Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser. — 1903-09-11 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

TOPICAL TALK. Even the great Sir Robert Peel tried to fight in a duel. He was not then Prime _ Minister, but Irish Secretary. He chalThe personal element in politics has a kueed O'Connell. the Irish orator. faseination for most folk. It is pleasant !O'Connell was arrested. They then agreed to think that a great statesman—engaged kto fight on the Continent. But „Tinn in the bitterest ci all wars, that of poll- O'Connell Anyhow. it g-a-yiet ;was ise tb:aresfafamous ties, has another side to his nature altoPu lark.hy Lord Nerbury, the Irish Chief gether. An article appeared in a paper Justice. at O'Connell's expense. "I fear," the other day describing a visit paid to said O'Connell, in arguing a ease. "your Mr. Arthur Chamberlain. Joseph's younger Lordship does not apprehend me.' "I brother. Tho interviewer wound up perfectly apprehend you," was the reply. thus .--- ''No one is more easily apprehended than , The grounds of Moor Green Hall. the re- Mr. O'Connell when he wishes to be appreaidence of Mr. Arthur Chamberlain. are headed." Later, another Prime Minister, I divided from the grounds of Ilighbury. the Pisraeli, also challenged O'Connell but the ' residence of Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, by a fight never came off. charming country lane. Mr. Arthur Chainberlain. who is all good nature and simple courtesy, divine's that his visitor would like Army duelling ceased in England in to have a glance at Ilighbury. So, without 1844. In 1843 Col. Fawcett lost his life his hat, for it is a suninier-like afternoon. !in a duel; in 1844 another officer was he leads the way to the gate of the fa-1 similarly killed on Gosport Sands. A moos house. We proli it open and look ' death by the duel is murder in the eyes of within. A couple of hundreds yards from our law and in earls case the survivor was ! us are three figures on tli... lawn. One is a tried and hail a narrow escape of the hang- . gardener at work. another is a lady looking roan. In India the duel was only abol-1, on with interest, and the third is obviously ished in 1855. To this day it is secretly I her husband. He is in the light tweed omouraged in the Austrian and German I suit of the country gentleman, he has a ' armies, as witness the ease cf the young . note-book and pencil in his hasds, and AS lieutenant who a few years ago was 'drum- I he gives the gardener directions he writes med out, of his regiment because he re- I in his book. Ile half turns round, and we fused to fight a duel. Life was made so . catch the single eye-glass. -My brother... ' unbearable for hint that he committed saytt Mr. Arthur Chamberlain quite simply suicide. It is a pity, if the duel cannot be as we retire without havingbeen seen. -If abolished as it has been in England. that people imagine that he is worrying all day Continental nations cannot adopt the comic and all night about the fiscal controversy opera style of the French. they are very much mistaken. Ile is laying out a new garden, and he throws Inns- ' self heart and soul into it." It was an ' King Peter of Semia must oft recall the agreeable picture to brine away. and all line--" Uneasy lies the head that wears a the more agreeable because one that would crown"—particularly a crown obtained as not readily have been imagined." his was. His position at present is des+o444 perate. If he punishes the officers who I murdered the late King and Queen he will The spaetwele of Mr. Chamberlain potter- I rouse the army against himself; if he ing about in his garden, while the outside I doesn't he will be regarded as an abettor by world quarrels over his fiscal plan very Ithe civilised Powers. Meanwhile the Army much as two dogs would quarrel over a is in bone, is one worth keeping n ones. men- I the ascendant. The officers who i . planned and did the murder openly say :al view. • I that, it will be worse for the Kit,g if he . _ .  04444:  I like to read about duels in France. They are such arrant nonsense. How a sane man can fight a duel—as they are fought in France—and not realise the RS3 he is making of himself Idon't know. One can understand the duel as it used to be. or even the vendetta of Corsica and Italy, or the blood feud of the Arabs, but the French duel—it is a pantomimic adsurdity. minus the limelights and the orcl•estra. Here is an account of one taken out of the papers this week:— "As has been confidently expected, the sanguinary meeting between .101. GemultRichard and Henri Berenger, the two French journalists, who considered that their differences could only be solved on the field of battle, took place under pleasant conditions on Sunday. at 10-30 a.m., in the Velodrome of the Pare-aux-Princes. Mere was a large attendance, and two shots were exchanged without accident."  attempts to punish them. As for tle populace. they don't seem to care a brass farthing for King or anything else. They have even taken to stoning his Majesty 33 he drives about his capital whereupon Peter. in an access of righteous indignation, says he will leave Servia. It is twt easy to sit on a throne who steps have not yet been washed of the blood of murdered monarchs.