The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-12
The Duello.

ne DQe1lO.
In september, 1890, death resulted at
the Virginia Military Institute from
Hpht which took place under circurn-
stances almost Identical with those Of
the lanentable occurrence at the United
4 States Naval Academy.
Ia court OF inquiry was convened to
y ascertain and report the facts and eX-
3press an opinion. The court was en-
phatic in the expression of the opinion
that the fight ought not to have oc-
CURED, and that its occurrence was due
+, to q false code of honor, which the eS-
listing corps of cadets found In vogue,
and received and accepted from their
y predecessors The facts el!cltGd by the
Is court clearly and fully indicated that in
proceedings under the code Of honor
scrupulous regard had ever been had
towards securing fair play: that combats
& between cadets unequally matched In size
or strength were not permitted to take
place; that every practical precaution
had been taken to prevent serious bodily
( harm, and that the death of the cades
in aues ton was accidental. notwith-
standing, Superintendent Ship issued u
general order, in which he sid.
With the solemn memory OF this fatal
fight fresh IN the mind Of all, the super
intendent makes an earnest appeal TO
cadets, to rise TO the dignity of true
manhood TO discard all false codes ana
standards and to fear nothing, except TO
do wrong. Qu;.rrels and differences
among gentlemen arise from real or
fancied insult. offence or injury. If real,
g a proper resentment is natural, unit! due
apology, amends or PREPARATION Is made.
But This resentment should be an ex-
hibtion of displeasure and not of pas
q sion. The parties to quarrel, mutually
smarting under a sense OF Injury ana
wrong, are in no condition to make Il
calm, judicial review OF the causes OF
offence or difference. nors to see and pur-
sue the course which Christian charity
and gentlemanly courtesy make obllga-
tory upon all. Hence has arisen the
7,usage, now almost universal among
gentlemen and soldiers, of organizing Il
board Of honor. or a committee, of arbi-
tration. to whom the differences thai
arise among gentlemen are referred for
adjustment; and The who declines 10
abide the Judgment OF such friendly
court and to make honorable amends
y 4ot Oily hlOitho witch LIS may mus De
adjudged to h4ro committed, puts him
self beyond 5the'pale OF gentleEanly AS
soclation." showing that he prefers tic
guidance OF passion rather than of rea-
son. and wants vengeance and not sat
isfactiun. To quote the words Of a dis
( tinguished soldier, the civilization and
refinement OF the present age emphat!-
cally condemn personal encounters be-
tween gentlemen; gentlemen do not de-
i feI M tsaf i'm
ers. For many years 1t required great
moral courage to decline Il challenge TO
personal combat-courage of q far high
or order than that displayed by the
pug!list or the duellst. But this Is no
longer the case: enlightened public sen.
tiinent ever sustains him VINO declines
such an encounter, and emphat!cally
condemns him who engages In 1t. There
Is no longer any excuse for gentlemen
who are amenable to the same social
laws 10 resort to the uncivillZcd prac-
tice of SETTLING their differences by blows
To batter and be battered may display
courage. though OF u very low order.
such as Is possessed BY the lowest grades
OF men, but IT constitutes no real atone
bent for wrong Frank apology and
substantial reparation for any wrong
committed constitute tho only atonemcn,
consistent With the honor and courage
OF n true gentleman" With this presen-
tation. Of the subject, which the sliper!n.
ttndent hopes will convince The under
standing, and enlist the co-operation Of
all in etfscting reform which VIII re.
fleet honor upon the institute and upon
tho corps OF cadets, the attention OF all
concerned is directed 10 sections az. Jas
lis. OF the academic regulations. All on.
4 GERS, cadet officers and nOn-commis,
stoned and sentinels VIII be held Il
strict accountability under the regula
lions for the suppression of fighting /,
the barracks and on the grounds of IN,
institute; and any cadet known TO hay,
been n party TO Il prearranged comba
Will be dismissed.
This is wholesome ana manly doctrin
for youths. Personal difficulties ar
sometimes unavoidable, but they are Ger
iainly not TO be encouraged by SO
called code OF honor which compcls
man 10 settle his qualrels with anothe
by brutal combat, or else be branded
coward. Surely our institutions {
learning, which are designed 10 teac
good morals and moral courage, came
stand for such code.
One Of the most pathetic stories
American history Is the account of II
duel between Burr and Hamilton. Han
ilton was opposed to dueliing. and he lie
written statement In which he s.
forth his ''rnost cogent reasons" Their
for, They were thus enumerated;
"First-My religious and moral pril
clples are strongly opposed to the pra
lice OF duelling, and IL would ever eli
ha pf