The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-03-29
The Daeuo.

The practice of having recourse to
the pistol or sword, with the view of
settling personal disputes, should be-
more honored in the breach than the
observance" Aud yet the lamentable
fact Is not ignored that persons, alike |
for their intellectual en-
dowments and moral worth, have not !
been found backward IN resorting to |
the duello when aspersions upon their |
fame have been INDUCED in by respon-
sible individuals. William Pitt, for
instance, the illustrious premier of
Great Britain, whom political friend
and foe alike frankly recognized as =
moral and religious man, patronized
the duello, requiring not to be invited
twice by Tierney to meet HIM IN deadly
encounter. The Iron Duke" too "a
truly conscientious and scrupulous man
at heartl, hesltated not moment TO
''call out" on a certain occasion, Lord
Wincnelsea, than whom Qhe phal-
aux Of bishops included) no more
religious man sat In the House of
Peers. The meeting between this
good man and the duke providen-
TALLY "ended in smoke" Lord Win
chelsea firing his pistol in the air.
Canniug's manifest sympathy with,
and prediction for, the code of
honor" betrayed themselves more than
once, and more especially in his last
encounter with a young sprig of arts
tocracy, a member of the House of
Commons, whom CanniRg's scs-ifying
satire had rendered furious. A meet
ing was the result. At the first fire, no
harm being sustained by either, Can
ming hurled his pistol at his antagonist,
contemptuously remarking, "Kennel,
sirw The nobleman insisted that this
was mo satisfaction at ALL" and de
manded that they should fire again.
At the second fire Canning was Sc
riously wounded in the thigh, u result,
we believe, which pretty effectually
cured one of the most gifted prime
ministers England eyer had, of his
duelIng propensities. Sheridan's we'll
known encounter with Capt. Matthews,
of the British army, growing out of n
feeling of jealousy, cherished by
both, in regard to Miss Lindley, has
about the same clam on our atten-
ton as Cannlng's affair with the
young nobleman. The initiative, we
believe, lay with Sheridan, who chal-
lenged Capt. Matthews as his most
formidable and hated rival IN the af-
f0ctions of Miss Lindley. 1t was the
result of the duel, consequent upon
this state of things, that enabled Lord
Byron to compliment his friend Sheri-
dan, by remarking that he had "writ-
ten the best comedy ever acted, made
the best speech ever spoken, and mar
ried the handsomest woman that ever
lived" In his first encounter with
Matthews (they fought with swords),
Sheridan had decidedly the advantage,
poor Matthews having been reduced to
the necessity of begging his life. He
was at once "sent to Coventry" by his
brother officers, and, to redeem mat
tiers, resolved once more to ''try it on"
with Sheridan. Again they fought
with swords, and this time poor Sheri
dan presently found himself IN the
very predicament to which he had re-
duced Matthews on the former occa-
sion, that is, PROSTATE on the grouno,
with Matthews's weapon pointing at
his throat, and its master insisting that
Sheridan, this time, must "beg his
life." 1t would seem that Richard Brins-
ley was not in the least appreciatlye OF
MaIthews's demand, and refused point
blank, and with an unseemly oath, to
do anything of the sort. Thus termi-
mated duel whose bleodless character
alone redeemed it, in great measure,
from infamy. The duel, however,
which always appeared to us as ex-
ceeding in magnanimity all Others we
have read of $50 far, at any rate, as one
of its principals was concerned), was
that of the late Duke of York and a
certain Col. Tortens, 1--WE think that
was the name) of the British army.
The colonel challenged his royal high
ness, (the otfense charged, we well re.
member, was most trivial one) and
the duke promptly responded to the
challenge. They mer-and that the
colonel meant mischief became obvious
from the accuracy of his aim. The
bullet very materially disarranged the
dukes curl. The duke had wholly
abstained from firing, and manifested
no intention whatever of doing so. He
as coolly as courageouslY, however, de-
manded of the colonel if he was salts
fed, magnanimously inviting him to
''fire again" if sEch was not the case.
The colonel, it would seem, was not
altogether brute, and desisted from
his audacious impertinence.