I what that remedy might be, and in what manner, as an individual, he might exert himself with effect? The ensuing discourse, delivered first to the people of his own charge, and afterwards before the presbytery, is the result of this investigation. The efficacy of the proposed remedy, if applied, he cannot question; and that in the mass of community there is yet remaining a sufficient abhorrence of the crime to effect its extinction, he can no more question. Whether the public mind can be so generally awakened to the subject, and engaged to act with such decision as to counteract the influence of sophistry, political prejudice, and other causes, time alone can determine. The Presbytery, however, were disposed to make the experiment, so far as the distribution of this discourse, seconded by their own efforts and the co-operation of their churches, might have influence; hoping that this small beginning might awaken a more extensive attention to the subject, and îssue in a general combination of all good men and real patriots, to cleanse the land from blood.

ISAIAH, LIX. 14, 15.

And Judgment is turned away backward, and Justice standeth afar off; for Truth is fallen in the streets, and Equity cannot enter.

THE people of Israel, when this passage was written, had become exceedingly corrupt, and were sinking under the pressure of awful judgments.

But although hardened in sin, they are not insensible to misery; and though regardless of God as their benefactor, they murmur and tremble before him as the author of their calamities.

They admit, indeed, their sin; but suppose that they have made already a sufficient atonement. It is not for sending judgments that they impeach the Almighty, but for continuing them. Not because he is just, but because he hath no mercy. "Wherefore have we fasted, (say they,) and thou seest not-wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge."

The majesty of heaven condescends to reply. He declares their sin to be the cause of his judgments; their hypocrisy and impenitence the ground of their continuance.

The sins which brought down the judgments of heaven, it appears, were national sins. As individuals, the people are guilty, and each has contributed to augment the national stock. But of all classes their rulers and their great men had been the most liberal contributors. Their pri vate characters are abominable. Their public characters are no better. They pervert justice-their feet run to evil -their hands are defiled with blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.

The profligate example of rulers has at all times a most pernicious influence. It had in this case. Conspicuous by its elevation and surrounded by the fascinations of honour, it ensnared the young, emboldened the timid, and called hardened villains from their dark retreats. A tremendous scene ensues-a scene of impurity, intrigue, jealousy, violence, and murder. And there is none to help. All bonds are sundered-the foundations are destroyed. "None calleth for justice." The oppressed call not, because they despair of her aid; and the wicked, because too guilty to trust to her decisions.

Doubtless, in the humble walks of life there were many who had escaped the contagion of example, and who, had they been united and courageous, might have set bounds to these evils; but they neglected to make exertion-they were dismayed, and gave up the cause of God without a struggle.

I have no conception that this state of the Jewish nation is in general a correct portrait of our own. But are there no points of resemblance? I allude to such of our rulers and great men as denominate themselves men of honour; and who, despising the laws of their country and their God, adjust with weapons of death their own private quarrels. To such the character ascribed to the Jewish rulers, is affectingly applicable. Their hands are full of blood; wasting and destruction are in their paths.

I allude also to the impunity with which, in a christian land and under the eye of the law, these deeds of violence are committed. With respect to the punishment of even murder, committed in a duel, "judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off; truth has fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter."

It may be added, that, as among the Jews, the people, who by union and exertion might have limited the evils of their day, remained inactive, so the great body of the nation, although they abhor the crime of duelling, remain indolent spectators of the wide-wasting evil.

But it will be demanded, how are we, the common people, to prevent duelling? We have caused laws to be enacted, and severe penalties to be annexed; besides this what can we do? We can rescue these laws from contempt, and insure their prompt execution. Do you inquire how? By withholding your suffrages from every man whose hands are stained with blood, and by intrusting to men of fair character and moral principle the making and execution of your laws.

It will therefore be the object of the ensuing discourse to exhibit and illustrate the reasons that should induce every man to withhold his vote from any person who has fought or aided in fighting a duel. And,

1. The elevation of duellists to power, is an act directly opposed to the precepts of religion.

Civil government is a divine ordinance. The particular form is left to the discretion of men, but the character of rulers God has himself prescribed. They must be just men. Such as fear God-a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well. Do duellists answer to this description? Are they just men? Do they fear God? Look at their law. It constitutes the party, judge in his own cause, and executor of his own sentence. Its precepts, like those of Draco, are written in blood. Death, or exposure to it, is its lightest penalty, and this with unrelenting severity is inflicted for the most trifling offence, as for the most enormous crime; and as often perhaps upon the innocent as upon the guilty.

When arrested by the fatal challenge, no plea of reverence for God, of respect to human law, of conscience, of innocency, absence of anger, actual friendship, affection to parents, wife or children, the hope of heaven or fear of hell, is for one moment admitted. All obligations are cancelled, all ties are burst asunder, all consequences disre garded." Nor justice nor mercy may interpose to mitigate "the rigors of the controversy. The peaceable must fight "the quarrelsome-the rich man, the bankrupt-the father "of a family, the libertine-the son of many hopes, the "worthless prodigal." It is a law which inculcates no virtue, and which prohibits no crime, if it be honourably committed. It tolerates adultery, blasphemy, intemperence, revenge, and murder. THOU SHALT KILL, is its first and great command, and too much conscience to obey is the only unpardonable sin. The obedient subjects of a law so impious, so unmerciful and unjust, God hath denounced as unfit to govern men. They are disfranchised by heaven. But,

2. The duellist is a murderer; and were there no excluding sentence in the word of God, our own abhorrence of the crime should exclude from confidence these men of blood.

"Murder, (says Blackstone,) is committed when a person "of sound memory and discretion killeth any reasonable "creature in being, with malice aforethought, either ex"press or implied. Express malice is when one with a se"date deliberate mind, and formed design, doth kill an"other. This takes in the case of deliberate duelling, "where both parties meet avowedly with an intent to mur"der." And a greater than Blackstone hath said, “If ɑ "man smite his neighbour with an instrument of iron, so "that he die, he is a murderer. And if he smite him with a hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he "die, he is a murderer. And if he thrust him of hatred, or "hurl at him by lying of wait that he die, or in enmity "smite him with his hand that he die, he that smote him "shall surely be put to death, for he is a murderer." The law of this state hath also spoken on this subject, and in

perfect accordance with reason and the word of God, de clares the taking of life in a duel to be murder. The appointed punishment of murder is death. God, who defines the crime, has himself specified the penalty. "Whoso shed“deth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. The "murderer shall surely be put to death. The avenger of "blood himself shall slay the murderer. Moreover, ye shall "take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer which is "guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death. He "shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.”

These denunciations of the word of God are peremptory, and are to this moment in full force. The law violated by the murderer is a moral law. The cancelling of Jewish ceremonies has not affected it. The penalty is the penalty of a moral law, and the obligation to inflict it universal and immutable. Shall we then dare to rise up in the face of heaven, and turn judgment away backward? Shall we snatch from the dungeon and the gallows the victims of justice, to invest them with power and adorn them with dignity and honour?

But every duellist, it will be said, is not a murderer, inasmuch as death is not always the consequence of fighting. The death of the victim is, I know, necessary to justify the infliction of the penalty in its full extent. But is a crime never committed until it becomes so palpable that the law can take hold of it? I hesitate not to say that every duellist is a murderer, for he hath said so himself. He professes as his own, principles of murder; he tells you that if occasion calls, and his skill be sufficient, he will murder. And when insulted or challenged he hath stood forth in the field of combat, aimed the deadly weapon, and through want of skill only, or through fear, has failed to prostrate his victim; is he therefore not a murderer? Is the professed robber who fails in his attempt, therefore not a robber? Is the assassin, because his thrust was not deadly, therefore not an assassin ?

3. A regard to our own safety, as well as respect to the authority of God, and an abhorrence of murder, should withhold our suffrage from the duellist.