New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-03
DUELING,

OF all the absurd customs which arose
| in the middle ages, that of vindica:ine
| ones honor or redressing a wrong by sub
hitting to be s1ashed with sword or per-
forated by q bullet. is the most absurd. a
duel disproves no calumnious assertion,
| and proves only the wickedness or weak
ness of those who engage in it. OF course,
it had some 81 significance at first. When
| rival armies chose to abide by the result
OF com bat between their champions, it
was q saving of human life: and when, in
the age Of faith, knight accused of crime
appealed to the trial by combat to attest
his innocence. the belief that God would
help the right, gave significance TO the
struggle. and frequently SO disabled the
guilty one that though the stronger and
more skiliful, he was defeated.
Gradually. however. this significance
WAS lost, and dueling became merely g.
recognized method by which gentlemen
might vent their vindictive passions with.
out in curing the danger and iniany at.
tached to murder: or else cheap way Of
acquiring distinction. The principle
unciated by Francis I. Of France.
that ''nonc but churl would take the
lie has been the basis Of luelinc from
that time to the present. A weaker one
could hardly be found. That man may
not be obliged to '.take the lie from an.
other it is simply necessary, as general
thing. that he should always adhere to
the truth. If he should nevertheless
happen. by inadvertence. to make
statement not wholly correct. the nature Of
the fact misstated can not be altered by his
shooting or cutting the man who has been
injured by it. or thinks himself SO. The
simple thing to do is the sight thing.
namely, to admit and correct the error
when convinced tina. one has been com.
mitted. and there's an end of the whole
business. At most it can only put the
wrong-doer upon an equality with the up.
right man whom he has injured, with the
chance Of adding to the frs. wrong .
second and remediless one-ieath: very
poor ''satisfaction" it would seem.
But. say the defenders O: this hal;
civilized custom, dueling promotes civil.
ity by teaching men that their lives are
endangered by the use of unciyii language
or the practice of unciyil conduct. When
men know that they are liable to be
SCALED out" for rude acts or impairment
language. they axe very careful no: to
offend in that way. And is such reason.
ing to be accepted IN this age and in :.
civilized com:.u:i:: as ius:!iy;us a h.U.a:
disregard Of human life, FOR 1e!.be3a:!y
staining ones hands with TIE blood o; =: !
'ellow-beirg. and r:ss;n: cne': own life:
Is there 40 better VA: t. insure . III: !
respect fox the rights cf O:Ae.s la: . |
selfish seg::d for ones own persona:
;a:s:y: As for releasing a w.oa:ot an:
magnitude. o won. which tie sc:s: q;
savage justice deems worthy t.;
!eath- Cha: Is irrational in the extreme.
\ deed worth: Q: death sAau!d b.. p,..isL.
ID l.; death: 80: by a::o:i;ns the pe.-
oetra.o. thereof D cLaace 70 cou2ai: IA.
,tEer cr;:.e.
These views Q: t!,:ess::n: t.:e 80 site, aAl
be ccs:o,a has been SO frequently made
te scbi,ec: q stringent repress;ye laws,
la: j: see:.s :aa,:e!o::s !: should still b:
persisted in. and tia: men ca,. be to'::d
o wicked as 70 send 81! SO veal: 81 20 ac-
ep: challenge. Ts: j: is so. Public
en::mea! in some communities il still! 50
:rongi; in favor Of t!ue!;ny tina: al! laws
opposed 20 j: a-e Ine:e dead letters.
Until. therefore. public gen!imen: is cci.
ivated to the point OF regarding the duel.
st as wiiiful murderer, the laws against
. can no. be enforced, and until they are
Q enfos:sd as to make tie passipaton