The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-12-01

oSA"AS o~NA !" hAouStiouS uOctrluc tOl-
Grated? And upon what is it based
but the assumed cowardice of the ag-
gressor-his apprehension and fear of
injury?
The habit is not only cowardly
one, but it is rufiianlikc and vulgar.
1t is q reaction against civilization.
1t comes back from the frontier upon |
settled society. 1t is an indication
of an unsettled, disordcrly and coarse
mode Of life-a reflection upon, and
standing insult to, society. 1t BELTS
the manners of the cowboy and ranch
man of Texas, and the miner in the
gold diggings" of the West. but not
the manners Of gentlemen in decent
society. Let us try this for moment.
Ii Gen. Lee were alive to-day, would
any one dream Of finding pistol in
his hip pocket? Would We expect to
find one upon Gen. Wade Hampton?
Would any of us like to be seen with
one sticking out under his coat in
Broadway or Central Park, in New
York, or in Boston, or in London, or
in Paris?
DR.. Millingcr, in his history of duel
ling, points out that upon the aban-
donmcnt of the habit of wearing
swords in England duclling declined
and rcncontres became less frequent.
Dueiling there has been entirely aban-
doned. Has the true chivalry of
England declined in consequence?
Far from it. Instead Of
"1he Christless code
That must have life for blow"
England offers to-day the Victoria
cross and the Albert medal FOR deeds
of personal heroism in the cause of
humanity, in war and peace In the
plac" Of the ruffisn duellist, Lord Mo-
hun, and his followers, tie Mohawks
of the time of Anne and the Georges,
she points to the charge of the Six
Hundred ut Balaklava and presents
Havelock and Outram and Wears and
Chinese Gordon and the Bercsfords.
Has the abolition of duclling and the
suppression Of street fighting rem
dered Englishmen effeminate? Let
Lord Charles Beresford's conduct an
swer. See the dandy Of Simla obtain
ing leave Of absence from the fashion
able headquarters at the hills Of India
for the purpose not OF rest nor Of en-
joyment, but to join the forces in
Africa; follow him there as he res
cues wounded soldier from the
asegai Of the Iuius. and with the aid
of sergeant, bears him from the
field amidst the rain of arrows and
spears of the savages. And whcn
for by tle Queen to be decorated with
the Victoria CROSS behold him nobly
refusing unless the sergeant who
shared with him the danger should
also share with him in the honors!
The idea wu5 doubtless prevalent
that because the duel had been dis
carded in the North ncn there were
not as brave as we of the South. But
| appeal to my comradep, the old SOL
diers Of the war, if we dill not find
that, however heroic we might be, our
opponents of The North met us will.
equal courage. Who Of rs at some
time has not witnessed some such
noble act Of hcroisn on the Federal
side as to challenge our admiration
and to call forth our applause? If
some Of us can recall with pride that
we stood all the long day, oath Au-
gust, 1862, at Manassas. fighting over
the railroad cut, and can still hear our
noble leader, Gen. Gregg, calling upon
us to die there, can we forget that it
was the heroic charge of the New
England brigade under Gen. Grover
which pierced our lines and nearly
succeeded in cutting us off? If we
can point with pride and glory to
Pickett's charge at Gettysburg can Nc
forget the equally heroic assault of
the Iron Brigade of the Federal army
at .Marye's Heights? No! We old
soldiers learned to know that ducllists
were not the only persons who could
face gunpowder and cold steel. And
those to-day who go unarmed may be
as truly brave as the best man with a
a pistolin his hip pocketl
Let me sound note of warning.
Public opinion in England was long
and slow in forming against duelling.
But it did at last form with terrible
earnestncss. and fell with tragic force
upon an unfortunate gentleman who
had killed his adversary, believing
that he was acting only in obedience
to it's tenets in fighting duel. His
case was seized upon to make an cx-
ample in the new turn of public scnti
ment. Ho was arrested, indicted,
convicted and hung. Not all his
family influence, and this was great,
NOR 80 nxyr, 1s~h N no IL