United States Statutes at Large/Volume 5/25th Congress/3rd Session/Chapter 30
Chap. XXX.—An Act to prohibit the giving or accepting, within the District of Columbia, of a challenge to fight a duel, and for the punishment thereof.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,Any person challenging another, &c. That if any person shall, in the District of Columbia, challenge another to fight a duel, or shall send or deliver any written or verbal message, purporting or intended to be such challenge, or shall accept any such challenge or message, or shall knowingly carry or deliver any such challenge or message, or shall knowingly carry or deliver an acceptance of such challenge or message to fight a duel in or out of the said District, and such duel shall be fought in or out of the said District, and either of the parties thereto shall be slain or mortally wounded in such duel, the surviving party to such duel, and every person carrying or delivering such challenge or message, or acceptance of such challenge or message as aforesaid, and all others aiding or abetting therein, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and upon conviction thereof, in any court competent to the trial thereof, in the said District, shall be punished by imprisonment and confinement to hard labor in the penitentiary, for a term not exceeding ten years, in the discretion of the court.
Any person giving, or sending, or causing a challenge to be given or sent, &c.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall give or send, or cause to be given or sent, to any person in the district of Columbia, any challenge to fight a duel, or to engage in single combat with any deadly or dangerous instrument or weapon whatever, or if any person in said District shall accept any challenge to fight a duel, or to engage in single combat with any deadly or dangerous instrument or weapon whatever, or shall be the bearer of any such challenge, every person so giving or sending, or causing to be given or sent, or accepting such challenge or being the bearer thereof, and every person aiding or abetting in the giving, sending, or accepting such challenge, shall be deemed guilty of a high crime and misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof in any court competent to try the same in the said District, shall be punished by imprisonment and confinement to hard labor in the penitentiary, for a term not exceeding five years, in the discretion of the court.
Any person assaulting, striking, beating, or wounding another, &c.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall assault, strike, beat, or wound, or cause to be assaulted, stricken, beaten, or wounded, any person in the District of Columbia, for declining or refusing to accept any challenge to fight a duel, or to engage in single combat with any deadly or dangerous instrument or weapon whatever, or shall post or publish, or cause to be posted or published, any writing charging any such person so declining or refusing to accept any such challenge, to be a coward, or using any other opprobrious or injurious language therein, tending to degrade and disgrace such person for so declining or refusing such challenge, every person so offending, on conviction thereof, in any court competent to the trial thereof, in the said District, shall be punished by confinement to hard labor in the penitentiary, for a term not exceeding three years, in the discretion of the court.
Any person giving or receiving a challenge after having left the District by previous arrangement, &c.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That, if any person or persons, for the purpose of evading the provisions of this act, shall leave the District of Columbia, by previous arrangement or concert within the same, with intent to give or receive any such challenge accordingly, the person or persons so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and be subject to the same penalties as if such challenge had been given and received within said district.
Bar to further proceedings, by pleading a former conviction.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That every offender may plead a former conviction or acquittal for the same offence in any State of country; and the same, being established, shall be a bar to any further proceedings against such person under the next preceding section of this act.
Evidence, &c.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That any person offending against the provisions of this act may be a competent witness against any other person offending in the same transaction, and may, at the discretion of the court, be compelled to give evidence before any grand jury, or on any trial in court; but the person so testifying shall not thereafter be liable to prosecution for the same matter, nor shall the testimony so given be used against him in any case whatsoever.
Grand jury to be sworn, &c.Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That, in addition to the oath now prescribed by law to be administered to the grand jury in the District of Columbia, they shall be sworn faithfully and impartially to inquire into, and true presentment make of all offences against this act.
Approved, February 20, 1839.