The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-24 00:00:00

the extension of railways into the Far West has
produced the habit is on the increase in the IThrth.

Like all noxious weeds, its tendency is to grow

rapidly. If a man is aware that the stranger who

enters into conversation with him has a loadel re-

volver iu his pocket—that this strsuger may drink
himself into a fighting mood and fasten a quarrel
on him—and if he knows that his own life may de-

pend on the celerity with which he may shoot his
companion, although a peaceable member of society,
abhorring the necessity which drives him to such an
extremity, or that forces him to carry this expedi-
tious means of death—yet he is compelled. to do so.
Thus the habit which, confined to isolated comma-

nities—where men are oliliged, more or less, to
fulfil for themselves the duties of police, may not
be without excuse—ii introduced into the densely-
peopled tracts of the E astern sea board, where the
citizens arc driven hi self-defence to adopt the same
custom, and thus it becomes general. A greater
curse could scarcely be entailed upon society. Duel-
ling in Europe was felt to be a wicked and injurious
custom. Bat duelling was right and honour
itself, when compared with the habit that has
obtained so pernicious a footing in America.

A man who sets no value on another's life is not

likely to set much on his property, his reputation
or any other thing else he possesses ; and with this
all the great checks are severed. The consequence
is a perpetual terrorism. A judge administers the
law with the pistol of the offending ruffian at his
head. The orator may, in denouncing a crime,
speak his death-sentence; and the editor, in
showing up some villany to public scorn and
indignation, may write away his own life. To
the ordinary incidents which tell so heavily against
the human race is added another, that more
than all, is dangerous to society, for it is not the
effect of blind chance, but is generally aimed by vice
against virtue. No doubt the greater sufferers are
brawling ruffians, who shoot each other without re-
morse in their drinking booths ; but the danger
lies more in such worthless members not only being
able to pit their lives against the best, but in doing
this with all the chances on their side. Take the
case of Judge BUSTEED, shot by District-Attorney
MARTIN at Mobile, for declaring that the law, he had
sworn to administer justly, must take its course
against MARTIN as against others, and the ruffian,
aware of his guilt, and when he had lost all that
makes life valuable, shoots down the inexorable
Judge. In New Mexico a Chief Justice is murdered
by a member of the Legislature. At Nashville, Ten-
nessee, Eugene CORRY, who was nominated Judge
for the Circuit Court, was knocked down in the
Convention by Judge BRIENT, and CORRY, doubt-
less congratulated himself on having escaped being
shot. Such habits are wholly opposed to New
England sentiments, and if time and custom had
not in some degree smoothed away the edges of
their barbarity, they would be regarded with the
horror and disgust similar crimes would excite in
England. To withstand this demoralizing tendency
on the one side, and to elevate the ignorant and
poverty-stricken immigration from Europe on the
other, is, in truth, the most difficult task ever in-
trusted to a community, and the world will here-
after owe a deep debt of gratitude to those States
which have been mainly instrumental in maintain-
ing the morality, justice, and respect for right; in
one word—the religion of America.
These considerations might well induce American
statesmen to pause ere wiling to a territory already
too large. Extent is no guarantee of strength, or
Russia might roll itself over Western Europe, and
China over the world. For some years the South
will be asource of weakness to the Union. Alaska de-
tracts from instead of adds to the might of the United
States, and Canada is not only a heavy burden, but
a source of danger to England. Detached posses-
sions will be found incumbrances in time of peace
and points for attack in time of war. There are
many even who doubt whether the empire of India
be not a weakness to the British Crown. If Eng-
land's colonies react prejudiciously on the mother
country, as they undoubtedly do, though separated
from Great Britain by the breadth of the world, how
much more must the outlying territories of the
Union react on the highly civilized States with a
barbaric influence. The acquisition of territory is
a false policy, weakening the State and demoralizing
society. It is a useless policy, for if the Union
holds together, it will absorb all North America, as
a gigantic estate absorbs the small freeholders
around ; therefore the question does not depend on
what Mr. SEWARD can now purchase, but what is
to be the future career of the United States. For the
present an 1 many succeeding generations, the pity
is that North America is so large, and Mr. SEWARD
shows anything but a true appreciation of the posi-
tion when he wastes the nation's resnirces to add
to what he must al., any rate allow to be a tempo-
rary evil, alike morally and physically.—Anglo-
American Times.