The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1909-09-28
Rise Of the
Duel. ;
CONDITIONS THAT
CALLED 1T INTO BEING. d;


duelling had fallen into innocuous
desuetude goes to show at any rate
how long a custom may survive any
use for it. For the duel did have its
use, and like nearly all other customs
rose out OF the necessities of the case
In a primitive society where there
was no government or at least where
the government was so weak that 1t
was as good as none, the duel was a
logical and almost a legal concession
made to superior strength. 1t was
an equitable form under the circum-
stances of settling a quarrel where
each Of the two persons involved in
it thought himself in the right. II
was moreover an advance over mere
act of vengeance, requiring no cour-
age and giving the object of it neither
warning nor chance of self-defense. 1t
was an advance again over more bru-
tai forms of revenge, in that the con-
sequences of the quarrel fell upon
only those Immediately concerned In
IL instead of spreading until ii caught
in it's meshes the offending and the
inoffensive alike and involved whole
families.
Comparatively speaking, it was a
harmless manner OF settling difficult
ties. Besides, since the duel imposed
terms of combat equal for both sides,
it may be pointed out that it showed
an awakening demand for fair play on
the part of the community as a whole
and therefore goes to prove that
crude sort OF public opinion was astir
Westermarck, the sociologist, shows
that many savage tribes settled feuds
arising among clans and families by
duels between chosen champions. one
from each side. From ancient writer's
he CLEANS the fact that among RO-
mans, Greeks and Teutons combats
likewise were agreed upon to take
place between a definite number OF
warriors for the sake of ending war.
The Germans, according to Tacitus,
were accustomed to decide the for
tune of battle by sending a captive
from the enemy and a hero OF their
own army to meet in duel. The de-
sire for peace in the speediest and
least harmful way would seem to have
given rise to the duel in all these
cases.
Among the pagan Norsemen, to
speak of the duel between individuals
as such, any person who had suffi-
cient confidence in his skill and his
weapons could come into the posses
sion of property by merely challeng-
ing the owner OF the land either to
surrender or fight for it. The COM
bat was regulated by hard and fast
rules The one challenged was given
the privilege OF striking first, and he
who retreated or lost his weapon was
considered vanquished, while he who
was wounded first or most seriously
was compelled to pay a certain sum
OF money TO escape with his life.
other examples without end, varying
only in detail, might be selected from
other peoples.
Again in Europe all through the
Middle Ages and even among savage
tribes recourse to duelling was had
in order to discover the truth as an
Gdeal or a judgment OF God, guilt at
taching itself to the one wounded or
u.
faith, like all other forms Of the
duel, arose out of the necessities OF
the case In a society governed more
by superstition than by law, where
nothing was attended with greater
difficulty than securing reliable wit
nesses. where none out of fear Of
vengeance dared to testify against
the member of another family or
group. this appeal to the Judgment
of Cod came to take the place OF
human evidence
In most European countries the
judicial duel, defeat in which meant
not only the loss OF the suit at issue.
but often conviction for perjury, sur
vived the Middle Ages in some forms
for a short time. Before the duel
began each OF the combatants affirm
ed the justice OF his cause, confirmed
it by a solemn oath on the Gospels
and an appeal TO God to bestow vic
tory on the right. Some codes even
demanded that the witnesses enter
church armed ia order that their
weapons might be blessed on the al.
tar before their testimony was offer.
ed
I'M vain councils and POpes declared
against the custom that found sanction
I'm popular approval and public opinion
but in due course of time the natural
increase OF trade, commerce and the
arts Of peace. the establishment OF
permanent tribunals. the revival OF
Roman law, which did away with feu.
dalistic institutions, the increase OF
/ knowledge and the consequent decay
Of superstition. drove the duel out OF
the courts OF Justice
But it was not yet driven TO cover,
/ for in the sixteenth century the tu-
/ dicial combat gave way to our mod
ern duel OF honor. II survives today,
weak, lettering. doomed, a relic Of the
time. savage or barbaric. when the
| honorable man was before all else a
man Of bravery When public opinion
| Of all countries shall cease 70 sheer
I at or condemn the sensible man who
I refuses 20 expose his life TO the
/ weapons Of the swasbbuckler who has
! attacked his character or his person
/ then viii the duel be given the qule.
| tus Il has so long deserved and await
| Cd. Chicago Daily News.