Show duelists barred from office in many states south carolina has a provision in its constitution requiring a man taking oath of office to declare that he had not challenged anyone to a duel nor fought a duel since being nominated virginia raqul required red an oath of this kind until 1928 1029 when this particular provision was eliminated other states have in their constitutions sections forbidding office holders or legis legislators legislator lato rs to participate in dueling while the practice of dueling has been practically tica lly dead in tills this country for many years there was a time when it was most popular particularly amold legislators henry clay of kentucky fought two famous duels one with john randolph A kentucky kentuck y congressman named graves fought and killed a maine alaene congressman cong ressman named cilley in political arguments a hundred years ago often ended in chal lenges to duels to prevent scandals of this kind bind at least during their terms of office many of the states passed laws against dueling some inserting these prohibitions in their state constitutions find and oaths of office |