SECOND'S DUTY BEFORE CHALLENGE SENT. 1. Whenever you are applied to by a friend to act as his second, before you agree to do so, state distinctly to your principal that you will be governed only by your own judgment, - that he will not be consulted after you are in full possession of the facts, unless it becomes necessary to make or accept the amende honorable, or send a challenge. You are supposed to be cool and collected, and your friend's feelings are more or less irritated. 2. Use every effort to smoothe and tranquilize your principal; do not see things in the same aggravated light in which he views them; extenuate the conduct of his adversary whenever you see clearly an opportunity to do so, without doing violence to your friend's irritated mind. Endeavor to persuade him that there must have been some misunderstanding in the matter. Check him if he uses opprobrious epithet towards his adversary, and never permit improper or insulting words in the note you carry. 3. To the note you carrying writing to the party complained of, you are entitled to a written answer, which will be directed to your principal and will be delivered to you by his adversary's friend. If this be not written in the style of a gentlemen, refuse to receive it, and assign your reason for such refusal. If there be a question made as to the character of the note, require the second presenting it to you, who considers it respectful, to endorse upon it these words: "I consider the note of my friend respectful, and would not have been the bearer of it, if I believed otherwise." 4. If the party called on, refuses to receive the note you bear, you are entitled to demand a reason for such refusal. If he refuses to give you any reason, and persists in such refusal, he treats, not only your friend, but yourself, with indignity, and you must then make yourself the actor, by sending a respectful note, requiring a proper explanation of the course, he has pursued towards you and your friend; and if he still adheres to his determination, you are to challenge or post him. 5. If the person to whom you deliver the note of your friend, declines meting him on the ground of inequality, you are bound to tender yourself in his stead, by a note directed to him from yourself, and if he refuses to meet you, you are to post him. 6. In all cases of the substitution of the second for the principal, the seconds should interpose and adjust the matter, if the party substituting avows he does not make the quarrel of his principal his own. The true reason for substitution, is the supposed insult of imputing to you the like inequality which if charged upon your friend, and when the contrary is declared, there should be no fight, for individuals may well differ in their estimate of an individual's character and standing in society. In case of substitution and a satisfactory arrangement, you are then to inform your friend of all the facts, whose duty it will be to post in person. 7. If the party, to whom you present a note, employ a son, father or brother, as a second, you may decline acting with either, on the ground of consanguinity. 8. If a minor wishes you to take a note to an adult, decline doing so, on the ground of his minority. But if the adult complained of, had made a companion of the minor in society, you may bear the note. 9. When an accomodation is tendered, never require too much; and if the party offering the amende honorable, wishes to give a reason for his conduct in the matter, do not, unless offensive to your friend, refuse to receive it; by so doing youmay heal the breach more effectually. 10. If a stranger wishes you to bear a note for him, be well satisfied before you do so, that he is on an equality with you; and in presenting the note, state to the party the relationship you stand towards him; for strangers are entitled to redress for wrongs, as well as others, and the rules of honor and hospitality should protect him. CHAPTER II - THE PARTY RECEIVING A NOTE BEFORE CHALLENGE. 1. When a note is presented to you by an equal, receive it, and read it, although you may supposed it to be from one you do not intend to meet, because its requisites may be of a character which may readily be complied with. But if the requirements of a note cannot be acceded to, return it, through the medium of your friend, to the person who handed it to you, with your reason for returning it. 2. If the note received be in abusive terms, object to its reception, and return it for that reason; but if it be respectful, return an answer of the same character, in which respond correctly and openly to all interrogatories fairly propounded and hand it to your friend, who, it is presumed, you have consulted, and who has advised the answer; direct it to the opposite party, and let it be delivered to his friend. 3. You may refuse to receive a note from a minor, (if you have not made an associate of him); one that has been posted; one that has been publicly disgraced without resenting it; one whose occupation is unlawful; a man in his dotage and a lunatic. There may be other cases, but the character of those enumerated will lead to the correct decision upon those omitted. If you receive a note from a stranger, you have a right to a reasonable time to ascertain his standing in society, unless he is fully vouched for by his friend. 4. If a party delays calling on you for a week or more, after the supposed insult, and assigns no cause for the delay, if you require it, you may double the time before you respond to him; for the wrong cannot be considered aggravated, if borne patiently for some days, and the time may have a been in preparation and practice. Second's Duty of the Party Receiving a Note Before Challenge Sent. 1. When consulted by your friend, who has received a note requiring explanation, inform him distinctly that he must be governed wholly by you in the progress of the dispute. If he refuses, decline to act on that ground. 2. Use the utmost efforts to allay all excitement which your principal may labor under; search diligently into the origin of the misunderstanding; for gentlemen seldom insult each other, unless they labor under some misapprehension or mistake; and when you have discovered the original ground of error, follow each movement to the time of sending of the note, and harmony will be restored. 3. When your principal refuses to do what you require of him, decline further acting on that ground, and inform the opposing second of your withdrawal from the negotiation. CHAPTER III - Duty of Challengee and His Second Before Fighting. 1. After all efforts for a reconciliation are over, the party aggrieved sends a challenge to his adversary, which is delivered to his second. 2. Upon the acceptance of the challenge, the seconds make the necessary arrangements for the meeting, in which each party is entitled to a perfect equality. The old notion that the party challenged, was authorized to name the time, place, distance and weapon, has been long since exploded; nor would a man of chivalric honor use such a right, if he possessed it. The time must be as soon as practicable, the place such as had ordinarily been used where the parties are, the distance usual, and the weapon that which is most generally used, which, in this State, is the pistol. 3. If the challengee insist upon what is not usual in time, place, distance, and weapon, do not yield the point, and tender in writing what is usual in each, and if he refuses to give satisfaction, then your friend may post him. 4. If your friend be determined to fight and not post, you have the right to withdraw. But if you continue to act, and the challengee name a distance and weapon not usual and more fatal than the ordinary distance and weapon, you have the right to tender a still more deadly distance and weapon, and he must accept. 5. The usual distance is from ten to twenty paces, as may be agreed on; and the seconds in measuring the ground, usually step three feet. 6. After all the arrangements are made, the seconds determine the giving of the word and position, by lot; and he who gains, has the choice of the one or the other, selects whether it be the word or the position, but he cannot have both. CHAPTER IV. Duty of Challengee and Second After Challenge Sent. 1. The challengee has no option when negotiation has ceased, but to accept the challenge. 2. The second makes the necessary arrangements with the second of the person challenging. The arrangements are detailed in the preceding chapter. To be concluded next week. (c) Copyright 4 December 2003, Sandra K. Gorin Colonel Sandi Gorin SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html SCKY surname registry sites: http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/reg.html http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/forms/SCKYreg.html Gorin Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/