[VidetheLettersofJosephIItodistinguishedPrincesandStatesmen，publishedforthefirsttimeinEnglandin“ThePamphleteer“for1821。
TheywereoriginallypublishedinGermanyafewyearspreviously，andthrowagreatlightuponthecharacterofthatmonarchandtheeventsofhisreign。]
IntheUnitedStatesofAmericathecodevariesconsiderably。InoneortwoofthestillwildandsimpleStatesoftheFarWest，wherenoduelhasyetbeenfought，thereisnospecificlawuponthesubjectbeyondthatintheDecalogue，whichsays，“Thoushaltdonomurder。“
Butduellingeverywherefollowsthestepsofmoderncivilization，andbythetimethebackwoodsmanistransformedintothecitizen，hehasimbibedthefalsenotionsofhonourwhichareprevalentinEurope，andaroundhim，andisready，likehisprogenitors，tosettlehisdifferenceswiththepistol。InthemajorityoftheStatesthepunishmentforchallenging，fighting，oractingassecond，issolitaryimprisonmentandhardlabourforanyperiodlessthanayear，anddisqualificationforservinganypublicofficefortwentyyears。InVermontthepunishmentistotaldisqualificationforoffice，deprivationoftherightsofcitizenship，andafine；infatalcases，thesamepunishmentasthatofmurderers。InRhodeIsland，thecombatant，thoughdeathdoesnotensue，isliabletobecartedtothegallows，witharopeabouthisneck，andtositinthistrimforanhour，exposedtothepeltingsofthemob。Hemaybefurtherimprisonedforayear，attheoptionofthemagistrate。InConnecticutthepunishmentistotaldisqualificationforofficeoremploy，andafine，varyingfromonehundredtoathousanddollars。ThelawsofIllinoisrequirecertainofficersofthestatetomakeoath，previoustotheirinstalment，thattheyhaveneverbeen，noreverwillbe，concernedinaduel。[“EncyclopediaAmericana，“art。Duelling。]
AmongsttheedictsagainstduellingpromulgatedatvarioustimesinEurope，maybementionedthatofAugustusKingofPoland，in1712，whichdecreedthepunishmentofdeathagainstprincipalsandseconds，andminorpunishmentsagainstthebearersofachallenge。AnedictwasalsopublishedatMunich，in1773，accordingtowhichbothprincipalsandseconds，eveninduelswherenoonewaseitherkilledorwounded，shouldbehanged，andtheirbodiesburiedatthefootofthegallows。