The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-04-11
THO nneilo.


a terrible wrong meW1eret that no plan has
been fallen upon to prevent the occurrence
OF such rencontres as that between those
two young men In Northampton last week.
There is stern State law against the duel
lo-which DISTINGUISHES and dimprisons-but,
per contra, a traditional social opinion which
threatens what is worse than disfranchise.
ment and Imprisonment TO proud and
sensitive young man Il he does not fight.
And thus it is young and hOt-blooded
men, and often very cool ones, too,
are niisled into utter disregard of the
law or into an avoidance OF its pen
alties by rushing into deadly combat
in the streets or on the highway. Weall
agree that it is horrible to see cultivated,
high-spirited gentleman, perhaps the very
flower and fruit of the culture Of nine
teen Christian centuries, cut down by a
violent death in duel or private rencontre.
Can anything be done to stop it? think a
great deal can. No gentleman, il he be OF
sound mind, desires to fight for the sake OF
fighting. No generous youth wishes to meet
his fellow in deadly combat IL it can be avoid
ed by an honorable settlement Of the diff
Gully which will not subject him to the sneers
Of the society in which he moves. Now, let
older heads get together and form plan or
code Of settling difficulties between gentle
men by court Of honor-a plan which the
most high-spirited and sensitive gentleman
can avail himself of without losing prestige
through the prevailing social opinion. We
have this informally already in many eases
where duels have been prevented after the
challenge passed, &C.; but it is always an
awkward business after the matter has gone
so far, especially as the amenities OF the
American code of duelling seem OF late
years to have given place to the barbarities
OF the Irish code. What we need is q
formal prescribed mode OF appealing 10 n
court OF honor which, by its provisions.
will challenge the respect Of all right-minc-
ed men as the proper mode Of settling per-
sonal difficulties. Such plan has been es-
tablished for many years in the Prusslan
army, and has worked admirably.
The military law cashiered an officer in
the army for fighting a duel-the public
opinion OF his comrades cashiered him In
society il he did not 6ght. Hence, in spite
of military law, there were duels, OF course.
To relieve the difficulty boards Of honor
were created by law in each regiment, to
which all personal disputes among the Of
ticers are referred. When this board DEGREES
an apology it is rendered by the offending
party without dishonor. These boards have
sometimes decreed q fight, but that would
only be in rare instances, as in the case OF
some irreparable wrong to man in his do
nestle relations. -,
I have seen this method very successful
in number Of cases Of impending serious
difficulties among young men,. who were
persuaded to establish board OF honor,
each side agreeing. of course, to abide by its
decisions. In every case the boards
decreed apologies, which were rendered
by very high-spirited youths, under their
decision. Now, il some Of our noble old
Confederate soldiers-men who have faced
death on fifty battle fields, and in whose
chivalrous sense OF honor all have the
most profound confidence, as General
Joseph T.. Johnston, Fitz. Lee, w.
II. il. Lee, General William FL. Payne,
Harry Heth, Colonel Tom Carter,
and others-would meet together and pre-.
pare a set of rules for the formation OF
boards or courts Of honor, as well as rules for
the reference Of personal difficulties to these
courts, it seems to me great good would be
accomplished. Such a plan OF settlement
approved by them and published through
out the State would relieve our young men
from the dilemma into which wrong So
cial opinion places them by giving them q
court to which the most sensitive honor
could appeal, and whose DEGREES all brave
and honorable men would respect.
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