One of the fallacious and opprobrious inconsistencies that now disgraces our nation is duelling. Many in this country boast of our intellectual light and mourn over the ignorance of the poor untutored red man. In turn he can point us to a dark spot on our national character that never tarnished the name of a western or eastern Indian. This bohun upas thrives only in communities that claim civilization. In no country has it been tolerated with so much impunity as in our own. By our law it is murder. In no instance has this law been enforced. Widows may mourn, orphans languish, hearts bleed, our statesmen perish and the murderer still run at large and be treated by many with more deference than if his hands were not stained with blood. This foul stigma upon the American name should be washed out speedily and effectually. Let the combined powers of public opinion, legislative, judicial and executive action be brought to bear upon it with the force of a rushing avalanche. Flagrant crimes are suppressed only by strong measures. Among the victims of this barbarous practice was Button Gwinnett, a man of splendid talents and a patriot of the American Revolution. He was born in England in 1732. His parents were respectable but not wealthy. Being a boy of promise they bestowed on him a good education. At his majority he commenced a successful mercantile career at Bristol in his native country. Surrounded by a large family he resolved on changing his location and came to Charleston S. C. in 1770, where he pursued merchandizing two years. He then sold out his store, purchased a plantation on St. Catharine Island, Georgia, to which he removed and became an enterprising agriculturist. He possessed an active mind and was a close observer of passing events. Having resided in England during the formation of the visionary and impolitic plan of taxing the colonies, he understood well the frame-work of the British cabinet. From the course he promptly pursued it is plain he was a Whig in England. The subject of raising revenue from the colonies of the new world had been fully and ably discussed in Great Britain. Many of her profound statesmen had portrayed, with all the truth of prophecy, the result of the blind unjust course of ministers towards the Americans. The most sagacious English statesman then in Parliament, Lord Chatham, exerted his noblest powers to bring the cabinet to a sense of common justice--the only path of safety. Mingling with intelligent men at Bristol, Mr. Gwinnett had become well informed upon the litigated points in controversy and was well acquainted with the relative feelings and situation of the two countries. When the question of liberty or slavery was placed before the people of his adopted land he declared in favor of freedom. Knowing the superior physical force of Great Britain and the weakness of the colonies, a successful resistance seemed to him problematical. His doubts upon the subject were removed by the