Year: 1859

Let this system, therefore, gain among tn,


masses sqelr place as it has among thost


who call themselves gentlemen, and the day


will not be far away when savage fprocity


and brute force shall take entire possession o


all the places which law and government


and civilization and religion now FILL 1t i,


because of this that all of the States of thi.
Union, with scarce an exception, have such


stringent enactments against the principles


of this code This is as true of those where
public opinion iusti6es a resort to the duel as


where it is never known They know that


checks and penalties must be put upon it to


hinder the relapse of society into barbarism.


aud to keep ont of it stern and bloody


oligarchy, who erect a government of their


own within the government which we seek


to uphold, and who set aside all that religion


or virtue would uphold in carrying out their


deadly intents.


This, then, is this dueling system and these


are some Of the horrid features which belong


to it. But criminal as it is, it is system


which public sentiment among us now sus-


tains Scores aud scores have already fallen


and blood spots are on our history which


will not out" We have, it is true. n


stringent enactment, but that enactment


might as well be written on the sand MS on


our statute book Men among us give and


accept challenge with perfect impunity


and this not the corrupt and buse alone, but


those in the highest places of honor and of


power and from whose lips have as,ed nm


oath that they will support the constitution


and laws of the State. They do not have


even respect enough for the law nor for their


oath TO go out of the State and settle their
quarrel, but stand in the very subur, of onr
great metropolis and with scores Of specta-
tors about them, discharge their deadly
weapons at one another. No one interfere
No officers of the law are at hand. Justice
has not a single open friend. And when the
deed is done, the successful one in the con-
flict, not only escapes, but he soon takes his
place among men, and that, too, without any
detriment TO his social and civil standing
In some cases there may be the farce Of a
trial, but it ever results in n clear and ready
acquttal. No brand of Cain is put upon his
brow that makes him feel, as the first mur.
derer did, that he is a vagahond in the earth


His party does not disavow him society does
not exile him, and shame honor. humanity
and religion sound out no withering voice of
rehuke against his bloody deed. Strong edi.
toriaIs are written in manifold papers to JUS
tify it. But this numbering duelist not only
escapes, but his course gives TO the accursed
practice new attractions. A false hon
or takes the place of that which is true.
and all youthful aspirants for fame and for
place come to understand that the path for
their ambition lies, not along that of intelH
gence and the highest virtue, but along that
of personal danger and blood This where
the Code obtains, is the test Of courage and
the road to place and honor M matter fit
despise God and law and nature and trample
under foot every relation which the fimiIy.
or friendship or society can impose. Nomat-
ter if it takes husband from his wife. n
father from his helpless aud dependent chill
dren and gathers its ghastly tribute from the
agonies of parents bereaved in their old age.


But my hearers, is such state of thing.
as this, one to which with our law and civili-
zatiou and religion we are tamely to submit
Are We to have sustained among us in spite of
our schools and churches and courts a system
of rutfianism more degraded than was sub
mitted to in the feudal age, in which the
Duel had its rise? Then. it was regarded as
the voice Of God altestiug the right and
maintaining the cause of the innoceat. Ill
was not used then as the covert means for
private revenge, retaliation and murder But
with us the Code is sustained by the stern
practice and discipline of n whole life. and he
comes off the best who has the most nerve
and skill. and not he whose cause is lust.


III conclusion, then. let me say, my hearers,
there is II solemn responsibility on each one
of us in respect to this matter. We have Il
stringent law on this subject. But of what
use is it when by demoraized public opin-
ion it is but dead letter upon the statute
book, This law has no inherent power to
execute itself Ifit is ever made to be worth
the paper on which it is printed, it must have
the aid Of the public opinion inwhich it had its
birth. If this is depraved, revenge or wound
ed honor will take the law into its own hands
whenever it may please to do so. The code
of the Barbarian will take the place of that
of Justice. Let this be so for tine let
public sentiment become q little more de-
bauched and all of our communities will pro-
ceed to make the code Of the mob the law of
lis action, and will thus sweep away all Of
the good elements which human society with
such ages of toll has been gathering into its
bosom. There is, therefore, repeat it, on
each one Of us n deep responsibility which We
cannot shake off Every drop Of blood spill
ed in these personal contests lies at our door
They are as DDS voice and the voice of our
outraged laws crying in our ears. They are
voices of Justice cAlling upon US TO combine
and concentrate the deadened sentiment ofI
this whole people on this important subject
They tell the press and the pulpit that they
each have a duty to do. So have you in your
homes, in your Offices and stores and in your
votes. 1t is time for us to awake. 1t is time
for us to give TO this practice among us its
right name, and brand it with the curse
= 4. :. ~


States Of the Union. Most OF the Western
States have had to pass through the bloody
ordeal through which we are now passing
Illinois alone is an exception. There has
never been but one duel fought in that State
One Of the parties fell on the field Of conflict
His opponent escaped. Twelve years after
he returned. He was arrested, tried for muir
der, convicted and hung Ever since that
tiIAe wounded honor has found more put
ciic mode of wiping off its stains The Code
of Honor has made way for that of Justice
and Law. public sentiment sustains there
the Inv which wise and careful del beration
on this subject has matured and expressed
So may ii be among us if we utterly repudi-
ate this practice ourselves and disuwn those
self constituted Judges in the Court of Honor
who disguise private retaliation and revenge
under the name of courage,n and the satisfaction
of gentlemen under that of murder and blood.
So may it be among us if we but have cour-
n ve, patriotism and virtue in our bosoms.
We can give these sentiments expression. We
cnn stand hy and encourage the man who up
on principle refuses to give or accept a chal
lenge We can do much to stop this relapse
into the barbarism into which those who up .
hold this custom are endeavoring to force us
We can make human life a thing too sacred
to o given up for nisspoken or heated