The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-10-22

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private room in the hotel at that place.
rhe cool and manly manner in which Mr..
Wise met the invitation and declined the |
mode DR.. Temple had suggested, re-
,eived the approval Of all truly brave men |
IN the State. He had placed himself on
record as determined to engage ia no more
so-caled affairs of honor.n He had re-
cognized the higher claim Of his family
and community, and publicly announced
tlat lie would never again be concerned in |
4 deliberate arrangement to fight duel
1t required a high degree of moral cour-
age 10 make this announcement, and a
still higher degree to adhere to it, amid
the sneeIs and jibes of his political oppo-
neDts. While no man in Virginia pos
sesses personal courage more pronounced
and definite than Johns. Wise-a fact gen. |
orally conceded by impartial men of both
political pla.ies-yet it was question,
raised and trained as he had been in cir
Gle that recognized ''lhe code, y whether he
had the moral courage to openly proclaim
that he had renowned it, and from sense
OF duty as a citizen, as a husband and as
father. would never again permit him
self to be drawn into an encounter, in that
way.
1t is safe to say that the example which
Mr.. Wise thus gave to the country has had
more to do in discountenancing the duello
in Virginia than any other event or act Of
any public man in the State. Public senti-
lnent had been educated to expect a ehal-
]enge to deadly combat to ayenge personal
offense, and especially from one who had
himself recognized the code in more than
one instance. But maturer years, a grow
ing sense of the duty Of citizenship, a
loftier view of the moral phase of the
matter and higher appreciation Of the
obligations which every man owes to COM
munity, determined him to publicly declare
that he would no longer be party to the
violation of the laws of both God and
man. With strong purpose, an unrelent-
ing moral conviction, Mr.. Wise has stead
lily adhered to this resolution in defiance
of provocations and taunts which to a
man of his quick temper and sensitive ma
ture, are exceedingly irritating and graft
ing He has been true to his self-imposed
pledge, however, and thus impressed the
lesson that he who either aspires to make
OF execute the laws should first demon
strate that he himself is firm in his resolve
to obey the laws.
The position taken by Mr.. Wise in re-
gard to this barharous practice, has drawn
tie serious attention of the public to the
subject. 1t has induced a calm examina-
ton into the matter in the mirds of many
who had been in sympathy with the code,
and influenced the conclusion that Mr..
Wise's course has been effective in placing
the duellist in his proper position, as that
of an enemy to society and a murderer at
heart 1t instinctively Institutes a com
parison between a man going upon the
field with a deadly weapon in his hand to
seek the life of his fellow-man for some
imaginary or real offense, and man re-
cognizing the obligations he owes to the
laws of his country, the laws of his God,
the ties which bind him to his family and
home, and his duty to community, relegat-
ing the controversy either to the courts for
clety for Justification.
A citizen who thus shows the courage to
live up to the laws in his own life, demon
strates his fitness to maintain and execute
the laws as Chief Magistrate of q Com
monwealth. Partizan motives may and
have attempted to peryert the meaning of
| Mr.. Wise's conduct, but deep down in the
consciousness of the people of Virginia
there is but one sentiment, and that is that
he has shown more true heroism in the po-
sition he has taken than if he had fought a
dozen duels and stained his hands and his
soul with the blood of dozen of his fellow
, men.
THERE'S a rapidly growing sentiment
not only in Virginia, but throughout the
South, against the duellist. It is placing
him just where he belongs-as an enemy
to society-a moral coward and a murder
er at heart 1t is a sentiment that will
has given it greater impetus than Jno. s..
Wise, Notwithstanding the sneers and
SCOTS of some Of his political opponents,
who would make the public believe that it
was personal fear that wrought the change
in his views. That much of the stuff that
has appeared in the Bourbon papers in
this canvass Oh this subject is from de-
feated demagogues who have deem driven
from the field of legitimate debate and
have no facts or arguments affecting the in
teIests of the people to address to the mind
of the public is clear. The people, however,
understand and appreciate Mr.. Wise's po-
sition and are fully alive to the despicable
methods and slurs of his political oppo-
nents to break the force of his example
and destroy the effects of his manly &C
tion.