The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-07-05
The Duel.


true and gallant a man rs ever breathed
lies PROSTATE Oh n bed of pain, and serious
apprehensions are entertained less the
wound should prove mortal. His oppo-
nent is now criminal in the eyes of the
law and warrant for his arrest has been
issued
Thus it is that honor has been vindicated
and wrath appeased. The history OF this
case furnishes an interesting study III con-
nection with that lingering remnant OF bar
barism which we in Virginia seem to cling
to and all the world derides.
1t will be remembered that the article
written by Mr.. Beirne and which precipi-
tated the difficulty, was more general than
personal 1t arraigned the whole Read
juster party as corrupt, vicious and de-
graded gang" With equal proprlety any
member of the party could have regarded
it as a personal insult and retaliated upon
it's author as Mr. Elam did. But Mr.. Elan
happened to be the editor Of the most
prominent organ of the party, and no
doubt felt it his duty to fight its battle sim
gle and alone. His reply to the offensive
article meant fight and nothing else. How
| far, however. his duty in the premises
| went we will not undertake to determine,
but certain it is if any one could claim
exemption from political service on the
| field he was the man. He had already been
desperately wounded in a political duel
Not only that, but his physical inlirmity
being very near-sighted should have
been bar to his entrance upon the duel
ling ground When VIM. G.. Elan ac-
cepted challenge he simply gave notice
to his antagonist that he would set himself
up as target to be shot at, and that
said antagonist would be subjected to little
if any danger. 1t is very doubtful, if,
when he held the pistol at arms length, he
was able to see its end much less its sight
A blind man would have had a better
chance, for the ears of the blind are SO
delicately adjusted as to be able to deter
mine location by sound whilst a man i'll
Elam's condition could rely neither upon
his sight nor hearing.
1t may be safely stated, therefore, that
ELAN was the wrong man. He ought
never have been permitted to accept the
challenge. His friends should have seen
to it that if the party needed representa-
tive fighter, some one else should have
been accorded that distinction. There
was nothing fair in putting him up even
under the provisions of the barbarous
code, for the code was designed originally
to place the antagonists Oh al equal foot
ing. 1t was never intended to practically
tie one mans hand behind him and give
the other full opportunity to murder him.
Again, the code presupposes that its
votaries are gentlemen. If MI. Elan
was . vicious, corrupt and degraded, then
have been so regarded. If such was not
the case, then Mr.. Beirne lied, and there
by lost all claim to gentility. Each had
branded the other us unworthy of belief,
and each must have looked upon the other
as beneath the notice of respectable peo-
pie. In meeting on the duelling ground both,
under the code, repudiated their publicly ex-
pressed opinions, for each acknowledged
in his antagonist peer.
But it is useless to dwell upon the in
consistency of those who resort to this
means of personal redress, even us it is
useless to inquire what constitutes the
satisfaction - which results from hos
tile meeting. If Mr.. Elam's wound should
terminate fatally we are rather inclined
to think that Mr.. Beirne's satisfaction y
will not prove entirely unqualified The
courage of neither had ever been ques-
toned so far us we know. But if it had
been, the exchange of shots did not settle
the matter. In fact it settled nothing.
The day has past when the result OF per-
| sonal combat determined the righteous
ness of a cause, and the sooner we of Vir-
ginia realize that the world has advanced
beyond the feudal age, the sooner we Will
cease to be the laughing stock of those
who have stepped boldly forward whilst
we merely marked time. Public senti-
ment is more responsible for these viola
| lions of the law than the individual pas
sions of men. If left wholly to themselves,
not one in hundred of those who go upon
| the field would seek that mode of vndicat-
| ing their courage, or redressing their
wrongs. When aggrieved, their first
thought may be of pistols and ten PAGES,
but it is a thought extracted from the at
mosphere which surrounds them and not
of internal birth. 1t is useless to say that
laws are upon the statute books which
make duelling crime. Those laws will
continue to be mockery until men are ed
ucated to the belief that there are none
''higher - until their recognition is en-
forced by the citizen in his capacity of
public custodian, as well rs by the sworn
| officer. Had the citizen done his duty as
faithfully as the sworn officer tried to do,
this last blot upon the States fair name
would have been prevented, and true
hearted, noble man would not now be Ian
gushing between life and death.
| Harvard refused the honorary degree of
Doctor of Laws to Ben. Butler. although
it had been customary to confer the So
called distinction upon Governors of Mas
sachusetts since the foundation of the
college. Benjamin. however, was neither
down cast nor utterly crushed, but quietly
bided his time to balance the score. Last
week, with unusual pomp, he attended
1