Wednesday 6 July 2016

An opinion on Duelling: 1789.








         An opinion of Duelling in Ireland: June 1789. 


                                                       



"To The Printer,           

  Sir,

Duelling is a practice which of late years has been carried to great lengths in England, and is become so prevalent, that a man is liable to be called out and run the risk of losing his life , if he dares advance an opinion contrary to hot brained men of honour.

Indeed, honour is so nice a point now-a-days ,that the most insignificant dispute cannot be determined to the satisfaction of the parties , without an appeal to pistols--------“The satisfaction of a gentleman is demanded”…. Now what is generally termed satisfaction, I conceive in the very opposite light; for I cannot be so fashionable as to bring myself to think, that I am receiving satisfaction when I gave the villain who has endeavoured to take away my character, a fair chance of also to take away my life, should I challenge a man and he accept of it  however infamous that man’s conduct, however villainous his actions to the world they would be buried in oblivion, for it would be readily said , he had shown himself a man of courage, and a man of honour; and without entering any further into the matter, would confide him as such; so that instead of satisfaction I sought, I find that I have only been serving him at the risk of my own life. This is rather supporting than punishing villainy, holding out a premium for its suppression. The absurdity of duelling is therefore palpable; let us now consider it in another point of view.--- I will ask the man who goes out with determined resolution, if possible, to kill his adversary, whether he can reconcile it to his conscience , as an act justifiable in the eyes of  God; ---- But in case conscience to such a man should be a stranger, I shall venture to give my opinion. I do not see that an attempt to murder is a crime of as equal magnitude as having actually committed it; for the intention is to be looked to, and not the deed. Should one of the parties fall, I conceive he can only be looked upon as a suicide, though the other is a murderer for he is neither more nor less saying I shall do my utmost to shoot you and you may do the same with me, he therefore, suffers himself deliberately to be killed , whilst the other is a murderer by doing it and each day tells us fatal are the consequences that accrue from this passion of barbarity------ a disgrace to the laws of  God, as well as the laws of society."
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                         Published anonymously. Obviously worried that they may have upset someone!



                               We are always interested in any material related to duelling in Ireland. 

                                                           Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk

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