'.' |
u IIa' they Noulu 'aAe counNe. oi h2ger A. (
tI9o'' no" Pr'T'lS'lS attorney III We" 1
lorA' ana ,i. once when po,i'ieian ana hFe-
ga'lns eul.or' d ui7ciple oi I.e o'de 9i h'hor-
ihe case oe'ng stated 70 lryor' that no"
'eusiD49 man anu soou ia"yer promptly re-
mar ~ ~ N9"' governor ol ooul7e lL,l' /
"oull ne IN lAe ~9ulh ample srouhI l9r the /
resort suggested put nave you any iae'' 81 l
tne cDH'eg 1en''7 |.lSA ,5 Noulu HOW ron IL |
mere No., relAeu tne governor Win !
sim piTi'y ,r, ana Solny ONE ah1,e'y' INK
lheh VIII tel y'H' e'hliiNiou |