The New York herald., 1845-08-03
MASSACRE OF rtiE ARAns ny rnF FRKycn-MARcn

trated by the French army in Algeria. The polish
ed the civilized the christianized troops OF France
have transformed themselves into common murder
ers. Who would believe il What admlrer OF the
progress OF civilization and chrlsanity-those ele-
ments that are according to the orthodox, TO bring
the dark places of the earth into light and liberty
What faithful admirer of those, will credit the ac-
count we have received of massacre, and systematic
murder by the Christian chivalry of Europe. Alas
it is too true. One thousand lshmaelites stawart
warriors, their tender infants-their mothers and
their wives, have fallen in a mass a sacrifice to
French pride. cruelty and heartessness
1t is true then, that an army of Christian men,
disciplined, controlled and directed by high military
skill, under the eye of one of the leading govern
ments of the world, are capable of turning them
selves into butchers of their race at a moments no
tlce. May it not be honestly asked is il in such
occurrences trace the boasted superiority of our
age over those gone past, to which we are pleased
to attach the term-of dark There will hardly be
found any defenders of this barbarous enormity of
the French, but there will be plenty gloss over it
temporary alteration from the spirit of the age,
and foreign the principles that happily preva
lent now among men. Talk to these people OF the
naked fact and they happily deplore it, but extenuate
the evil by prating of the progress OF religion, and
of necessary evils they cannot be brought to look
steadily at the case, to pronounce judgment on
things they are.
When Napoleon forsook his wounded and sick al
Ja1a, he acted basely and cruelty, and has been
stigmatized unsparingly for it, For the foul and
diabolical extermnation of the Mamelukes by Me-
hemet Ali the Pasha of Egypt, he earned FOR him.
self reproach which all his redeeming qualities,
and he has many, have never been able to remove.
There are not few who defend the First Consul
on the ground OF necessity for leaving his sick to
die forsaken, but many more deny the truth of the
charge altogether. Mehemet Ali gets-if not
FOOLS pardon--a deal of allowance made for his
Turkish propensities But what are we to say O.
Marshal Bugeaud, and the redoubtable generals
and coonels who piled the wood and set fire to
the cembustibles to smother the unresisting
Arabs Marshal Sout complacently says in the
presence of the peers of France that he disapproves
Of the measure and assumes the mighty responsible
lity of saying the for his colleagues, who con-
| sttue the government. What solemn force! In
stead of rising from his seat with horror marked
in deep lines on his visage, with France sinking un-
der humiliation tor the disgrace of the French
arms, and only sustained by the strength of his ho-
nesy indignant feeling towards the perpetrators of
the dastardly act; instead of rising to hurl his scom
full detestation at them and show to the world it has
no justification or extenuation in the eyes of French
statesmen, he is content TO faer forth half willing
admission that government disapproves of the mas
sacre of one thousand unresisting Arabs.
The determination of the American Indian was
one of the black category of crimes which are cha
racterzed often necessary concomitants of tran
sihon from barbarism to civilization 1t would ap-
pear there is plausibility for saying they are
necessary. But whatever be the tendency of this
view to reconcile the mind to these visitatons, the
skeptc is not idle to turn them to his advantage He
says-ell me not of your necessity-of the inevita
BILE cost of change from pagansm and barbarlty to
civilization and christianity. Your boasted blessings
are too dearly purchased. Your religion is not d.
vine; if it were it would never be attended by
such diabolica concomitants-never be her
| aided by such messengers wholesale mur-
| der, spoliatlon and robbery. If such be the
| necessary attendants upon your heavenly sys-
tenn, then the sooner we go to HI for another the
better. Some one may reply that 1t is too much to
| assume these evils as necessary, that they
are such thing on the contrary they are at d.
rect variance, and altogether foreign to the faith of
the orthodox and to its influence This view is not
without its difficulty either We believe, with one
exception, no country fever underwent apeaceabe
transition from paganism to christianity, and Ireland
is that solitary exception, where every thing in ami
mated nature was obedient to the missionary st.
Patrick, that the toads Immediately set off for other
countries perpetual banishment, whilst the frogs
committed suicide to avoid destruction and the
wrath of the Saint. How many millions of carca
ses have strewed the plains of Hndostan since the
English first set their feet on the Soil! How many
have been destroyed by the bayonet and by OPT
um in China Where are our western abort
glnes Look to the tribes of Africa, the opera
tons of the white invader upon them9 What
is the sad tale of the Caribs of the West Indies and
the Indians of South America Add to the testimo-
ny of all these the exploits OF the French in Algeria
| and we have mass OF evidence on the curious
question of the blessings of civilization too plain,
one would think, for much difference of opinion in
those who approach its consideration in liberal and
free spirit.
The-fact is, that what is called civilization is only
an approximation to it. To Judge of the world by
its conduct not yet near its goa-it has far to
| advance before it merits the admiration given TO it,
Men and nations may be more powerful now than
they were in the dark ages, called, but if they
are, they are not less wicked Crimes as enormous
mark the highest grades of advancement in political
and social existence, and are OF as frequent occur
renee at any former period of the earth's history
| We look back and discern at glance groups OF
| events, because they are approximaed by the dis
tance Intervals of centuries nothing in the re-
/ Prospect. Hence we are led to believe the world
was worse Of old than now. 1t is gross fallacy.
Our posteriy TWO three hundred years hence will
recapituate the acts OF violence, fanacism and fol-
y which have been the progeny of the last century,
and brand Its contemporaries among the great
e-t villains brought forth by the evolution Of time
The French army of Africa wIllbear distinguished
| position in the ranks.
EMIGRATION TO CANADA has this year increased
1853 over last year.
| LATE FROM SOUTH AMERIcA.-We have received
by the brig Henry arrived yesterday, file OF the