Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-04-02


discoveries in science and inventions which ingenui
ty and skill have made in mechanics we look out
upon our cultivated fields and beautiful gardens.
covered with grain for food and flowers to enchant
the eye and we say what would those who have gone
before us have said if they could have antici-
pated tba&uch riches and wonders in store for
us And then we have steam engines traversing
the ocean IN boats and flying the land on rail-
roaos--and, browning all, the magnetic telegraph,
which annihates time and space and is destined to
Drlng the ends of the earth into instant communion
ana then we have a thousand other inventions, pat
ented and in use, as the discoveries of the age.
But now and then, some curious searcher of the
records of the past will disturb eomplacency by
bringing to light memorials of the olden times, |
Whlch look, as IT IN the ages that had gone before
u.s. things were known which our world has forgot
ten, and that which is new to old to them
And they show us too, most proyokingly, that the
men of the olden time knew how to use and how to
MAKE works OF arts and science, a knowledge which
the wisdom and the skill of this age has not vet re-
covered from the oblivion into which. in Of the
ecllpses OF the mind, it passed The evidence that
such things were known. and such works made, is
gathered from the records and memorials that are
lett; but when or how and by whom these things
were done and this knowledge possessed, and how
thac knowledge was lost, is problem which every
curious inquirer will answer for himself-whilst the
fact itself will suggest to every mind that if this
knowledge was Il st to the world for ages. why may
we not suppose that other things all that
gard as new, was known to the men who lived in
But we are passing from subject We had in
view. when We took 1t up, SEINE recent scene in the
J House OF Representatives, which certainly d'Sttn-
gulShed the eors in it, but which. they must not
suppose. eonfers new honor upon them. They are
but followers-bad imitators perhaps, at that-of
great men who lived in the classic ages and even of
others who distinguished themselves in what We may
claim to be our own times. correspondent of the
New York Times brings the ecord up. In the Epis-
ties of Cicero. book tx cp. 3d. ad Atticum we have
| in he vhnn Tuli
/ Caesar was as our members of Congress doing
defining his position. Cicero thus describes it
! Having only trfes to write, nevertheless send
you, my Atticus account of the late shindy, in
which our Caesar was engaged, He denying
roundy an allegation of Cato, when the crusty old
man few upon him. tooth and rail, (pugn7S ct calci-
bus.) and BACKED his eye in a most convincing man
ner The veracty of Cato is no longer doubtful for
he proceeded to punish Caesars nose (nasum pertun-
dpre) in a close and rrefragabe style. julius felt
for his bowie knife, (eladioium) but was restrained
by the Conscript Fathers, who shortly after formed
ring, and voted a civic crown to both orators
4 What Cato and Caesar did surely members of our
Congress may do-and if the Roman Senators were
voted a civil crown, how can our Congress excuse
themselves for sighting its biigerents by withhold
ing similar honors from them
But even Cato and Caesar were imitators. They
had an example for what they did. in scene in the
Athenian Assembly long before, between Eschines
and Demosthenes. The former had made some re-
marks personal to the latter, when-but Plutarch
= tells the story. Life of Eschines, sec. Oh
He fetched the orator such blow in the face as
E was cheaper than a syogism but Demoshenese.
with that denOs's which belongs to him, flew his
rival and was about to gouge out his eye when the
Assembly cried out that they satisfied with the
arguments and virtues Of the two (knlokag1tloi)
gentlemen.
So here it is in evidence that it is only Demosthe
mean to do, done the other day in the Hall of
our House of Representatives.
History thus stamps it as not only classical, but
i oraoricalto pull noses and gouge out eyes in Sen
: ate halls.
: But the authority for such things does not stop
with the classics 1t is found in this age, if not
this country. In the report of the proceedings Of
: the English House of Commons, by Hansard, (vol
o XCVII, page 898( is recorded the following scene
e between Pitt and Fox in the debate on the bill fol
: increasing the Spanish line:
j. Mr. Fox here assaed the positions of the Pre-
s mier with rapid sarcasm and Keen personality. call
: ing the honorable gentleman backyard and a -
: of a . To which Mr.. Pitt replied by splitting to-
e bacco juice in the face of the other Mr. Fox no
s. thing daunted, cenched with his adversary, and the
y two orators were rolling in true Cornish hug
with occasional sprting of care and several milling
d punches in the breadhasket After Il suitable time
# the combatants exchanged their torn coats fo
better habits made bows and apologies and received
= the cheers of the House,
e Thus it is shown that these Congressional brawi
1t not but that from the ages that have gon
l. before u.s. they come down to own. So here w
l. have proof that fighting in Congress is not new
s. Whether Cato and Caesar, and Eschines and De
mosthenese and Pitt and Fox really did themselve
y honor, thought they did, by the parts they acte
it in the recorded, may be disputed. Our mem
g bers of Congress will decide for themselves But
this fighting in tie halls Of legislation is to be Sc
down as custom. should hope that members q
= Congress would regard it " custom more honore
st in the breach than the observance '--BaH Pat
to Moral Reformationx.
n new sect of reformers has recently sprung I'M,
at existence in New York The style of their order
ne The Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve The oh
n iect reformation in dress and reduction of its
/ perfuities In address very ably written in beha
of their views learn that The love of dress''
% the crying sin of the age, and 10 which The bankrupt
o. cy of many family, the ruin of many daughter an
on the disgrace of countless thousands of young
n clearly traceable II is, they argue, from the Bible
as as the sin of Divnes, who was clothed in purple an
rs fine lnen.'
nd After most elaborate exposition OF the evil lnfu
nd ences of extravagant dress in both moral and poI
u cal view, they complain most doefuy OF the utter in
be practcabiIity of reforming the world IN this respe
p without legislative aid and therefore earnestly lnvok
re- the prohibition by heavy penalties OF the sale of art
cles of dress Their expose winds up as follows:
Impressed with the necessity of checking the pre-
b gress of this evil, few benevolent gentle
~ men, not long since, formed themselves into voIur
y ary association termed the &c Sons of Adam = an
no binding themselves TO dispense with all superful!ie
10 Of clothing, and all suitable occasions 10 adopt til
ne costume of first parents. The ladies', who are a
ways ready to help forward every phanthropc ente