The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-08-15

lZation OF nauohs Luxury had litte or noth-
ing to do with it.
AT the time Of the decline of Rome, marble
had been very generally introduced in the con-
struction of temples and public edi6ces; and
one or two authors, SALLrsT among the mum
Der, observed that from The time the Romans
began TO use it. private luxury became NOR,
general. Yet the Greeks, who had always used
marble, were never influenced by the use of il
otherwise than morally--for they became only
more refined in taste and noble in sentiment
from being surrounded by beautiful and elevat-
ing works of art
Other authors attributed the introduction OF
luxury to the conquest Of Asia; which, by en-
riching the armies, and particularly the chief
tains, suddenly and dishonesty, led to corrup-
ton of their morals, and to love for plumber
and robbery. Riches, says SALLusr, were had
In honor, and became the introduction to office,
power, and glory; virtue was no longer held in
esteem; poverty was look ed upon as reproach,
and innocence OF manners as the effect of mel.
ancholy humor: and the fruit of riches was lux.
ury, avarice, and PRIDE
This was all very WELL 1t was natural that
men engaged in the :" lust of conquest" should
hardly be more scrupulous how they robbed
their neighbors, than how they killed, wounded
or tortured them. To those who had acquired
great wealth by such glorious" means, luxury
svarice. and pride were quite natural. In the
balance Of mind, the exercise of these passions
became necessary, in order to form counter.
poise to that most depressing of faculties con
science.
But where was the law TO counterfeit the pas
sion for plundering! Where was discipline
that discipline which had so raised the mora
credit of Rome's republican armies, that theii
presence in new country was oftentimes well
coined as blessing-for they were deliyerers
from tyranny
Rome was, in the course of time, suffering
Gas all other nations have suffered) from the too
unrestricted activity of each individual man
Suffering, from the natural combinations OF
wealth and nopoly-suffering, from over pro
tection--su suffering, from too much law-suffer
ing from the monopoly of every new invention
and every fresh nnovation--suffering, from
crowded, il-directed and uncared for population
the distressed, and consequently the ready
slave of demngogues and agitators.
The people of Roue, no more than other an
Gent populations, had the power of making their
grievances known, or their rights maintained, as
in modern times, by the Press. The more for
tunate classes labored on ia their own Interests
hunting out thousand novel ways of rapid,
making fortunes. These methods were neces
sarily injurious, directly or indirectly, TO th
masses-for no laws or regulations were eve
dreamt Of to protect other classes from suffe
ing by them.
When, therefore, the people suffered, the
rioted it was their simple method of saying
we are starving-we are robbed. The moder
method Of meeting such case, is by shootin!
them down, and then driving then 10 accept still
lower terms for their labor But in thes,
times, there are remedies to be found.
In England, where as much luxury exists a
ever existed in any country; and where, witt
few exceptions, II is more generally diflused, tn
sagacious Elizabeth, or her sagacious counsel
lors, bought the silence OF the poor, and the vic
Tins of industry % by the institution of parish
relief, as a righ.
When, by the immense foreign emigration
into England, through religious prosecutions Oh
the continent, the most skiful merchants, man
nfacturers, and artisans brought their knowedg
and their industry, and their energy with then
and commenced that great moral and materia
movement, which has rendered her name 50
celebr ted all over the earth, the victims of ind
yidual activity increased in proportion 10 the
developments of wealth-and now we have
10 England alone, some eighteen hundred thou.
sand receiving relief.
Ia France, previous to the great revolution
the poor had no righ to relief, and their misery
in the end, overwhelmed an immoral court and
government They have partially relieved them
selves in the almost forcibe division of properly
Great and prosperous as France was at that
time, and the successful rival of England on
every sea and continent, (whenever, turning her
attention from the petty squabbles of neighbor.
ing armies, she gave her energies to her marine
and her colonies,) yet her internal wealth and
prosperity in no sort of way could be compared
10 the progress of the present day.
Luxuries have increased, 40 as to have BE- come
almost universal, yet looking to the moral con-
dition Of the population, none in Europe stand
40 high. Her armies are admirably disciplined,
yet none less severely Nevertheless, their con
duct under the greatest intoxcation Of combat
has excited the astonishment of foreigners
This cannot be said of the troops of other ma
lions, which being composed, for the most part
of men brought up among suffering and OPP
pressed class, display proportionate brutality.
France, reinygoruted by new and democratic
system of institntons, now half century old
is fitted to give laws TO Europe and ia the focus
Of the greatest moral and mental activity. Hel
population IL acknowledged by all travellers ts