The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-06
THE LAW OF THE PISTOL.
A SOUTHERN STATESMAN TALKS
ABOUT THE CODE.
Ought the Law to Prohibit the Carrying
of Deadly weapons-The Refinement
of the Code-The Fashionable Duel
Ing Weapons.

''There are occasions often after which
there is no longer room on earth for both
the partiesto difference" said promi.
nent southern statesman in private con-
versation the other day. We were talking
about the recent shooting ARRAYS in Mis-
sissippi. "There are still times when men
with blood in their veins instead OF kumyss
will feel that rs between two foes there re-
mains but one question, and that is which
must de- he said.
~ believe in dueling, though would
not say so publicly, not that | fear TO ex.
press my opinions, but il would be exceed
ingly bothersome TO listen TO all the argu-
ments and circumstances that well.mean-
ing cranks would aim at me II you should
publish my name,
81 believe in dueling and believe that
the right 10 carry arms which was cX-
prcssly guaranteed by the constitution Of
the United States, should not be interiered
with rs II is now, by State and municipal
laws over the country. ] do not believe
that one OF those laws would stand II any
citizen chose to make q test case, and the
case should be carried 10 the supreme
court Of the United states What is the
consequence OF those laws2 II il simply
that law-abiding citizens who might be
safely trusted 10 carry arms and uso them
properly, 20 unarmcd, and are therefore at
disadvantage whenever they come in
contact with lawless characters, for the
latter, who use the pistol as a means Of
crime, seldom or never go unarmed. Yes,
sir, ] believe emphatically in good citizens
bearing arms whenever IL seems proper 20
them, and moreover, hold that no mans
education is complete without good
knowledge OF the use Of at least one
weapon" I.-
SIS not that theoretical view Of the
consequences Of such aws?" | asked. ut
Is generally held that they tend to prevent
crime a..
"No, SIR" was the emphatic reply. at
Is not theoretical. II is established by
facts. How many crimes Of violence are
committed on armed men in comparison
with those committed on the unarlned?
Your ruilian will always 20 armed IL he
can, no matter what the law SAYS. Il is
all very well 10 talk about relying on the
police for protection, but a man cannot al
ways be ia the presence Of policeman.
And take IL in sparscly settled parts of the
country. I'm many Of the States the laws
against carrying pistols are enforced as
rgidly rs possible, aud Tie result Is that
cowardly murders aie actually more fire.
quent. the standard of honor is lower. and
insults and injuries to women are oftcncr
heard Of.
'1hc duel is mere abridgcmont Of
what | consider the legitimate use OF
Weapons. ! believe in that M natural
consequence. TOT il tends 10 prevent too
hasiy shooting. ! tell YOU there IL great
deal Of nonsense about this exaggerated |
notion Of the value OF human life. +"
The prejudice against the duel certainly /
Is not Of modern origin, even II IL be not /
Traced back ~ far ~ sinai; for. although |
IN the middle ages the church did sanction
he trial 10y combat" which was the pre-
'unor Of the modern duel, IL is true that
he Clergy opposed its constitution yignr.
)usly IN the inst place.
In the "Noyean Code du Ducl,n by
Count nu N,rrr - rTrorhas, published |
IN i'rtlsih 1870, the author SAYS "rhc |
duel h altogether q modern institution, OF |
which The ancicnis never know ANYTHING
OF which they can have formed no con.
oepuon, Tor they never knew what with
us Is called the point Of honor Besides.
they were not Christians, and the duel Il
n Christian institution, Tor Il represents a
complete faith In the divine omnisciencc
and interference, q sentiment unknown TO |
The pagan, and which latter served us the |
basis Of the jugcmcnt de Dicu,' to which |
the modern duel is the distinct successor" |
AZ matter Of fact the code reached ia |
last point 81 refinement land II il difficult
% see how Il could be- carried much Ear.
Their about the time, say forty years AGO.
when public opinion began 10 Justify tho
refusal Of n gentleman TO obey II. This
does not appear 10 bc an instance ui over.
refinement being an cxtingushing cause,
but u "a noted ~ a rather curious coinci.
dcncc.
There has been. ~ far M have boon
able 90 fnd, only two CODES written in
the English language. which have been
generally accepted. Prior 10 l757 ducls
appear 10 have been governed by customs
which were preserved mainly by tradition,
though the innumcmble written accounts
Of ducls wcrc, OF course, useful Ia cslab.
fishing and preserving those customs. 10
this fact. doubtless l. largely due the ".
mafkablc differences noted in thcaccounis
In the manner Of fighting among contest.
ants who used the same weapons and who
fought under similar circumstances.
II was, perhaps, characteristic II the
Irish mind that the firsi code" strictly
- called, should have been established IN
Ireland. Certainly the manner Of ~
establishment was cmIncnily Irish. M.
mcrous gentlemen Of aocialstandinr and Of
experience In ducling, which was then al.
most a national pasiimo in Ireland, were
elected ~ delegates from nppcmfy, Gal.
way, Mayo, Sligo aud Rosc0mmon, and
mot in solemn convention.
Their meeting WAS held at the Clowmcll
summer assizCs Of the year mentioned
and alter dclibcmtion they wrote ont anal
promulgated q sot Of rules governing "thc
practice 81 ducling and points Of honor"
Thee were duly signed hy Crow RYAN. ns
president, aud by James kcog mud Amby
Bolkin, ~ secretaries Of the ronyrntion
and were sent out with an ~ no M,
tachcd, which read. can matters aul
doubts not herein mentioned will bc "a.
planned and cleared up by application 10
The committee, who meet alternately at
CloWmcll and Galway at the quarter scs.
6ions for the purpose"
There ~ no record Of ANYBODY having
criticised the gcntlomon's English.
The only other code have found "a the
one published by Gov. Wilson siNty.oirht
ycan later II has been called. snmctimcs
the " Kentucky Code" but Il " hand 10
tay Why, since Il was written by south
Carolinian and published In Charlcf,on,
and dueling was certainly no moro in
Vogue In Kentucky than In any other
State.