Newspaper Page Text
OLD SERIES—VOL. LHIIIt
NEW SERIES—VOL. IL.
Chronicle anti sentinel.
WEDS EBDAY JANUARY 5, 1876.
WHEItK DUELLISTS MUST BE
TRIED.
A few days since in an article upon
the dnel recently fonght near this city,
the Cvßomcnc and Sentinel stated
that though one of the parties to the af- 1
fair died in this city indictments would
lie in this connty against the surviving !
principal and seconds only for sending :
and accepting a challenge. We said i
that as the homicide was committed in .
South Carolina the parties could be
tried for murder only in that State. In
reply to this we have received a note
from a prominent Georgia lawyer sng- 1
gesting that the opinion expressed is
nnsonnd. He quotes section 4,672 of
the New Code, as follows:
••If ducb wound be given or poison admin
istered upon soil the jurisdiction over which
has been ceded to the United States, within
the geographical limits of this State, or within
from in any county in thin State the indict- ■
merit ahail be found and the cauae tried in the j
county where the death ocean*.”
He adds: “You will see by this that i
“if the mortal wound was inflicted in
“South Carolina and death ensued in 1
“Richmond county, the Superior Court j
“of that county would have jurisdiction j
“of the homicide.”
This view of the case is combatted by
another well known legal gentleman.— i
The latter lawyer says that, in order to j
fully understand the section of the Code
quoted above, one must also read in
connection with it the two sections im
mediately preceding. These are as fol
lows:
§4,070. Offenses on boumlary lines. When an
offense shall be committed on the boundary ]
line of two counties it shall be considered and
adjudged to have been committed in either
county, and an indictment for such offense
may be found and tried in, and conviction
thereon may be had in either of said counties.
§4.671. Death from an act done in another
county. When any mortal wound shall bo
given, or any poison shall be administered, or
any other means shall be employed in one
connty by which a human being shall he killed,
who shall die thereof in another comity, tho
indictment shall be found and the offender
shall he tried in the county where the act was
performed or done from which the death en
sued.
§4,672. Or on soil ceded to the United Slates. If
such wound lie given or poison administered
upon soil, the jurisdiction over which has Iteen
cedetl to the United Slates, within the geographi
cal limits of this State, or within the territory of
an adjoining State, and death shall enine there
from in any county in this State, the indict
ment shall be found and the cause tried in the
county where the doath occurs.
The lust mentioned lawyer contends
that the last quoted section of the Code
manifestly means that if a person is
wounded or poisoned upon soil, the ju
risdiction of which has been ceded to
the United States, within the geographi
cal limits of this State, or npon soil
within the territory of an adjoining
State, the jurisdiction over which has
been ceded to the. United States, and
death shall eusue in any county of this
State, the indictment can be found nnil
the cause tried in the county where the
death occurs. Ho thinks, in other
words, that the latter portion of the
section was intended to cover homicides
committed in an adjoining State, but
upon territory ceded by that State to
the Government of tho United States,
where the person wounded dies in
some connty of Georgia. If such
lie the meaning of the section the reason
of the law is doubtless foimd in the de
sire of the State of Georgia to punish a
homicide, where the death occurred
within her borders, the jurisdiction over
which might be a subject of doubt or
dispute in the adjoining State. The
question is asked: If a man should
shoot Another iua brawl in the streets of
Columbia and the wounded man should
come to Augusta and die, would it be
contended that the party who fired the
ehot could be seut for and tried in Rich
mond county for the homicide?
Theso are tho two sides of the ques
tion as presented by the lawyers. Ac
cording to the reasoning we have given,
wo cannot see that there was any mistake
in the artiole published by the Chroni
lk and Sentinel. If the surviving
parties to the recent duel are to be tried
for murder they must be tried in the
Courts of South Carolina. As we have
often said before, however, laws, courts
and juries will be-powerless to restrain
duelling until public sentiment con
demns a practice os cruel as it is illogi
cal. But there is gratifying and unmis
takable evidence that public sentiment
bas commenced to condemn the duello,
and that we may reasonably hope to see
in the uear futme a rigid enforcement of
laws, and, more potent still, a com
munity whioh will sustain men who de
cline to attempt tho lives of others and
to risk their own lives upbu the so-called
“field of honor.” The press of the city,
the State and tho country speaks upon
the subject with no uncertain sonud; the
pulpit bas nobly seconded the press,and
press and pulpit united can do a great
deal towards removing the evil. That J
duelling can be suppressed altogether,
wo do not believe auy more than we be
lieve that arson, robbery, rape, or any
othffr species of crime, can be extir
pated. But we have every reason for j
believing that a healthy public senti- i
niout will soon make duelliug a very \
rare offense indeed.
AN INDEPENDENT IN THE FIELD.
The following appears in a recent
issue of the Columbus Times :
Vie learn that Judge James Johnson, of this
eitv, has announced to his friends that he is an
independent candidate for Governor. Judge j
Jt>UM*oS has recently left tho Superior Court |
bench, and is now practicing with Col. Inoham. \
Judgv' Johnson has been in politics fora long;
time and is well known throughout the State, j
After the wr hs cast his ballot and influence )
with the Republican party and ever siueo has
been a conststeu'i member of that party. We
learn that Judge Johnson is opposed to all ■
nominations, and will, therefore, ran as an In
dependent, looking to the President s message
as embodying his platform. Wo think any
body will meet defeat that runs against the J
nominee of the Democratic party, provided |
everything is harmonious: but we further j
think Judge Johnson will prove tho most
formidable opposition candidate in the State." j
Judge Johnson is well known to the
people of Georgia and will doubtless i
make as strong a race as any candidate !
can whom the Republicans may place in
the field. He was a prominent actor in
Georgia politics before the war and rep
resented the Columbus District in the
United States Congress—defeating as
strong and as popular a man as General
Henry L. Brasilia. Daring the war he
was a Un. ' on man, and, so far as we are
advised, to,ok uo part in public affairs.
After the wai' be was made provisional
Governor of Ge orgia by Andrew John
son, and carried Put that President s
“policy” until' Charges J. Jenkins was
elected Governor by the people. When
the State was reconstructed by the elec
tion of Bullock, the latter ciade Mr.
Johnson J udge of the Superior Courts
of the Chattahoochee Circuit. This po
sition he held until a few months since,
when he resigned and recommenced the
practice of law. He is said to be a good
lawyer and is s man of fine ability and
good character. He was never implica
ted with any of the frands of the Bul
uooe administration and stands as well
with the people of Georgia as it is pos
sible for any Republican to stand.
Judge Johnson’s declaration that he
is running as an Independent candidate
j for Governor, npon “the line of the
President’s message,” mast be consid
ered a good joke. It is highly probable
that the Republican party in Georgia,
learning wisdom from the numerous
feats sustained in tbe past, will not run
a candidate for Governor next Summer,
and will vote solidly for some'
snch “Independent” as Judge Johm
: son. Bat .it is highly improbabft
that any Democrat can be induced to
I vote for such a candidate upon such a
platform. Judge Johnson is simply
1 running as a Republican in disguise—a
: disguise so simple that it can be easily
i penetrated by tbe feeblest intellect,
j “On the line of the President's mes
sage !’’ Does not every person of
i ordinary intelligence know that General
Grant is a Republican President—the
acknowledged head of Repnblicanism—
and that his message was intended as
tbe suggestion of a platform to the Re
: publican party? If Jndge Johnson
j does not know these things the people
!of Georgia do. What is there in this
i taeesaao from which h* Lu LU
! platform ? Does J udge J ohnson ask the
! people to vote for him because he hates
the Catholics, because he opposes re
; ligion in the schools, because he favors
! the taxation of church property ? If
these are the principles which he ad
vocates he will find many Republicans
in Georgia who will support a Democrat
in preference to such an “Independent.”
While we may have nothing to fear
from Judge Johnson’s candidacy in op
position to the regular nominee of the
Democratic party, and while it may be
considered dcubtfnl whether he could
be elected even with two Democratic
candidates in the field, still his appear
ance should be taken as a warning to
the Democracy to close up their ranks
and put their Best men foremost. The
Democracy of Georgia, no matter what
their strength may have been, no matter
what it may be now, cannot afford to
take any chance of defeat in 1876. The
importance of the coming contest—the
magnitude of the local issues at stake—
the important bearing it will exercise
upon national affairs—should admonish
the Democrats in this State to make no
false step. The convention which will
assemble to nominate a candidate for
Governor must crash bolters and Inde
pendents by acting so that no man will
have any excuse for repudiating its
action. In this way only can the party
be kept together as a compact and
powerful organization. In this way only
can a triumph be assured.
SMITH AND COLQUITT.
Wo find the following editorial para
graph in the last number of tho Athens
Georgian:
What official of the Executive Department
has been so severely criticising General Col
quitt? Can’t somo ono of the Atlanta pipers,
in tho exercise of their eternal vigilance,
ascertain who ho is, that the people of Geor- •
gia may know this official, who is doubtless so
zoalous and apprehensive of his third term.
If this paragraph means anything, it
means that there was some truth in the
reports, published in the Chronicle and
Sentinel some weeks since, of bad feel
ing existing between Governor Smith
and General Colquitt. If this inter
pretation be correct, the paragraph is to
this extent a corroboration of the truth
of those reports. We hops that we may
be mistaken. But one of two things is
perfectly patent: Either Governor Smith
and General Colquitt are at feud, or
else they have been slandered. We
trust that there is no feud between these
two distinguished men. We see no oc
casion for one. Let it be admitted that
each of them is a candidate for the
highest office in the gift of the people of
Georgia; this is no reason why they
should be at daggers’ point. The people,
and the people alone must, decide be
tween them as they decide every contest
of this character. Let them both wait
patiently for the verdict. Personal is
sues cannot add to the strength of
either; they may injure both.
SOUTH CAROLINA.
A Republican paper like the Hartford
Courant plainly points out the duty of
the Conservative oitizens of South Caro
lina. The Courant says; “The corrupt
“ leaders of the black majority which
“ controls the State of South Carolina
“ are doing their utmost to make the
“ people of the North and of the whole
“ nation look with eomposure upon the
“ adoption of any measure which will
“ give the State government to the hon
“est and intelligent classes. The white
“people of Mississippi by sharp practi
“ oes and ballot box stuffing have oap
“ tured that State from the negro ma
“ jority. The black Legislature of South
“ Carolina in a legal and constitutional
“ manner have elected to the highest
“ judicial offices iu the State a number
“ of notorious corruptionists aud incom
“ petents. The Mississippi whites have
“accomplished a presumably good r
“ suit in an improper way; the South
i “Carolina blacks have done an infam
| “ ous thing legally aud constitutionally.
“ Of the two there can be no doubt that
“ public opinion throughout the nation
“ will regard the Mississippi affair as
“ the least blameworthy.”
The Democrats in Sonth Carolina j
I must determine to overthrow the robber
j rnle which is now raining their State.
1 They may rest assured that in their con
test they will have the sympathy o||the
great mass of Northern Republicans.
From the Democrats of the whole coun
try they may expect material assistance
aud support A Northern exchange
; says:
The National Committee of the Democratic
party, which met recently iu New York, after a
i fall discussion of the situation, decided that it
1 was necessary to concentrate the aid to be
! given in 1876 to the South upon Louisiana and
< South Carolina. The other States of the South,
j it was concluded, could take care of tliem
i selves. It was conceded that Mississippi had
been made completely safe for tbe Democratic
i electoral ticket, or t hat any omissions would
be fully supplied by the session of the Legis
lature. which assembles in February next, with
i a three-fourths majority for the Democratic
| party. It was. therefore, decided to secure
| Louisiana and South Carolina. In both States.
1 but especially in the latter, a large campaign
fund was deemed absolutely necessary. An
agreement was made that the sum of (100,000
should be secured to South Carolina, on eondi- j
, tion that (50,000 was raised by tho people of
' ffie State. With (150,000 it was deemed cer
j tain that the seven votes of the State could be
secured to the Democratic candidate.
This statement may or may not be
true. But there is every reason to be
lieve that the Democrats of the United
1 States will give liberally to the good
cause in Sonth Carolina, and that the
Republicans will do nothing for Moses,
Whippeb A Cos. We are glad to notice in
dications of a determination by the South
I Carolinians to right their own wrongs.
• Hon. Thos. Y. Simons hasealled a meet
ing of the State Democratic Executive
I Committee in Columbia for next
1 Thursday. There is good reason for
believing that the committee will re
, commend an immediate and complete
■ organisation of the Democratic party in
I South Carolina. The members of that
committee are : M. C. Butler, of Edge
| field; Wade Hamftox, of Richland;
i Thomas Y. Simons, of Charleston; M.
P. O’Conor, of Charleston; F. W. Daw
-1 sox, of Charleston; John 8. Richard
son, of Sumter; S. P. Hamilton, of
! Chester; Johnson Hagood, of Barnwell;
W. W. Sellers, of Marion; M. W. Ga
i ! rt, of Edgefield; Samuel McGowan, of
ii Abbeville; Henry Mclveb, of Cheater-
field; W. H. Wallace, of Union; W.
D. Simpson, of Laurens. If these gen
tlemen shall act as we believe they will;
if they shall decide to marshal the fall
strength of the Democracy of Sonth
Carolina for a square fight with Radi
calism and Robbery; if they shall pro
vide for an organization of the Demo
crats in every county in the State; if
they shall recommend a discipline which
will canse the party to act as one man,
we feel very confident that the trou
bles of South Carolina will soon be at
an end. The Democrats of Sonth Caro
lina could not have a more favorable op
portunity for redeeming their State than
the one that now presents itself. The
absolute villainy of the party in power
is so plainly apparent that if there are
auy honest Republicans in South Caro
lina bonnd to act with the De
mocracy. The Republicans of tbe North
are unwilling and, if they have the in
clination, are afraid to give their sup
port to the scoundrels who make Re
publicanism a stench in the nostrils of
the World. ia -tvnr
from the suspension of the habeas cor
pus and military draggonades. The ma
terial assistance of the Democrats of
other States will be given to this holy
crusade against corruption and despot
ism. The result in Mississippi has just
shown how easily a large race majority
may be overcome, and how formidable
is the strength of a compact, disciplined
and desperate minority embodying the
virtue, the intelligence, tbe courage and
the wealth of a people. The opportune
moment has arrived when the mistakes
of the past can be rectified and present
evils be removed. The Hour has come;
let it not be said that in South Carolina
the Men were wanting.
THE ELECTION FOR TREASURER.
Some time it became Governor
Smith’s duty to remove State Treasurer
Jones and to appoiut someone to dis
charge the duties of the office until the
Legislature could elect his successor.
The Governor filled the vacancy by the
appointment of Hon. J. W. Renfroe,
at that time assistant to the Comptrol
ler-General. Mr. Renfroe promptly
gave the verj largo bond required, and
has ever since been in charge of the
finances of the State. He is a candidate
for the position, and his name will be
presented to the General Assembly next
January. We hope that he will be
elected, for we feel confident that a bet
ter man for the place can not be
found. As we before stated, he has
been an assistant to the Comptroller-
General for the past three years, and
while discharging the duties of that im
portant position to the entire satisfac
tion of tho Governor, the Legislature
and the people, he also obtained a per
fect knowledge of the workings of tlia
Treasury department. The books of the
Comptroller’s office are similar to those
•which have been, or which should have
been, kept by the Treasurer, and, con
sequently, Mr. Renfroe is perfectly fa
miliar with all the practical details of
the position for which he is an appli
cant. It is manifestly to the interest of
the tax payers of the State tfiat at this
important juncture an experienced hand
should take hold of the tangled threi,.y’
of the Treasury. Mr. Renfroe is also a
staunch Democrat, and deserves well qf
bis party. Ho did much to keep hh
oounty (Washington) firm in tlie faith,
and represented it worthily for two years
in the General Assembly. He is exceed
ingly popular in Middle Georgia, ami
we feel assured that he will not only ,
ceive the vote but the hearty support of
every member from this section of the
State. We have little doubt of his
election by a handsome majority, and
may congratulate the people of Georgia
in advance upon securing the services of
so competent and faithful an official in
one of the most important departments
of the State government.
MINOR TOPICS.
According to a New Orleans telegram, Pinch
back has given up his fight aud will resign
before the Louisiana Legislature adjourns, in
order that a successor may be elected. His
negro admirers in tho Legislature will insist
that ono of their number be elected in his
stead, aud threaten that they will abandon the
Republican party in 1876 unless that is done.
Sir. Ingalls’ bill for .the appointment of
“special agents” to investigate the huge pen
sion frauds is a very expensive affair. It au
thorizes tho employment of forty special agents
to travel about the country at salaries of $1,600
a year each and $4 per diem ‘ ’subsistence, *
besides traveling expenses. This will entail
an expenee of at least $150,000 or $160,000 per
annum. It would he far more economical and
effective to detail men from the existing force
in the Pension Bureau to unearth the frauds.
Forty special agents traveling about would be
very apt to ran np the “subsistence’’ item to a
monstrous figure.
It is doubtless true that the abolition of the
duty on’tea and coffee did not lessen the price
of these commodities to the consumer; Imt
the question is whether, if the tax should bo
restored, the price would not advance propor
tionately. Tho effect intended to be produced
by tlie removal of tho tax was destroyed by
the action of the producing countries ; which
immediately levied an oxport duty to the
amount whioh the Unitod States took off. If
we could be sure that the export duty would be
abrogated, it might be well for us to restore
the tax ;jf not, it will be better to economize
than to raise more revenue in tbs way. The
removal of the tax was a mistaken policy, bat
its restoration might be a still greater mistake.
A medical authority writing to the New York
Tribune regarding the death of Vice-President
Wilson, corrects one or two very prevalent er
rors with respect to apoplexy. Tho symptoms
of this disease, so dreaded and so sudden in its
attack, are due to a lack of proper supply of
blood to the brain, and not, as is generally sup
posed, to an accumulation or “rush of blood to
the head." The raptnre of the cerebral blood
vessels is due to weakness of its coats, which
is the result of general debility or ill health.—
In the great majority of cases there are no
premonitory symptoms. The attack may be
preceded by a sense of weight or fullness, ver
tigo, flushing, etc., bnt these symptoms are
never to he relied on. The liability to an at
tack increases progressively from the age of
! twenty years upward. Another popular error
is that persons with short necks, florid faces
and full habit are peculiarly liable to this at
tack. Recent researches develop the fact that
the majority of persons attacked are either
spare or of ordinary habit of body. Physi
cians conclude that unless one attackjhas oc
curred there are but few, if any, physical
signs or premonitory symptoms which will
warrsut the prediction of an attack in any
ease. ,
It looks more and more as if the fiendish
ness of Thomas or Thomasskx. who charged
himself with the dynamite explosion, was a
j creation of a crazy fancy and not a fact. It is
i mneh more likely that a lot of dynamite was
shipped as freight than that any human being
j would attempt to carry out the plot that he
I charged himself with in regard to the steamer
j Mosel. The shook of the explosion was
enough to upset a weak intellect, and. becom
: ing insane, he might assume responsibility for
the act and tell the incoherent story attributed
to him, without being any more responsible
than any other spectator for the disaster,
j Cases of imaginary guilt and of full confession
of it are frequent, and suicide is also charac
: teristic of insanity. Knowing that an infernal
machine arranged to blow ship, cargo and pas
sengers to atoms was in the hold nobody would
stan on the (flip, even if he knew the trap was
set far several days later titan his proposed
; embarkation. Accidents will happen, and the
man who had full knowledge of the danger
about the Teasel would not be one of its pas-
I sengers. although he did intend to get off and
; with a flourish be left at Southampton. Who
i ever had planned snch an affair, too, would
1 keep out of sight, not aim for publicity. It is,
all iu ail, a most improbable story.
Do not wear your nicest gloves in wet
weather. Drops of water will soon slop
them.
AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 5, 1576.
OPR WASHINGTON LETTEB.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE COM
MITTEE APPOINTMENTS.
The Sober Second Thought—Disap
pointment Over and Kerr Sustained
—The Secret of Morrison’s Appoint
ment-Wood, Cox and Randall Con
tented-New England Snubbed—
Planning for the Presidency—The
Georgia Members—All Honorably
Provided For—A Back-set to the
Centennial—Society News, etc.
[Special Correspondence Chronicle and Senfitid.]
Washington, December 26.—An
almost mid-Summer quiet has followed
the adjournment, so far as political circles
are concerned. The trains east, west,
and south, of night before last and yes
terday, “carried home for the holidays”
all bnt a small remnant of Congress
men who will remain at the capital
daring the recess. Gossip has gradually
crystallized into public sentiment as to
Mr. Kerr’s committee appointments,
and now, insteadvof tbe fiery talk, and
the vehement gestnres in which disap
pointment aud exultation were seen
confronting each other on Monday after
the announcements by the Speaker, we
have a hea'thy residuum of qniet dis
cussion which gives ns a cool analysis
That
Kerr Has Done Admirably Well
In the main can seriously be questioned
only by those who have not been as
signed the distinctions belonging to
them in their own judgment, and whose
self-love has thus been offended. It was
almost a necessity that there should be
numerous cases of well-founded com
plaint, and there are some severe dis
appointments. The final judgment will
be that Mr. Kerr has steered with con
siderable dexterity between the Scylla
of incompetency and the Gharybdis of
sectional prejudice reinforced by Presi
dential jealousies, personal rivalries,
differences as to the currency question,
and contending claims and interests of
all kinds. The great surprise of Mr.
Morrison’s appointment to the head of
the Ways and Means Committee was the
result of an unseemly feud between
Messrs. Cox and Wood, each being deter
mined to prevent the appointment of the
other to the position, which is usually
considered the place of party leader
ship in the House. Under the circum
stances, Mr. Kerr wisely threw both of
them overboard and gave the committee
to a quiet, modest, plodding gentleman,
famed for strong practical sense, and
supported him with men like Ben. Hill,
Ran. Tucker and Fernando Wood. A
careful analysis of the committees will
reveal the fact that Mr. Kerr has
rarely failed to provide places of
distinction for men of real promi
nence and conceded ability, and evin
ces remarkable accuracy of informa
tion as to the calibre of even the
new members. Where there is just com
plaint, it is to be found in the disposi
tion of places on the less important
committees, and there is remarkable
presumption that in such cases the
action of the Speaker was swayed more
or less by those about him from whom
he sought information and advice.
General Good Feeling.
On Monday the outlook was anything
but encouraging, and the Republicans
were exultant at the prospect pf Demo
cratic dissensions while applauding the
fairness of Kerr’s award of committee
appointments so far as the Republican
side was concerned. But resentment
has subsided, and many prominent mem
bers before leaving for home gave Mr.
Kerr assurance of cordial support. Mr.
Randall, who has been assigned
what is really the choice place in
the gift of the Speaker, as the coun
try and Congress are now situated,
was prompt to give his pledge of loyal
support. “I shall do all I can to make
Kerr’s administration a brilliant suc
cess,” said Mr. Randall, on the floor, to
an Ohio member. Mr. Wood, who natu
rally should feel more aedte disappoint
ment than any other member, has grace
fully accepted the place of lieutenant on
a committee of which, by precedent, he
‘should have been the chief. Immedi
ately after adjournment on Monday Mr.
Morrison called a meeting of the Ways
and Means Committee, and he says that
Mr. Wood was thg first man to report,
saying pleasantly: “Mr. Chairman, I
am ready for duty.” Mr. Cox, with
characteristic good nature, says the
Banking Committee is the one above alt
others to suit him, although it is re
membfered that a week ago he protested
that he was fit for service on no other
committees than those*of the Ways and
Means and Foreign Relations.
Tlie Philosophy of the Appointments
Is to bo read both in the character of the
appointees and the known views of the
Speaker. Mr. Kerr is said to acknowl
edge that ’he designed to throw the
weight of power and influence in shap
ing legislation to the West and its
Southern and Eastern allies. New Eng
land has been snubbed with an empha
sis that will teach her people that under
Democratic auspices the Federal Gov
ernment 1 will not be run solely with a
view to the nurture of her public inter
ests. The appointment of Mr. Morrison
is a violation of the precedent that has
always given the chairmanship
of the Ways and Means Com
mittee to the Eastern States. Kerr
is shown by his purpose to give
preponderating dignity and power to
the West to have accurately measured
the eixgenoies of the Presidential fight.
The Democracy cannot win next Autumn
without Indiana and Ohio, and those
two States are splendid fields of Demo
cratic endeavor. Ohio leads off in the
State elections, and I find Ohio Demo
crats and Ohio Republicans by the tenor
of their conversation foreboding Demo
cratic success in that State—the forme e
being very confident and the latter more
than doubtful as to tbe issue next Au
tumn. John G. Thompson assured me
yesterday that with Judge Thurman or
any other good Democrat as the Presi
dential candidate, the Ohio Democracy
will give a larger vote than they gave
Governor Allen in October, and he does
not believe that the Republicans can
come within fifteen thousand of Hayes’
vote. Mr. Kerr is a free trader and a
hard money advocate!, and he has con
stituted his committees in harmony with
the views of the most enlightened class
ol Western Democratic sentiment, which,
after all, is in hearty accord with the
same class of Democratic sentiment in
the East.
How Georgia Has Been Honored.
A Georgia member, who was active
for Kerr’s election, told mo two weeks
ago, a day or two after the Democratic
cancns, that “Georgia would be satis
fied with Kerr’s committees.” Georgia
has indeed been specially honored. Mr.
Stephens has been assigned the head of
a committee which it is said he desired;
Mr. Harris kps also been made chair
man of a committee, while Mr. Hill
has been placed on a committee of
which simple membership is deem
ed of much more distinction than
the chairmanship of an ordinary
committee, aud he has also been made
one of the three Regents of the Smith
sonian Institute. Mr. Hartridge has
been placed upon the committee having
in charge the District of Columbia, and
the positipn is in a very high degree re
sponsible. A close friend of Mr. Kerr
told me this morning that the Speaker
had been especially careful in selecting
the members of this committee. He
wanted men of ability and incorruptible
integrity for the important work of un
earthing the District corruptions. Mr.
Buckner, of Missouri, the Chairman,
will have valuable aid from Mr. Hart
ridge, who, like others of the commit
tee, is a man of flint-like honesty. The
names of Cook, Blount, Felton, Candler
and Smith are fonnd distributed among
the various committees which complete
the organization of the House.
Radical Wrath.
The National Republican, among a
good many other paragraphs, indicating
chagrin at the excellent organization of
the House by the Democracy, has this
choice piece of venom in this morning’s
issue:
The New York World declares that
the “leader of the House is not a talking
member,” but boasts that he will be
ably supported in that regard by Messrs.
Wood, of New York, and Hill, of Geor
gia, who are his cotemporaries on the
Wavs and Means Committee. What a
spectacle ! A Union soldier relying up
on a man who incited the anti-draft
riots in New York and a blatant rebel
for snpport! But what else could be
expected in the ex-Confederate House of
Representatives ?
Randall Takes a Look Into the Ex
penses.
Mr. Randall has already had a pre
liminary meeting of the Committee on
Appropriations. He is confident, after
an examination of the Department esti
mates for the ensuing fiscal year, that
there is a fine field for retrenchment.
It is net believed by members of the
new Committee on Appropriations that
the estimates of the Administration
chiefs can be depended npon, as they
are fashioned frequently to meet party
exigencies and to provide the necessary
lubrications vf° r the machinery of con
ventions anelections.
A Check to Centennial Gush.
There is much talk to-day over the re
jection by the Virginia Senate of the
bill appropriating 810,000 for the pro
motion of participation by that State in
the Centennial exhibition. Doubtless
the bill will ultimately pass, but it is
hinted that the adverse vote just now is
prompted somewhat by the general Re
publican support given to Fort’a resolu
tion. A few more snch demonstrations
as that of Mr. Fort would soon change
the attitude of the South towards the
Centennial affair.
Social Gayety, Ac., dec.
The gay season rarely begins in earn
est until after the holidays. Already,
however, there have been a nnrjber of
private receptions, German' and
Lunches. It is likely that Mallard’s
Hotel, which is the residence ,of the
families of leading Democrats] will be
tho scene this Winter of a eo*rt which
shall rival the display st the White'
House and other resorts of Radical
magnates. A largely attended hop was
given at Willard’s last evening and wa3
intended as the initial weekly entertain
ment of the season. Raymond is giving
the Gilded Age at the National Theatre
to splendid audiences. His Mulberry
Seller is quite as wonderful a creation
as Jefferson’s Rip Van Winkle or
Gwen’s Solon Shingle. Raymond will
shortly visit the leading Southern cities
under the management of Mr. John T.
Ford, of the Washington and Baltimore
theatres. N’lmportb.
WHO SHOULD RULE IN THE SOUTH?
[Boston Qlobe, Rep. ]
While we believe that in most of the
Northern States a preponderance of the
intelligence, the high purposes, the
honest motives and the enlightened con
science of the citizens has hitherto been
at work in the Republican party and is
stil?to be found there, and while we be
lieve that the great interests of the na
tion as a whole are likely for some years
to come to be safer in the keeping of
that party than if given over to its oppo
nents, we have been convinced by the
events of the last few years, and are
more and more confirmed in the convic
tion every day, that men of the Conserv
ative party iu the Southern States are
much better qualified to control their
local administrations, and are able and
disposed to give those Statei much bet
ter governments than they have ever
had or have any hoye of securing
through what is spoken of there as
“Radical rule.” There the state of
things is the converse of that in the
Northern States. The intelligence, the
culture, the best motives and the most
conscience are to be found as a rule in
the Conservative party. In general, too,
we believe that the motives of those who
make np that party are purer and the
purposes higher than those which have
animated their opponents. And aside
from any theoretical considerations,
they form the active and responsible
body of the citizens, and their interest
is in good government.
The native Southerners who by tradi
tion and the stress of events and cir
cumstances find themselves so generally
in opposition to the Republican party,
have every possible incentive far desir
ing well-ordered communities, settled
industries and a state of things which
shall foster the growth and develop
ment of their material interests and tbe
promotion of peace and prosperity.—
They have every reason to wish "for wise,
stable, economical and efficient govern
ments, for all they have and all they can
hope for depends on this. It would also
be conducive to their well-being to do
right by all their citizens, conceding to
them equality before the law and exact
justice in all thoir relatfSms and we’liave
uo donbt that a very If sga 'portion of
them are willing and anxious tot do this,
and that this sentiment trill extend
with every passing year. They have
among them many of the worse elements
of society, ignorant, prejudiced and
brutal, which cause a deal of mischief
and obstruct their better purposes, but
they will bring these more and more
into subjection until they will be no
more troublesome and mischievous than
the corresponding elements in other
sections of (he country.
On the other hand, the “Radicals” of
the South have been made np largely of
negroes, who mean well in the main, but
are densely ignorant on the subject of
political duties and responsibilities, and
easily led by designing men and adven
turers from other parts of the country,
whose purpose has been to advance their
own fortunes regardless of the interests
or well-being of the States in which
they have settled. Their leaders and
managers have in most cases proved
themselves to be unscrupulous tricksters
or unconscionable villains. The Radi
cal governments of the Southern States,
which were inaugurated under the re
construction acts, turned out to be in
most cases the most outrageous paro
dies on free government ever tol
erated by intelligent men. Extrava
gance, recklessness, and official plun
dering characterized them from first to
last. They burdened those exhausted
and disheartened communities with
taxes too grievous to be borne; they
piled upon them loads of debt which
will hamper their energies for years to
come, an t they mismanaged affairs in
tne most disgraceful way. As soon as
the Conservatives succeeded in Trench
ing one of those States from the clutches
of the plunderers, they began the work
of reform, and there can be no question
that the government of Georgia, for in
stance, in the last two or three years has
been a vast improvement on what went
by the name of government under Bul
lock. Arkansas was in a state of chaos
and disorder, and suffered from wretch
ed maladministration until the Conser
vatives succeeded- in framing and adopt
ing anew Constitution, and electing a
Governor of their own. Thera is little
doubt that Mississippi and Louisiana
under Conservative governments would
begin that career of peace and recupera
tion which has been so auspiciously be
gan in their sister States.
The single case in which a Southern
State has escaped from abominable
misgovernment without overthrowing
“Radical rule” is that of South Caro
lina. After si series of ridiculous and
shameful burlesques on State adminis
tration, all the better elements, know
ing it to be hopeless to attempt to elect
a Southern Conservative, united in snp
port of Mr. Chamberlain, a Republican
and a man of Northern birth, who has
proved to be what the best of Republi
cans are in the North. His administra
tion has been one of thorough reform,
honesty and efficiency, but there is dan
ger that South Carolina cannot main
tain the position which she has suc
ceeded in gaining. . The recent election
of ex-Governor Moses and Mr. Whipper
as Circuit Judges indicates that the old
influences are still at work trying to
pall the State back into its degradation.
We wish, for the sake of the Republi
cans, that it were otherwise, but we are
forced to the conclnsion that at present
it is better for the Southern States to
have the Conservatives in the ascend
ancy. They may be wrong in some of
their views on national questions, but
they give the States far better local
governments than they have ever had
from Republicans.
Disgracing His Uniform.— From the
Houston Telegraph we take the follow
ing : On Friday night last the Fay
Templeton Combination played at Deni
son, and daring the play ’Alice Vane
sang herpietnre song eulogistic of Wash
ington, Lee, “ Stonewall ” Jackson and
other gentlemen and illustrious men, ex
hibiting their pictures, when one Colonel
Strang (an army officer, we presume, as
he is mentioned by the Denison News
as a “ military gentleman ’) hissed.
This disconcerted the lady vkry much,
and, in her confusion, she stopped. The
audience clamored for a continuance,
but the doughty warrior rose np in his
seat and peremptorily ordered her to
“stop,” and to “take them away, we
don’t want to hear it! She shall not
sing it here.” The audience cried “Go
on!” and John Templeton, tehind the
scenes, said, “ She shall sing it!” and
sing it she did.
The Athens Watchman says: Mrs.
Waddell, relic of the late Prof. Jas. P.
Waddell and mother ol oar fellow
citizen, Prof. W. H. Waddell, departed
this life at the residence of her son in
this city on Sonday night last. Mrs.
W. was the daughter of the late Rev.
Hope Hall, and had spent the greater
part of her life in this commnnity and
was highly esteemed by alt who knew
her.
THE CODE.
THE WRONGS OF DUELLING.
Sermon by Rev. Dr. Irvine—An Inter
esting Discourse.
Last Sunday morning Rev. Dr. Irvine
preached a sermon at the First Presby
terian Chnroh on duelling, fromExodns,
xx:l3, “ Thou shalt not kill.” We give
the full text:
God is the author of hnman life, and
as He alone can give it, He alone has a
right to take it. There are only two
ways by which the Almighty has seen fit
to remove His rational creatures. The
oue is by natural death, caused by dis
ease, or what man call accident. The
other by the sanctions of pnblio law.
When murder has been committed, and
the laws of God and man wantonly set
at defiance, then Divine Authority, as
serting its prerogative, says “Whoso
sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his
blood be shed.” “Whoso killeth any
person the murderer shall be pat to
death by the mouth of witnesses; more
over, ye shall take no satisfaction for the
life of a murderer who is guilty of
death, bnt ’he shall be surely pnt to
death.” “So ye shall not pollute the
land wherein ye are; for blood’, it de
fileth the land; and the land cannot be
cleansed of the blood that is shed there
in, but by the blood of him that shed
it.” The man who claims the right of
taking the life of his fellow man, under
any pretext whatever, save the righteous
sentence of a broken law, is, according
to the definitions I have quoted, a mur
derer. He has violated the sixth pre
cept of the Decalogue, and the penalty
attached to snoh violation is fixed by
God Almighty: “The land cannot be
cleansed of the blood that is shed there
in bnt by the blood of him that shed
it.”
The laws of all Christian countries are
as clear and explicit in their condemna
tion of murder as the revealed law of
God touching that crime. In all Bible
reading lands the inspired Code is
adopted as the safeguard of human life,
and the death penalty is affixed to the
crime of murder when committed with
“malice aforethought.” It is a capital
felony, and punishable by death.
There is, however, a counter Code—a
Code which sets at defiance alike the
laws of God and man; yes, which sets
aside even self-preservation, whioh is the
first law of nature. It is called “The
Code of Honor," whioh is a misnomer.
This Code assumes that there are cer
tain wrongs done in social life which can
only be repaired to an appeal to arms;
that injuries or insults, real or imagi
nary, inflicted upon us or those whom
we love, must be avenged by the hazards
of a duel. Hear some of the provisions
of “ The Code of Honor," so-called. A
synopsis of these digests will prove
their impiousness, their wickedness,
their blasphemy and their murderons
character. Assuming that certain insults
can only be avenged by blood, the prin
cipals, so-called, must go armed to the
field, but they are accompanied by
seconds. If the principals fail to fight,
the seconds must fight. Hence the
seconds must go*armed to the field as
well as their principals.
The second is bound to shoot the ad
versary of his principal if he take any
unfair advantage. He is also bound to
snoot the other second if he infringes
upon the terms and laws of the duel. If
the principals, or either of them, will
not fight, then the second deserts him
in the field and pronounces him a
“coward.” Again, you are not bound
to fight a minor, unless you have made
a companion of him. You are bound to
fight a respectable stranger. Again,
seconds have absolute oontrol after tho
challenge is given and accepted. Time
may be given to make a will. (See Dr.
Plumer on sixth commandment.) Surely
the provisions of this Code are wicked
enough to satisfy the malice of the
most fiendish man that ever walked this
green earth.
1. It is foolish. Notice the folly of
such a Coda. If the principals fail to
light the seconds mast fight. Here are'
two men who are on terms of friendship,
who never had a quarrel, and might
live and die at peace with each other,
but are dragged by the quarrel of two
others into a hostile attitude, and,
merely to shed blood, without reason
and without cause, they must at least at
tempt to shed each others blood. The
principals in the combat may have a
quarrel, the seconds have none; yet the
seconds must fight if the principals fail,
and what do the seconds fight for ? For
nothing, but because a brutal, barbar
ous “Code” says so. What end is gained
by the seconds fighting? If they are
compelled to fight, no point of honor is
’ settled, no peace is achieved—the ques
tion at issue between the principals re
mains just where it was. If a wrong
was done by the one principal to the
other, the fact that two unoffending and
innocent men kill each other, or that
one of them has been killed by the oth
er, does not repair the wrong. If one of
the principals calls the other a “liar,”
aud a challenge is the result, but the
parties fail to fight, then the seconds
step in and fight. This does not make
the One principal a man of trnth and the
other a slanderer. The question of per
sonal character or honor remains just
where it was, and all that has been de
cided is that one innocent man, prob
ably two, have been wounded or killed
in blood, and killed for no canse. Is
not this the very hight of folly ?
2. It is cowardly. Failing to fight,
by this foolish and bloody “Code ol
Honor,” the duelist is abandoned on the
field and pronounced a “coward,” and
probably published in the journals of
his country as a “coward.” This, to
some, might seem a great ignominy, to
be sbnnned by men of “honor,” to be
gazetted and branded as a “coward.”
What courageous spirit coaid bear such
reproach,?
Colonel James Gardner, one of the
most heroic and daring soldiers who
ever confronted a foeman, when chal
lenged, said : “ lam not afraid to fight,
but lam afraid to sin." There are two
kinds of courage. There is the brutpl
courage ol the tiger, and the moral
courage of the Christian martyr. The
question of courage or cowardice in the
“ Code” may now be considered. A
man is afraid to be called a “coward. ”
Who calls him a coward ? of whom is he
afraid ? Certainly no religion man, no
truly good man, no man whose good
opinion is worth having, will condemn
him for not accepting a challenge.
Therefore, he has nothing to fear from
the opinion of a truly moral or Chris
tian community. But he is afraid of
the opinion of his companions or accom
plices in the crime of duelling. I con
tend that the fear of being called a
coward is itself a proof of the very
greatest cowardice. He is a brave man
who is not afraid to do right; he is a
hero who is afraid to do wrong. The
bravest man on earth is the man who
will obey God’s law, despite every con
ventional Code, and every immoral cus
tom which may run counter to it. The
highest proof of courage we hold to be a
fixed determination to “ obey God
rather than man.” Why, this is the
very glory of true manhood. The
“ Code of Honor ” says it is the glory
of a man to fight. The Code of Heav
en, by the wisest of inspired
authors, says : “It is the glory of a
man to pass over a transgression.”
Proverbs, xix, ii,
The Code of Honor says there are cer
tain offenses which can only be avenged
by the duel. The Code of the Almighty
says “Vengeance is Mine ; I will repay,
saith the Lord.” The “Code of Honor”
says you are a coward if yon don’t fight
and shed the blood of the man who has
done yon a real or imaginary wrong.
The Code of Jehovah says: “If thine
enemy hanger, feed him; if he thirst,
give him drink ; for in so doing thon
shalt heap coals of fire on his head.”
The “Code of Honor” says you mnst
fight, flee or be branded as a coward,
and yon are too cowardly to enoounter
snch a penalty. Is it not far more cow
ardly to tremble before the opinion of
men whose system of ethics is fonnd in
the Code of Honor than to quail under
the lash of a murderer’s conscience and
encounter the dread penalty of the Vio
lated law of God and man ? The gnaw
ing of the worm that never dies. The
consuming fire that can never be
quenched ! He is the greatest coward
on earth who cannot brave the depraved
sentiment, however popular it may be,
which approves what God condems. The
infidel—the atheist—the man of the
world—the 'man of honor, falsely so
called, may laud yon or langh at yonr
brutal courage—bat
"The atheist’s laugh’s a poor reward
For Deity offended.”
Bnt where, after all, is the courage
of the dnelist? Is it not customary lot
the parties engaged in duelling to meet
and manage all the arrangements in the
darkness of tlie night. Is this cour
ageous* Ib it not usual for the oom-f
batants to meet early in the morning,
and in some retired place; sot in the
open streets or parks of onr cities, bnt
stealthily—nsualiy at grey dawn and
outside of the range of public observa
tion. Is this not cowardly? Where is
the honor in such skulking? Then is it
not cowardly of the victor in a duel to
flee his own country. He is afraid of
publio opinion. We contend, then, that
in almost every duel there is more
c&wardice than courage. The coward
in such a case is the man who is afraid
to face the laws of his country and his
God, and is afraid to fight them, but,
according to his own confession, his
only courage is that false and artificial
heroism, which is inspired by a depraved
sentiment, and directed by a brutal
Code, and fed by stimulants. I have
heard of many a man fleeing his country
after murdering his antagonist in a duel,
but I only know of one who fled from
Canada to this Republic, after killing his
challenger, who repented and returned to
Canada, gave himself up to the laws of
his country, which he had violated, and
was condemned to death, but the sen
tence was commuted, and he rose after
wards in his profession, and became a
leading jurist in the country. His is
the only instance of true Christian
courage I have ever known in the his
tory of what is oalled, though falsely
called, “The-Code of Honor,” and he
lived and died an humble penitent.
3. This “Code of Honor” is ungentle
manly. It is ungentlemanly because it
provides that a “man may fight with a
minor if he has made a companion of
him.” Now, a minor, being under age,
is under the guidanoe of his parents or
guardians, and if he commit an offense
against you, the parent or guardian, and
not the minor, is the gentleman against
whom to lodge the oomplaint. If a
minor contract a debt, the creditor looks
not to him, but to. the parent or guar
dian for payment. If a minor embez
zles his employer’s property, the em
ployer appeals to his parents or guar
dians for reparation. This is honest—
it is gentlemanly—but if he offends a
man, and offers him a real or imaginary
insult, by this “Code” he must run the
risk of a duel, and kill or be killed, as
the case may be. The sire of sixty mnst
shoot down the stripling of sixteen be
cause the Code says so. Yet this is
called honorable, because a thing called
“The Code of Honor” says so. Com
mon law and common sense say it is
wrong, sinful and dishonorable, and,
therefore, ungentlemanly.
It is ungentlemanly because it pro
vides that a man may fight with a “re
spectable stranger.” How is the respec
tability of the stranger to be determin
ed ? Two parties meet on board a
steamer, and are strangers to each other.
They engage in the popular game of
whist, and a quarrel ensues. According
to this “Code” they may fight. Now the
stranger in question, or either of the
strangers, may be or may not be respect
able. The question of respectability
cannot be determined by a man’s ap
parel. Nor yet by his manners ; nor
even by his education. Character is
the criterion of respectability, and as
the strangers are utterly unacquainted
with each other’s character, they are not
on terms of equality, and therefore can
not, even by the showing of the “Code,”
fight. In many oases, indeed in most
cases, which this olause of the “Code”
is intended to meet, it would be utterly
Sssible for them to fight. The one
t be a gentleman by birth and edu
cation; the other might be a piokpocket;
yet they are bound by the “Code” to
fight. It is ungentlemanly because, in
most cases, the provocation is an ungen
tlemanly word or an nngentlemanly
aot. A man oalls another a liar, a ras
cal or a scoundrel —the reanlt is a chal
lenge. Now, in the first place, a gentle
man would not use such language.—
Hence, if he uses ungentlemanly lan
guage, yon are not bound to fight him.
Again: If he believes you to be a liar,
or a scoundrel, or a rascal, why should
he, as a gentleman, £pht with a man he
has denounced in suvi/t terms as not his
equal? In either oase, then, there oan
not be a duel, the Code itself being wit
ness.
4. **The Code” is borbarously im
moral and heinously wicked. Tt is an
express violation of God’s law to fight a
duel, and the duelist is at once a sui
cide and a murderer. Every man who
engages in a duel giisi to the field de
termined to kill his antagonist, or be
killed by him. Hence the duelist is
guilty of the double crime of murder
and of self-murder. It matters not
whether he is killed, or whether he kills
his opponent, he is a murderer at heart,
and his crime is aggravated by the fact
that he enters the field with a double
intent—an intent to kill or an intent to
be killed. 'No man has a right to take
his own life, for God gave it; no man
has a right to take another man’s life,
for God gave it. ’ Nay, more; the text
expressly forbids the taking away of hu
man life, under any circumstanoes, save
when forfeited by law. But this “Code”
gives the lie to God’s holy law, and pro
nounces that to be right which God de
clares to be wrong. It thus braves the
Almighty to his face.
It declares that to be conventionally
right which God declares to be abstract
ly and eternally wrong. It aotuallv re
verses the moral law. God says, “Thou
shalt not kill.” The duelist says, “Thou
shalt kill. ” Yon are insnlted—you mnst
give or take blood. Thus it is that the
“Code of Honor” and the Code of Sinai
are as much opposed to each other as
are light and darkness or good and evil.
Heaven and hell are not more contrary
to each other in respect to their in
mates and employments than are the
two Codes—the Code of Jehovah, writ
ten with His own finger on tables of
stone, and the Code of the duelist,
whose provisions warrant the deliberate
shedding of blood.
5. Hence it is that the ablest writers
on jurisprudence have ranked the crime
of duelling among the foulest and
blackest felonies known to hnman law.
Sir Matthew Hale, one of England’s
most celebrated Judges, says touching
the dnel:
“If one kills another in fight, even
upon the provocation of him that’s kill
ed, ’tis murder.”
Therefore, the dnelist, whether Wi
kills or is killed, stands in the eye o:’
the law guilty of murder, and the laws
of God and man brand him as a mur
derer. Blacketone’s definition is very
explicit: “ Express malice is when one
with a sedate, deliberate mind and
formed design doth kill another, which
formed design is' evidenced by external
circumstances discerning that inward in
tention, as laying in wait, antecedent
menaces, former grudges and concerted
schemes to do him bodily harm. This
takes in the case of duelling where both
parties avowedly with an intent to mur
der, thinking it their dnty as gentlemen,
and claiming it as their right to wanton
with their own lives and those of their
fellow men, without any authority or
warrant from any power, either hnman
or divine, but in direct contradiction of
the laws of God and man.” The dnelist
is, therefore, a murderer. If one es
capes, he flees from the field of deadly
combat a murderer in fact, and is pur
sued by the cry of blood. Such are the
principles laid down by the highest au
thority in jurisprudence. They are not
the sentiments of the mere moralist or
the divine, or the expositor of the In
spired Book, but tbe deliberate com
mentaries of learned jurists in expound
ing the principles of criminal law.
Some years ago the Justices of tbe
Supreme Court of the United States
were invited by a committee of the
House of Representatives to attend tbe
funeral of a member who fell in a dnel.
After “mature deliberation” they adopt
ed the following resolutions:
“ Resolved, That the Justices of the
Supreme Court entertain a high respeot
for the character ol the deceased, sin
cerely deplore his untimely death and
sympathize with his bereaved family in
the affliction which has fallen npon
them.
“ Resolved, That with every desire to
manifest their respect for the Honse of
Representatives and the committee of
the Honse by whom they have been in
vited and for the memory of the la
mented deceased, the Justices of the
Supreme Court cannot consistently with
the duties which they owe to the public
attend in their official capacity the fune
ral of one who has fallen in a dnek
“ Resolved, That the proceedings be
entered on the minutes of the Court,
and that the Chief Jnstice enclose a
copy to the Chairman of the committee
of the House of Representatives.”
These resolutions prove that the pulse
of this great Republic beats soundly on
the crime of dnelling. The “ Code of
Honor” is proscribed by gentlemen who
stand highest in the legal profession
and is driven oat of the domain of so
cial respectability. May it sink lower
and lower still, nntil it reach an igno
minious grave.
Bat it is hot necessary to go back to
the legislation of Sinai, nor to appeal to
Bible teaching, nor even to the exposi
tors of the criminal code of England
and America for an explicit definition of
the crime .of dnelling. The Statute
Book of Georgia is as orthodox as the
ritual of Moses or the commentaries of
Coke or Blacksone. The extracts from
one of your city papers (the Constitu
tionalist) of 18th December, 1875, show
that your State Legislature has given
yon a law as sound aud severe as God’s
own law on this subject. That every
guard which human enactment, sanc
tioned by the Inspired Code, can possi
bly place upon the life of a citizen is
provided for by State legislation. You
require nothing more stringent, nothing
more explicit. All yon want is a faith
ful and vigorous administration of yonr
own Code, in order to deter or punish
the parties, if detected in the crime of
duelling, whether they act iu a primary
or secondary capacity. To all this may
be added the sentiment of the press of
our country. The journals of the land,
whether religious or secular, arc unani
mous in tbeir testimony against the
crime of dnelling. The admirable and
well timed editorials of our two city pa
pers of the 18th of December show that
the secular press of Augusta is sound on
this subject. Iu the face of all this ar
ray of testimony, who will venture to
lift his voice in defense, or even in pal
liation of the inhuman practice of duel
ling?
The crime is denounced by the high
est of all authority, the Almighty him
self. It is denounced by the laws of all
civilized nations as unnatural, brutal
and impious. It is denounced by the
press, the pulpit, the bench and the
most intelligent and respectable mem
bers of the bar. It is denounced by the
wailing widow and the weeping orphan,
whose only support has, in a moment of
frenzied fury, been driven into the pres
ence of God, the Judge of all; by the
deadly weapon of an enraged adversary.
It is denounced by the broken-hearted
father, the loving mother, the devoted
sister and the surviving brother, whose
wretched home is draped in sorrow,
eansed by tbe woful tidings which have
been borne from the field of “honor,”
the Aceldama of the duellist. We ask
again who will venture to defend—who
will even dare to palliate the sanguinary
enactments of the “Code of Honor?”
‘ 1 ’Tie hard indeed if nothing will defend
Mankind from quarrels but their fatal end;
That now and then a hero must decease,
That the surviving world may live iu peace.
Perhaps, at last, dose sorutiuy may show
That praotice dastardly and mean aud low;
That men engage in it compelled by force,
And fear , not courage, is the proper source —
Tbe fear of tyrant custom, and the fear
Lest fops should censure us and fools should
sneer—
While yet we trample on our Maker’s laws,
And hazard life for any or no oause.”
6. There is another article in the
“Code of Honor” which demands serious
consideration. We refer to the part,
the awfully responsible part, which it
assigns to the seconds in a duel. Life,
honor, oharaoter—all are entrusted to
two gentlemen, who have it in their
power to arrest the duel or to carry it
through. Now, as there is a right and
wrong in every case, no difficulty oan
possibly occur between any two men in
which one of the two is not blame
worthy. Let the seconds then find
out where the wrong is and make it
right with the injured party. If the
seconds are sensible men, and peace
loving men—men of true honor—whose
only aim is to do right and cause others
to do right, then they have to say there
shall be uo blood shed. We maintain
that the second in a duel is more
responsible than his principal, and if
the seoonds are wise men, there never
can be a duel. This artiole in the
“Code of Honor" throws the entire
responsibility of tbe duel and all its
dreadful consequence on tho seoonds.
If there are degrees in sin, as we be
lieve there are; and if sin is aggravated
by ciroumstanoes, as we believe it is,
then of the two parties, the principal
and his second, the latter is by far the
more enlpable, beoause his spirit has
been roused by no insult, his temper
raffled by no harsh word, his judgment
blinded by no burst of passion, he plots,
plans, advises and abets in this oase of
wilful and “deliberate murder” in a
moment of cool reflection. The murder
of his friend, or the antagonist of his
friend, lies at his door. He drove his
friend into the field of combat. He was
an accessory before the fact. And if it
is recorded of Jereboam, the son of
Nebat, that he was pre-eminently wicked
because “he made Israel to sin,” so it
may be said of the second in every fatal
duel—that he is muoh more guilty than
either the murderer or the murdered
man, for he made them both mur
derers.
That there are degrees of criminality
is evident from the annonneement of
the Lord Jesus Christ, who, addressing
Pilate, said ; “He that delivereth me
unto thee hath the greater sin.” Pilate
sinned in condemning the innocent
Jesns; the soldiers sinned in plaiting
the crown of thorns and in piercing His
hands and feet; the soldier sinned who
Sierced His side; the high priest sinned;
[erod sinned; they all sinned; but the’
man who betrayed Him sinned above
them all. He had “the greater sin.”—
So in the case of the duelist. He sins,
for if he is the challenger he has time to
reflect and ponder npon the serious step
he is about to take, and though goaded
by passion and craving revenge, and
maddened bv insult, yet he has it in his
power to calculate, and to challenge or
not challenge; bnt, when he throws him
self into the hands of another man and
resigns his entire responsibility—physi
cal, mental and moral—into the hands
of a friend, a second, and that friend
says you must fight, we say that second
is by far the worse man of the two.
The laws of the country only regard
him as a particeps criminis, as an ac
cessory before the fact; but in the sight
of God he seems to be by far the more
guilty of the two. He has it in his
power to prevent murder, and yet he
will not prevent it. But as there are de
grees in guilt it seems to us that the
seoonds in every duel are morally more
guilty than the principals. You are
passing a neighbor’s house, and you see
an incendiary striking a match to fire
the premises. The match began to
flicker in the breeze of tho night, and
von hand that ruffian a box of matches
and bid him God-speed in his diabolical
and jeds of darkness; which is the more
guilty of the two, the depraved ineen
dic.ry who, it may be, burns that honse
to take vengeance of a man who has
done him a real or imaginary wrong, or
yourself, a voluntary accomplice and a
willful abettor in the shocking felony ?
And who is the greater criminal in the
sight of God, the frenaied ohallenger,
whose wounded pride and bnrning
passion impel him to seek vengeance for
a wrong under which his soul is writh
ing, or the man who hounds him on to
that atrocious act which chases his im
mortal soul or that of his murdered ad
versary into the presence of an angry
God? Before tho bar of inscrutable
jnstice, and in the presence of “God,
the Judge of all,” tell ma who is the
more likely of the two to become the
subject of Divine compassion! the
slaughtered principal in the fatal duel
or the hollow hearted advisor, by whose
mistaken counsel he was led to the
slaughter.
I can imagine that when tho Record
ing Angel who hovered over that field of
blood, where the frenzied combatants
met, fled back to Heaven’s Chancery to
lay the drastic tidings in, he dropped a
tear of pity over the tragic record and
blotted from its page the names of the
maddened principals in the sad affray,
and charged the blood that flowed, not
to the hand of the demented dnelist who
shed it, bnt to the misguided advisers
whose counsels led to such a fatal
issue.
In conclnsion, permit a word of warn
ing and affectionate counsel to the
yonng men who sit in these pews.
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse
his way? by taking heed thereto ac
cording to Thy Word.” The Statute
Book of Heaven is the highest and
holiest “Code of Honor.” The yonng
man who reads his Bible daily, and
makes it “the man of his counsels,” is
never likely to receive or accept a chal
lenge. In this volume yon have a sys
tem of ethics whioh regulates all the re
lations of life, and announces not only
the dntjes yon owe to God and man, bnt
prescribes infallible rales for their per
formance. Let meput it to yon to-day,
as in the sight of God, whether wonld
yon have it written on your tombstone
that yon were a member of the Yonng
Men’s Christian Association, and that
your life had been spent in “works of
faith, in labors of love and patience of
hope,” or that yon were a brave, daring
hero, who had fonght a dnel, or ten
dnels, and slain as many adversaries, or
reoeived as many wounds ?
Do I address a yonng man to-day
who would wish to walk the pathway of
life pursued at every step by the cry ol
the avenger of blood? Do I see before
vt}A a young man who would wish to carry
the gnilt of a murdered antagonist to his
dying bod, and face tho Judgment Seat
of Christ with the blood of that man on
NUMBER 1
' his conscience? Not one. Is there
within these walls a single hearer, young
or old, who does not shudder at the
nlf? i of meetiD S “God, the Judge of
ail, laden with the sins of a whole life
time, spent in the mere neglect of
known duty ? If so, what must be the ■
state of that soul which is defiled by tha
crime of murder? To avoid the giiaw-’
mg of the worm that cannot die; to es
cape the burning of the fire that shall
not be quenched, there is but one
Course prescribed. Purify your way bv
giving heed to God’s word. Give your
selves first to God and devote your lives
to His servioe.
We recommend to all young men of
our city to ally themselves with the
Young Men’s Christian Association.—
Like the name of the Lord, it is “a
strong power; the righteous runneth
into it and are safe.” It is a city of
refuge, and within its walls the avenger
of blood will seek you in vain. It is a
temple of worship, and on its altars tho
eye of faith may “behold the Lamb of
God who taketh away the sins of the
wo “It is a Christian community,
and the only test of membership is that
you have given yourselves to Christ. It
is an hospital, and it opens its doors for
every young man who is sick and sore
anand sin wounded,
tlie treatment of tho Great Physician. It
is an army corps, and over it floats the
banner of the cross of Christ—the
great Captain of our Salvation. Let
yonr names be placed upon its muster
roll; oe faithful in attending its drill
ana parade; be ready for aotion when
called to your post of duty. The
weapons of its warfare are not carnal
but mighty to the pulling down of
strongholds, easting down imaginations
and every high thing that exaltetli itself
against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to
the obedience of Christ. The euemies
against whom its foroes contend are not
even the ungodly and the profane, for .
this society loves and pities, and would
f a T. 6 m Vllest re P robate reeking out of
hell. They “wrestle not against flesh
and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of tho
darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places.”
THE STATE.
TBtE PEOPLE AND THE PAPERS.
A negro woman and child were recent
ly frozen to death in Jackson county.
They celebrate Christmas in Savannah
by breaking plate glass store windows.
Bishop George F. Pierce has returned
to Georgia after a prolonged Western
tour.
Mr. Joseph Taylor Smith, an esti
mable young man of Savannah, died
Christmas day.
Mr. Henry W. Grady, of the Atlanta
Herald, has been seriously ill with
pneumonia, but is convalescing.
Savannah had the usual Christmas
complement of murders, stabbings,
shootings, drunkenness and rowdyism
generally.
A Christmas row in Savannah cost a
foreign sailor his ear. They would have
taken his cheek, only they don’t need it
in Savannah.
Dr. J. G. Thomas, of Savannah, is a
delegate to the International Medical
Congress, which meets in Philadelphia
September 4, 1876.
It is stated that Mr. Conley, of Jasper
oounty, made this season three thousand
one hundred and fifty bushels of corn
on thirty acres of land.
The Albany News is “willing now to
have a Constitutional Convention, and
will probably interpose no objection to
the bill.” This shows how the thing is
working.
The Henry _ Connty Ledger speaks
right out loud in the meeting. It hoists
the gubernatorial flag to the mast head
and on it is inscribed the name of John
H. James.
Hon. Henry R, Harris, of the Second
Distriot, is a hunter of animals as well
as of men, A few days since he caught
three large beavers near his home in
Merriwetker county.
The citizens of Griffin have appointed
a committee to have the charter so
amended as to materially curtail the ex
penses of government and restrict the
contraction of debts by tho town.
The second trial of Anderson Winn
for killing John Bruce at Dixie Camp
Ground, Hancock county, terminated
last week in a second verdict of guilty.
A motion for anew trial was made.
The Barnesville Gazette is in favor of
a Constitutional Convention, but thinks
that the Legislature is afraid to submit
the question to the people, and that if
it is submitted the people will vote it
down.
The Covington Enterprise says that
Newton county will insist npon pre
senting a candidate to make the race for
Congress in _ that district, at the next
election. His name will be presented
at the proper time.
The editor of the Macon Telegraph
denies, on the very best authority, that
Goveunor Smith has said he would not
run again if nominated. He will not be
a candidate, but will accept a nomina
tion if tendered.
At last the war is ended. E. L. Cham
berlain has been elected Librarian of
the Young Men’s Library, and Atlanta
breathes free again. It may comfort an
anxious world to know that the vote
stood eight to twelve.
Married, on the 23d instant, at tho
residence of the bride’s father, at Point
Peter, Oglethorpe oounty, Ga., by Rev.
Thomas L. Pierce, Miss Fannie, only
daughter of Dr. W. W. Davenport, to
Tunis W. Powell, of High Shoals, Ga.
Atlanta' was almost as prolifio of
Christmas crimes and accidents as Au
gusta. One darkey cut another with
a razor, another broke a brother’s head
with a rock, and yet another darkey
broke his little gun over a policeman’s
head.
Hon. H. H. Carlton is still confined to
his residence in Athens. We hope and
pray for his speedy recovery., Dr. Carl
ton is one of the best men in the State,
and is one of the most intelligent, prac
tical and progressive members of the
General Assembly.
The Jefferson News and Farmer says:
“It is thought that Gov. Smith will not
offer to ran for Governor, but will serve
tho people if’they want him. Well, tlie
people down in this part of the country
would rather have him than any other
man that has been nominated.”
A negro made npon Gen. S. P. My
rick’s Sumter plantation, on five-eighths
of an acre, one hundred and ninety
eight gallons of svrnp, reserving three
thousand stalks for seed, for which he
was offered seventy-five cents per gallon,
two wagon loads of good forage and six
bushels of com, planted between rows.
Within the past week the sale of two
valuable mining properties near Dah
lonega has transpired. The Lamar lot,
on which the recent rich development
was made, has been sold to parties from
Washington, Ohio, and the Gordon
property on Camp creek, has been con
tracted for by parties from New York.—
Work will commence immediately.
Secretary Johnston informs Colonel
Jones, of the Macon Telegraph, that all
the funds of the Fair Association,
amounting to some four thousand dol
lars, are in the hands of tho Treasurer,
Colonel Lawton, and, so far, non corn
eatable, which will explain why pre
miums and advertisements have not all
been paid. He hopes, however, to “set
tle np” ere long.
The Chattanooga Times says there is
not the least doubt bnt that early in the
coming year the first shipment of 1,600
tons of the choicest selection of iron,
Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama fur
naces, will be made. A pig iron bro
ker of Chattanooga is conducting tho
negotiation, and tho Times thinks tho
English market will take every surplus
pound of onr cold blast metal.
This is the way they do it in Coving
ton. Says the local chronicle: “Some of
the young gentlemen of Covington pro
pose making New Year’s calls. Let those
of onr citizens who desire to be con
gratulated on the first day of Jailnary
open their doors and set out their re
freshments. The boys expeot to call
between the hours of 10, a. m., and 4, p.
m. o’clock.
Poetess in the Newnan Star on the
Brinkley wife murder insanity case: I
believe that he was sober, and know that
he was not insane; tho’ he were, then it
would be nnjnst to tarn him oat again.
And even if they should, my sentiments
I will give; I don’t believe our oitizens
will let the villian live. My feelings
were aroused when Brinkley killed his
wife; if she was anything to me, I my
self would take his life. Where there is
a will there is a way, I never knew it to
fail; before this time, I would have tried
to brake ia jail.