The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-26
THURSDAY. AUGUST, &c 1897
THE WASHINGTON POST AND THE
DUEIIO.

The gentle passage at arms between
tue Count Of Turin and Prince
Henri Of Orleans. moved the Washington
Post 10 comments upon the duello that
induced many to believe that it had be-
come the champion of duelling, and that
Il would be glad to see that Institution
re-estabiished amongst our people. The
Post denies the soft impeachment In
an elaborate article that goes much
further towards proving it guilty Of the
charge than IT does towards acGuitting IT,
IT says. for instance:
Those who have practical knowledge
and experience of the code are perfectly
aware that its chief objects is to prevent
bloodshed. Those who are In position
10 tell the truth about II will endorse
our statement that its operation has
nearly always been to realize that OBJ
1ect. The code OF honor is, in effect,
system OF arbitration. and should its
history ever be written by person at
once competent ana honest, the world
will admit that II has forbidden dozen
encounters FOR every one it authorized.
whoever knows anything at all about
the duolo knows that the word compel
would be a far more appropriate word
in this connection than authorize" And
then we should have the Posts article
reading something like this: "Those who
have practical knowledge and experience
Of the code are perfectly aware that
while It often 'compols' bloody duels,
It's chief object is TO prevent bloodshed.'
From the general tenor Of the Posts
article we are bound to assume that it
agrees with al sensible men In thinking
that whenever THE code" does compel
a bloody duel # incites men to the COM
mission of murder pure and simple.
Doesn't the Post think that ii would be
just a. we'll ie we had "the code" with
ils provisions for murders expurgated.
ana with its provisions for preventing
bloodsheG alone left to It? A code that
irci:cs murder as one OF its means
Tor preventing bloodshed is an anomaly
10 say the least of #; and. upon pure
logic alone Il would seem to be a book
.fa, mankind could very well dispense
w'.h.
The Post thus closes SIS article:
This IS detail. though. and has moth
ing TO do with the essence Of the ques-
ton The Post has said that among
n en- whose trade IL is TO fght-army and
navy oncers-there should always be the
spirit which led the Italians 10 call
Prince Henri OF Orleans 10 an account
upon the field of honor When that spirit
dies or is suppressed armies are Invested
of every quality that excuses their exist
ence. and are left mere agencies OF
slaughter
That does pretty well for n journal that
is not the defender OF the duello. But
we leave the Post to reconcile its two
positions as it best can. This. however.
we wish 10 say. History contradlcts fat
" and omphatlcally the Posts posi-
iion that the spirit amongst soldiers and
sailors which led the Count OF Turin TO
challenge Prince Henri is necessary 20
tho elan Of an army or navy. Prior TO
our war. while stoncwall Jackson was
professor az the Virginia Military Insti-
tute. he was challenged to duel, and
he refused TO fight. Nothing could have
made him fight a duel Docs the Post
think that Stonewan Jackson was In any
degree wanting in those qualities which
attach a soldier 10 his cause as to his
God. and that make him ready 10 lay
down his life for II and endure any tor
ture that he may think HIS duty as sol
der calls upon him 10 bear?
II would be hard TO find in the history
OF the world an elan superior 10 that
which exists to-day amongst the officers
Of the English army and navy. Yet II
any man should send an English officer
a challenge TO a duel, the challenge would
he contemporary thrown into tho waste
basket. and the Englishman would tell
his adversary that he was a fool. No,
Il is not readiness 10 brawl and show
curiosity mongers that he ''is not afraid
70 fight" that provo man possessed
OF the qualities that make the soldiers
who win battles and conquer In war 1t
is the resolute mind and devoted spirit
that places the performance OF duty
above every other consideration that
makes soldiers. These Inspirations lead
a man 70 despise theory which would
cause him 70 Undue his hands in the
blood Of . fellow man. because Of . diff