Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-26
THE DECLINE OF THE DUEL.
A Curious Creole Af4ire of We OIden
Days

OdJss
ssTimes change and we change with
them" quoth the Roman man OF fashion,
who preached the three graces Of Pagan
philosophy, Eat, drink and be merry
ia vivid and various verse, says a New
Orleans letter to the Nashville american.
II is indeed true that by the merciful
march of years, wrongs and absurdIties
are trodden into the ground, and only ex-
ceptionally spring up. Take for instance
the duello, concerning which but $50 odd
years ago even SO devout a Christian as
the celebrated DR.. Jons0n declared that
without its restraining influence society
would become a bear garden.
As the chief bear of his generation the
learned Doctor was then accepted for an
authority on this point, and for go years
afterWard the practice lived in England,
even as late as 1885.
AN OCCASIONAL APPEAL
to il being made by prominent men
About the last great cartel was the one
dispatched by young Disraeu to the Irish
agitator, Daniel O'Connell, who, however,
having killed one man, had announced
that he would never light again.
In this country the duel, especially the
DoliticaI duel, fOurished for the first 30
wears of our national eXistene e-even in
staid New England, where belligeTents adj
iourned to Rhode Island on the same prin-
ciple that bank cashiers favor Canada. In
the South up to the breaking out of the
war the code prevailed, and a readiness
to spill or be spilled was the top laurel OF
a mans reputation. Among the CreOies
the duel more than flOurished.
1T BLossO3IED TO EXCESS
and many a thrilling tale of it remains.
Not far from the grounds where the
magnificent buildings of the Worlds Elk
position glOrify the landscape with their
assurances Of peace and progress is a
beautiful grove OF half a dozen live oaks,
whose green gray plumes OF long fantas-
tic moss possess q strange funeral sug-
gestiYeness. Their story holds that in
early years of this fair State six gay
young Creole gentlemen were strolling to-
gether to the plantation of a mutual
friend. 1t was a heavenly night. The
spell over scene by nature soft and Ian
guild to righteousness. In breeze, fra
grant with kisses from the blossoms of an
orange grove not far, the six oaks gently
shook their messy pendants and made
FANTASTIC SHADOWS
on the velvet sward. what place for
swordplay!" exclaimed one Of the party.
II echo your sentiments" replied another
lightly. "rhen let US try it." said the
first. "a capital idea" answered the
other, and he drew his jeWeled rapier. In
a moment they were at it, and the
weapons were weaving in and out with
a gaily gllttering rapidity that made a
mOckery Of the gentle mOOnbeamS.
'What pity Tor us TO stand idly by!"
observed another of the party. ''Let US
pair of, them said number four, and
they all drew simultaneously. 1t must
have been a pretty sight-thOse three
pairs of graceful and gallant fellows at
parry and thrust hard by those grand
old oaks that live to-day. But the play
waXed warm; presently the eyes OF the
combatauts
OUTFLAsHED THEIR SWORDS,
and when the sun came over the rim of
the level, lovely Louisiana plains with
the same semblance of suddenness that
one notes in his rise on the ocean, he
looked on the six oaks not as usual, but
On six CHASTITY, upturned faces, for which
those oaks now stand monumental. One
man fingered few hours over day to tell
the story of the night, and now, as the
stranger steams up the muddy and moody
river, the Creole points to those oaks with
expression and expressions compound of
pity and pride. Ii is easy enough to infer
that with the descendants of such men
the duellO, though dying, dies hard, es-
pecially in a cline where the blood burns
a little faster than in the North or in
Europe. Yes,
THE POOR OLD DUELLO
is dying. Public opinion has gathered
head against it, and it must go. A case
in point occurred the other day. The city
editor of great paper took a holiday and
appointed one of the Teportorial corps his
pro TEN. This promoted reporter re-
quested another Of the corps to attend to
a certain matter, which he refused, say
ing it was the city EDITORS business, not
us. 'o4us multiplied,
A BLOW WAS STRUCK.
a scuffie ensued and they were parted.
Next morning the temporary editor,
grandson of famous NapOleOnic General,
sent his brother reporter what is termed a
peremptOry challenge, !. e., one that
leaves no room for apology, instead OF
one that bears the provision of unless or
if. The challenged reporter, son OF a
famous Southern Senator, was clearly IN
the wrong from the start. His friends felt
so and would have made him apologize,
but no chance of that was given. With
as much secrecy as possible the meeting
took place under "The Oaks" as the old
uu6Hu2 8EOuEu Vi lLC City 10 SuAACu stbNS
where many a famous duel has been
fought. The seconds were measuring of
the grounds,
WHEN A LETTER,
signed by some of the most prominent
citizens and old soldiers of the town, was
brought to them, praying a postponement
for a day and submission Of the matter to
their arbitration. The seconds decided to
grant it and placed their principals under
ar5itrament. The result was that the
committee ordered the Senator's son tt
apologize, which he did. The apology
was accepted and friendship Teignet
I in