The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1880-07-16
The Fail Of d Peaceful and HonoFed
CitIzen of The State.

CitIzen Of The State.
1t is with the profoundest grief and
regret that we announce the fall of
William M. Shannon, Esq, Of Ker-
shaw, in duel with Colonel Cash, of
Chesterfield.
Mr.. Shannon was q peaceful and
nobly good citizen, who had lived a
useful and honorable life for sixty
years. With perfect truth can it be
said Of him that 40 man in the State
was more respected, more beloved.
more honored than he. Surrounded
by large famlly--a wife and thir-
teen children-hc had ripened into
an honored and honorable life, a man
whom none associated with the
"bloody code.7 He was summoned
to the field, as we are informed, as
in connection with matters growing
out of his professional duties in q
cause in court, aud declined 10 an.
swer an invitation calling him to ac-
count, personally. for the discharge cf
what he esteemed his proper profess
sional duties. Upon assuming this
position he was pronounced, and, as
VIC are informed, published as cow
ard. An imperious custom directly
in the face Of the law OF the State re-
quired Mr.. Shannon, under such cir
cumstances, to defend his aggrieved
honor, and he falls at the hands of
his adversary on the field, his life
blood flowing from his person, in
plain and unqualified violation of the
law of the land.
To our apprehension it is too late
now to discuss the rightfulness or
wrongfulness of what is called the
"Code Of Honor" The State has
solemnly pronounced against it in the
plainest possible provisions of the
law. It is not competent, according
to our understanding Of civilized rule,
for the individual citizen TO gainsay
law because he or others may hold
(and perhaps honestly that it is an
unwisc, hnrtfnl law. He who violates
the plain law must justify himself un-
der the law or be content to suffer the
penalties it imposes. lie who assumes
to be superior to the law OF the socic-4
tyAin=Wkieh lie Hives takes this options
and he must SO mean when he refuses
obedience to its plain commands.
The question, too, with the sworn
officials OF the State is not whether
they deem the law best served in the
breach than in the observance thereof,
but whether they are entrusted, un-
der oath, with choosing which laws
they will enforce and which they will
not. It is q solemn question, but it
is one which must be met with calm,
nnlinching, courageous faithfulness.
The Anti-Ducling Society now has
a practical case presented to it with
which it may deal. If the law of the
State against duelling is plain and un-
qualified, and the sovereign power of
the State has through the Legislature
so declared, all that remains ''is to
enforce the law, and for the citizens
to demand, in the high defense of So
ciety, that the law be enforced" On
the other hand, if it be impossible to
enforce the law, let it be stricken
from the statute book as an express
sion Of our civilization, which is in
conflict with the recognized demands
of society. But if this code of blood
be wrong, and the body polite are
unwilling to forego the law of the
land as it now stands, let all know
who live under this law that the law
&C the State means what it graveiy
saiths and must be obeyed that the
tribunals of justice will in no event
shield the transgressor in Difference
to the opinions of few who may
possibly hold their right to personal
vengeance to be higher than the law.
IF the State has the right to curb
the passions Of its citizens and to say
to one in one case, thus far shalt thou
go, and beyond it you are solemnly
forbidden to go under the penalties of
the law, even unto the death penalty,
and it 80 saith and so enforces in the
one case without respect of persons;
and it hath the right and doth equally
so say in another case it seems to us
to be trifling with our civilization and