middle, and my friend facing them. Wel tified in bringing in a verdict of manslaugh shall proceed to step the ground, if you ter. In which case, I and my friend Bertin please." here would, of course, very likely be found guilty too. But we will risk it-we will risk it." Here the colonel was seized with a sudden fit of coughing, which compelled him to retire a pace or two, and lean against a tree. As for the Americans, they stood gaping in amaze. Why, what do you mean?" asked one of them at last. 66 "A straight line is the shortest between three points, as they say at Trinity," replied Mr. Power, sententiously. "You don't mean that he is to fight us both at once?" exclaimed Mr. Blagge. "Yes, but I do though! The insult was offered to both at once-t -the satisfaction shall be in the duplicate ratio-according to the lex talionis," rejoined Mr. Power. Maybe that won't just bother them?" he added to himself. 46 Fight us both at once!" cried Mr. Curwen, echoing his friend. "Oh yes," said Mr. Power; "we don't mind the odds; we waive all that." "And stand all in one line!" exclaimed Mr. Blagge. "Why not exactly," returned the Irish gentleman; "he must see you both, of course, and you must both see him; so a dead cover would not do. But you will be as nearly in one line as possible, so as not to divide his attention too much." "Never heard of such a thing!" said Mr. Blagge, uncomfortably. "Why, I might be shot by my friend here!" "I shall shoot down Mr. Blagge!" cried Mr. Curwen, corroboratively. Here Colonel Bertin, who had rejoined the party, had to leave it again; he could stand it no longer, and had to take Mr. Woolley's arm to steady himself. When a habitually grave man becomes a victim to laughter, it is no joke to him. But not a muscle of Mr. Power's countenance changed, ludicrous as was the perplexity painted on the four long visages before him. "We don't fix things that way in America, sir," remarked one of the party at last. "No?" said Mr. Power. "You surprise me! But you will observe that we are not in America here." This once more posed the others. It might, for all they knew, be the European fashion to fight duels in the rectilineal style; one of them remembered to have read somewhere of a triangular duel; and if the one why not the other? It would make them feel " very mean "if they should be convicted of ignorance as to European usages on such a point. "We shall consider your proposal, sir," said one of them after they had looked vacantly at each other for a lit tle; and they turned away to confer. "Very good, but be quick about it; we have lost half-an-hour already, you know," said Mr. Power, carelessly, as he joined his two friends. Then-"Bertin," whispered he savagely to the colonel, "if you let one of these fellows see so much as the hind leg of a laugh, I'll never forgive you. As to "You had better not, sir," returned Mr. Power. "That, however, is your affair-you, my young friend, remember you have and his." placed yourself in our hands; so don't protend to have a word to say for yourself. I shall explain everything afterwards: you may be sure that your honor is as safe as if it were my own. But I must go back to my monsters.' So back he went, and the negotiation was resumed. I shall not further give the details of it. Suffice it to say, that Mr. Power gradually brought down the hostile party to their true level. They began to hint at an apology. He declared himself ready to treat. "Mutual apologies were to be exchanged; that by Messrs. Blagge and Curwen to precede any made on the part of Mr. Woolley: "We go, of course, in the order of time," "That again will be his fault, not yours, answered Mr. Power. "But it is true, after all," continued he, reflectively," and I don't say but that, if he did, a jury might be jus 1 said Mr. Power on this point. Finally, they | you were saying just now about the way I should adjourn to the nearest café for the bothered them, be easy on that score, my purpose of drawing up the instruments. This was done, and Mr. Blagge's second wrote as follows, to Mr. Power's dictation : "Mr. Franklin Blagge and Mr. Jefferson Curwen express their extreme regret for the unjustifiable language used by them on the evening of 4th July, in presence of Mr. Arthur Wellesley Woolley, and hereby apologise, in the fullest sense of the term, for the expressions which called for a reproof on the part of that gentleman." boy. Duelling is a relic of chivalry, and This being duly signed, Mr. Power wrote under it the counter-apology in these terms: вее. So you need never have any scruples "Colonel Bertin and Mr. Dennis Power, on the part of Mr. Woolley, accept the above apology as sufficient, and express for him his regret that he should have been compelled to act as he did." as to declining to meet an American. And "No gentlemen in Ireland!" interrupted Mr. Woolley, laughing-he was in great spirits now-while the colonel nodded approvingly, as who should say, "You had him there! " And with this the Americans at last contented themselves. At last, I say, for they certainly did raise some objections to Mr. Woolley's apology, on the ground of its not being sufficiently "explicit," as they said. But-" Very well," said Mr. Power, when they thus demurred. "I suppose you want to exhibit the document, and in that case I am quite ready to insert in it a reference to your having had the wine." Upon which they thought it might be as well not to insist. They were not, indeed, quite clear that they had got handsomely out of the scrape, but their intellects being somewhat obfuscated, and one of the seconds having actually fallen asleep with his head on a "Oh murder!" cried Mr. Power, "this marble table, where, probably to cool it, he will never do? You are getting clever on had laid it down, the matter was finally our hands now! What I mean, of course, arranged as above. Copies of the "apolo- is, that there are Americans who are as little gies" were made and éxchanged, and then, Americans as I am, I hope, just, as, in Iredeclining their request "to liquor over it," "land, there are gentlemen who are no gentleand with a dignified bow to the precious men. But now, after all, I come back to fraternity, Mr. Power took Mr. Woolley's what I was saying last night-never in any arm, and accompanied by the colonel, who case fight a duel unless you must entirely. was now grave and calm as usual, left the And by the way-just one little morsel of scene of his successful diplomacy. advice. Don't speak of this affair to your brother officers, either at mess or privately. I shall take care they hear of it, and you will get credit for modesty it's a vice I'm not given to myself, but I can appreciate it in others, for all that. And when they do come to speak of it, just hum and haw in your best style, and refer them to me for particulars; saying as little as you can about it yourself." An hour later the breakfast of the three gentlemen, at the Café de Paris, became a half-accomplished fact. And then thus spoke Mr. Dennis Power "Well, Mr. Woolley, if your leave is nearly expired, and you must go to-day, why then you must, I suppose. I am very glad we met, because, if we had not, these Americans might have bothered you. As to what This advice was kindly meant: it proceeded | career-a sickening feeling came over the from a fear that Mr. Woolley might be retired gimcrack-maker: he thought how his tempted to make too much of his adventure. only son might have been brought, a bleedI may add here, that Mr. Woolley followed ing corpse, to his door at Clapham: he it, and that Mr. Power kept his word. thought how likely it was that such a thing "Woolley," said Major Baldwig one day might yet happen-if, for instance, the regi within the month, and in presence of the ment were ordered to India, and there were whole mess, "you never informed us of that any fighting there. So he besought his son affair of yours in Paris-why didn't you tell to give up his military prospects: "My us that, instead of talking nonsense about brave boy," said he, "there is no hope of the personnel of the French army, and the rapid promotion in time of peace. You may danseuses of the opera, neither of which never get to be so high up as a general, let subjects you can be expected, at your age, alone a field-marshal. You have done your to know much about? Why, I have a letter duty in the way you were called upon, as I to-day from my old friend Burke, congratu- did before you, and no man can do more. lating me on having such a fine young fellow So you have done enough. Do not let your with me as you are. Think of that, sir!" zeal impel you to resist my entreaties. I Mr. Woolley, on this, blushed and bowed. implore you to send in your resignation to "Why, he says," continued the major, the commander-in-chief immediately." "that he had just heard from an old chum of his, a Mr. Dennis Power-and a better judge, he adds, could not be that when you were in Paris, you covered yourself with immortal glory, as the French say, by totally defeating no fewer than four Yankee-Doodles -eh?" Here all eyes were turned in curious inquiry on Mr. Woolley. "that "He says," the major went on, the way you resented some impertinence relative to Her Majesty and this country was perfect-speaks of a written apology you extorted from them, and so forth. You are a regular fire-eater, it seems. I congratulate you, Mr. Woolley; sincerely, sir; it was very well done of you. Only you should have told us of it, you know." "Aw," said Mr. Woolley, remembering his Irish friend's advice, "it's no use talking about these things. I believe-aw-I did what was right-all according to Cocker, I dessay. But-aw-a bagatelle-not worth speaking of." This step, or one equally to the purpose, Arthur Wellesley, after a little haw-hawing, consented to take; the more readily that he was so anxious to espouse the fair Lavinia, whose father had vowed a vow that espoused she should never be by any member of a marching regiment. So Mr. Woolley bade farewell to the gallant Nth, and was mar ried, and has lived happily ever since. Old Mr. Woolley is dead, having lived to a good old age: his last words were, "Up Guards and at them." His son sold the Clapham "willa" very advantageously, and with the proceeds, and the rest of his father's fortune, and the large portion of his wife, bought an estate and a mansion. Thence, regularly once a-year, he makes a tour; the extreme points of it being Clew Bay and the Bois de Boulogne; in the neighborhood of which, respectively, he and his wife and his children were ever warmly received by his former "witnesses," while these still survived, and by other Powers and Bertins for their sake since. Having grown portly, be And, after that, Mr. Woolley was much makes an excellent county magistrate, and, respected by his comrades during the short indeed, is deservedly looked up to by his time he remained in the regiment-the short brethren on the bench. He is exceedingly time; for my hero soon afterwards left the hospitable, especially to all the officers army. When his father read the affecting stationed in the garrison town near him. He letter above mentioned-Arthur Wellesley often prefaces a remark with the words, had preserved it, and he put it into the old "When I was in the Nth," and he has a gentleman's hands on his return home, as a favorite story, which, as soon as he left the proof that he had remembered him in what army, he began to tell frequently, It is might have been the last hours of his mortal about a duel he did not fight. From The National Intelligencer. and by sea equally in ships; the battle and the sea have proved the winding-sheets of War against commerce is the least op- thousands cut off in the prime of life, and pressive, most humane, and most effectual in fatherless children, widowed mothers, and bringing about peace, of any other means to aged parents, dependent upon sons for supbe employed by maritime Powers. It is a port in the down-hill of life, are thus fact, not to be lost sight of in discussing the suddenly thrown upon the world's cold propriety of privateering, that, from the charity, or, what is worse in the United descent of the Spanish Armada and the days States, upon the forlorn hope of a pittance of Van Tromp, the sovereignty of the seas by way of pension grudgingly meted after has been claimed, and it may be said suc- years of humiliating supplication and knockcessfully, too, by some one great naval ing at the doors of Congress. Such, I am Power. Unlike the relative strength of reluctant to admit, was about the result of nations on land, who are sometimes so nearly our last war with England, when the bellibalanced by numbers and wealth or geo- gerents came out of the war relatively, as graphical advantages as to be able to hold regards national strength, about as they each other in check for ages, no such commenced it; but the honors and moral counterpoise has long continued on the effects were on our side, and a fair balance ocean, as history well attests. From the sheet would show us largely the gainers in breaking out of the war of the French Revo- £. s. d; but for this latter item we stand inlution till the close of that war by the battle | debted to our private armed navy. of Waterloo, the maritime Powers of conti- Captain George Coggshall, in his admirnental Europe were little more than ship- able history of American privateers, says an builders for the royal navy of Great Britain; aggregate of two thousand sail of British for it is an undeniable fact that, while shipping were captured by our little navy, France, Spain, and Holland all built better with the aid of privateers and letters of ships, faster sailers, &c., than England, yet marque, exclusive of captures made on the comparatively few men-of-war, if even fairly great Northern Lakes. Of these two thoulaunched at sea in a war with England, re- sand captures upon the high seas, thirteen turned to their original owners. But it has hundred and thirty were taken by private been said that the trident of Neptune was armed vessels. Mr. Coggshall further states stricken from the Lion by the Eagle of that "I have found it difficult to ascertain America, thrown to the battle's breeze by the exact number of our own vessels taken the gallant Hull on the 19th of August, and destroyed by the English, but, from the 1812, And so it was, and so it ever will be best information I can obtain, I should under like circumstances; but, beyond judge they would not amount to more than national pride, shame, and glory, what five hundred sail," leaving us a clear gain of effect have such victories on the continuance fifteen hundred British ships, which, as of war? Certainly not to shorten it, for while the vanquished at the beginning of a war will thirst for opportunities to retrieve his losses, so will the conqueror pant for new victories; and thus the war-spirit becomes inflamed and excited to a pitch too high to be reached by prudent or calm reasoning, and war is thus continued for the sake of war and hope of glory until the means of carrying it on shall fail, or until some friendly Power, perhaps a quasi rival, shall think the belligerents have reduced themselves to her own level, and shall then offer mediation; and soon peace is restored, but perhaps without so much as a discussion of the questions on which the war was commenced. Both nations have lost by battle being taken from the enemy and appropriated to our own wants, could fall but little short in value of the cost of the war to us. To the actual value of ships taken from the enemy it is but just to add at least 50 per centum for protection afforded to our own commerce and coast trade by the full employment our privateers gave the British navy, remembering too, that these private armed vessels-only 250 of them-cost the Government nothing save only the parchment on which their commissions were printed. In the capture of the Guerriere by the Constitution there were forty-six Englishmen killed and sixty-nine wounded in a single battle, the effect of which was to excite the war spirit; whilst the capture of fifteen hundred British merchantmen, worth | ages, and ought not to be tolerated in these probably near a hundred million of dollars enlightened days of christian philanthropy. striking terror to the British Government, So is the monster, war, in all its phases, but her capitalists, and her subjects of every least of all when directed against oceanic class, was doubtless accomplished with fur commerce, since the sacrifice of life is comless loss of life and human suffering. I do paratively small, and the loss of property, not deny that the capture of the Guerriere though often large, is so owned and disby the Constitution and our naval success in tributed as to be seldom overwhelming to general in the war of 1812-'13-'14 had a any one. Most ships and their cargoes, very important influence on the war spirit especially in time of war, are owned conof England. It could not be otherwise, jointly by wealthy merchants, who protect because it broke the charm of invincibility their interests by insuring in joint stock on the sea, so long claimed for the Lion and companies composed of rich bankers, lords, the Crown; it humbled the Briton's vain nobles, and others of large estates throughout boastings, and taught her a new lesson in the realm, who, to be sure, are occasionally naval tactics, to wit, that to meet a Yankee made to taste of the horrors of war in the foe on the ocean was not always followed by way of increased taxation and short divivictory to the British arms, but most gene- dends, occasioned by captures on the sea; rally the reverse; but I do mean to say that, and thus it is that war on commerce is in a war between the United States and carried into the pockets of those who make Great Britain, the havock which five hun- and maintain wars, and in that way pri dred-and we could send out a thousand vateering is most potent in restoring and -well appointed private armed vessels maintaining the peace of the world. would commit on English commerce, despite her thousand men of war, would have more influence in preventing hostilities and restoring peace than many pitched battles and bloody victories gained, on land and sea, by regular armies and navies, and at the cost of so much treasure and frightful sacrifice of human life and entailed misery on "Many a babe left fatherless But a faithful Something has been said about the morality of privateering. All wars are against morality, and the day was when privateering was looked upon as a mere license to rob, and but little removed from piracy. The same may be said of some great naval expe ditions in olden times. history of American privateersmen, both of the Revolution and the late war with England, will show that privateering under the flag of the United States has ever been conducted with as much humanity, gallantry, and moral propriety as by the most chival rous naval commanders of the present or past time. T. AP C. J. From The Times, 16 July. And many a widow moaning." A nation's wealth is estimated by its population; but who can set a moneyed value on human life? It is above price when compared with gold and silver. Whosoever taketh life shall pay the forfeit by his own life, and no amount of treasure can avert the sentence of the law in such cases; IN forming an opinion on the Maritime thus showing that the value of human life Convention of Paris Lord John Russell canwith civilized nations is indeed above all not be accused of the precipitation which he price. The truth of this proposition will imputed to Lord Clarendon on Tuesday night. hardly be called in question by any moralist The state of international law may possibly of the present age. It therefore follows as be alarming, but there is certainly no recent the first duty of Governments, not only to or sudden cause for alarm. A year and three avoid war by all honorable means at com- months have elapsed since the time at which mand, but, whenever forced to take up arms the maritime supremacy of England is al in self-defence, to use her arms and other re-leged to have been hastily sacrificed. It is sources of annoyance so as to inflict the true that, owing to the pressure of diploma severest blow she can upon the enemy with tic necessities, the arrangement was effected the least possible loss of human life and annoyance to peaceful and rural inhabitants. But war against private property on the high seas is said to be a rule of the dark without previous reference to Parliament or to the country, but the seeming irregularity has been condoned by general acquiescence in the new code of Maritime Law. |