The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-08-05

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~ = iksrefore greaiiy superior to1hay1ghers ~
1sdlan Of sdveruans.
RICHMOND, VA.i
TA.rssay Morning, Angust s. 1852.
IEPsassss ebrssd frpu de sisy 90 hsve sht
DispsseA ssus % them for any period Of time they
may desire By leaving their orders and paying the
eash for shs time specIded.
The burning Of the Henry Clay, BY which
nearly one hundred human beings, last week,
came to q sudden and fearful death, in the
broad light Of day. and in the immediate vici-
nifty Of the most populous city Of America, 10
IN, event OF nature to excite serious refec-
ton IN every well-reguaied mind, sitter the first
sensa,ioa Of horror has passed asay. The
greater frequency Of such casualties, of late
years, when with the increasing amount Of sci
entifc knowledge among men. We might rea-
sonsbIy look for additional safeguards to hui
man life-is something for Legislators and prac-
teal thinkers to ponder seriously. We need
mot cast our eyes back half century, 70 find
q period when such wholesale slaughter was
dread TO the remotest parts Of the country. An
accident Of this sort was thought subject for
history. The heart-rending calamity which
afflicted this city, forty years ago, in the burn
ing Of the theatre, marked a painful era 10 the
annals Of Richmond, and is remembered
throughout the civilized world as tragedy
without parallel in preceding times. But
now, how soon are similar scenes forgotten -
This very destruction of the Henry Clay, with
its hecatomb of victims,-the fair, the gifted,
the brave, youth in its flush Of maidenly beau
ty and manly vigor, age. with its whtened
locks and reverend mien-will soon cease to
be thought OF, out Of the immediate but wide
circle of the bereaved, or if remembered at all,
only as having ministered for awhile to that
sense of the tragic and the terrible, to which
men may become, in time, SO accustomed, as to
learn really TO epjoyit. Who thinks now Of the
Ben Sherrard orthe Pulaski, the Lexington or
the Atlantic, except some poor widow in her de-
ISOLATION, or some orphan in poverty. 1t is un-
pleasant TO !" consider 80 curiously," but is not
the fact sol 1hsa l1s t S''
If we should cast up the statistics of fatal
accidents, for the past twenty years, we should
be shocked to find that the loss of human life.
from such as might have been foreseen and
avoided, has exceeded the ravages Of many a
devastating pestilence, and many foreign
war. Taking the average, we should see
startling annual aggregate of, calamity. If
any considerable portion Of it came at one
time, the world would shrink back appalled, from
its contemplation. We think we are within
reasonable limits in calculating the deaths, by
accident, 10 the United States-by steamboat
burnings and explosions, by railway collisions,
by falling houses, by the blowing up of pow
der magazines, by fire damp in colieries, etc..
etc.-at 1000 year. All these casualties, we
assume, result directly from careessness Or
Encouragement. Now, we have not the off
cial documents at hand to establish the fact,
but we do not hesitate TO fix the entire loss o.
our army il, tue war with Mexico, at 5000 men.
What spectacle is presented to the Ameri-
can people by this estimate! That through
the mere recklessness and misconduct of their
public servants, the country is annually depriy.
ed Of more of its citizens, than were killed in
the yearly prosecution Of war with foreign
state. And who shall attempt TO calc ulate the
amount Of JinconsolabIe distress that results
from this annual sacrifice By~hat process
shalliwe demonstrate the fearful arithmetic of
broken hearts and griefladen spirits? For
every dreadful accident that fills our newspa-
pers with fresh details Of death, there is sorrow
on the sea, and sorrow on the shore, there are
visions Of hope crushed and shattered forever,
there are affections Of the tenderest nature
abandoned to darkness and despair. III. =,
The question naturally arises-Why is this
sof and how shall we remedy the state of
things which We have SO much reason to de- ]
plore a. Wesanswer,s that among other rea>
sons, zoe do not In America place sufficient
1yhigh ralae upon human life, aud that un-
I'll we learn TO do this,w cannot hope for ex-
emption from psevensible accidents. Men ha-
zard their lives as they do their money, in ven-
lures which they know full well to. be almost
desperate, and we cannot, therefore, wonder
that they sometimes lose them. A merchant
on the Mississippi wishes to be transported
from one point to another, in certain period
OF time, aud there is but one mode of contey-
ance, by steamer Of very bad reputation.
he does not hesitate moment to tako this
! steamer, though he may know the dangerous
condition of her boilers, and the reckless cha
racter Of the captain, and he reasons thus.
There is risk 10 run in going upon this boat,
but the chances are in favor of my safety : she
will probably blow upai some future time. bur
this trip she may make without an accident
Accordingly he embarks and the next week
his name swells the melancholy list of killed
from the bursting Of the steamers boiler
This is one. illustration. Blu. examples are
numberless Of such gambling with life. How
many of US go into Theatres and Concert
kooms and Chusohes, with the absolute GER
tainty that there will be an immense concourse
OF people 10 attendance, and that should ERE
l.