The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-17

should be fought with deadly weapons
until the honor is satisfied.
In the old days honor was never salts
fed short of the disabling or death of one
of the parties In present usage any
scratch which puts one party in the posi-
tion of manifest inferiorty to the other,
or even popping of pistols that produces
no results at all, after a couple of times,
is thought sufficient. A fist fight cannot
be "a duel on account of the nature of the
weapons This has been decided by can
Onists, in cases where an unlucky blow
has produced death and objection was
made to Christian burial on the ground Of
dueling the fist, of It's nature, Is not n
deadly weapon; Paul de Cdssagnac, the
sharp-tongued editor of rAulorite,
the Bonapartist journal, has had
duels without end. After seventeen had
proved his courage beyond possibility of
doubt he veutured on a new choice OF
weapons. He had been challenged by a
fellow nditor who was VIGOROUSLY bad
speller; he chose to fight the duel with
photography. Practically the only
weapons now used are the fencing sword
and the pistol, their use being universally
familiar to persons likely to fight duels.
Recently the Count d Jacksonville, who
is far in the COS, was challenged by a much
younger man, and the seconds, despite
the usual custom about the choice of
weapons, restricted the contestants TO
pistols, the counts age preventing him
from using the sword with sufficient agll-
ity,
THE ORIGIN OF SECONDS.
In olden DAYS seconds were not only the
aides and abettors of their principals, but
had to be ready at moments notice tc
set to on their own account From this
grew the title by which they have for
hundreds of years been known. Nowadays
the business of each pair of seconds or
witnesses to whom the principals have
cOnfided the interests Of their honor IS
first, to decide whether the violation OF
honor has been such as to warrant the
duel; second, whether the parties arc
qualified to make such PREPARATION Of
honor. a man VIGOROUSLY stigmatized
being evidently ruled out by the code
thirdly to leave no means untr1ed for
settling the affair without recourse to
arms; and only then, finally, to de
eide on the details of the combat
The witnesses are themselves in NJ
wise involved in the quarrel of theil
principals. In the crop of challenges that
lately sprang up against the radical
leader Clemenceau, one of the parties who
had failed in forcing a fight on him en-
deavored to have it out with his wit
nesses. This was noted as an 'incorrec
ton, ." violating the code. In moro than
one hot debate Of the last parliamentary
session, when the friends of one deputy
had been put in relation with the friend;
of another, it was decited that there was
no cause for a duel. OF course, the read
mess of both parties to fght-if there had
! been any cause--was duly made known
and each set of witnesses published q
process-verbal, which testified TO theil
/ pyur, ,ppfapt ttbopOra hilitp -
The question of the otfense is the mos
delicate of all, for to tie offended partI
! belongs the choice of weapons. The OF
Tense may be given by spoken word, by
something written, by a gesture or
blow. 1t must be something calculated
to wound publicly the self-loye ant
''honor'' Of the other party. Such an of
tense may have different degrees. Taker
! by itself, it gives the offended party thu
right to the choice of weapons. If accom-
panied by an insult it gives him also The
right of choosing the duel, which ough
to take place within forty-eight hours
! If there is direct blow or assault he has
even the choice Of distances as well.