The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-12-08
GENERATION.

IOfsERAitSIN.
Tai. i a principle which Is in every body .
a-,h We never tire of admiring ourselye
.na The age we ivein, on account Gifts hoe.
al and tolerant spirit. When we think OF
fermer days and former men. when we si''hA
cfthe raoa. The fire, the gibbei. we can scarce
" credit the fact that this Is the same world
that we are of the same race. we seaha III
imagination in the dungeons and the ampitnes
atre where the esrly Christians were rent by
by beasts scarcely less savage than their per-
.ecusors; or we beheld them ascending, from
the stake. i'm a chariot of fire to the SKIES or,
=, a later age we find the Church itself, learn.
a,r no wisdom from its own bitter experience,
r;eking from the earth the weapons OF perse
rut;on which had fallen from its own breast
snd with unnatural hate, using them against
nor own children. We glance our eyes IN
mingled amazement and horror, over the
ecclesiastical and civil history fthe past, an
which Romans, Greeks and Protestants, in
khe name Of the Gospel. OF Peace aud
Forgiveness, consigned each others bodies
10 the flames for the goodof their souls; in
which cavalier snd roundhead settled points
OF polemics at the point of the sword, and Pu-
ritans flying to anew continent for conscience
sake, signalize6 heir accession 70 power, by
burning WITCH and hanging quskers, in
which Wings and Tories hunted each other
70 the DEATH and howled like savage wolves
ever the blood that trickled from the block.
That was no doubt an uncomfortable age to
live in, and we do wellto be thankful that We
were born in an era Of greater humanity and
liberation.
But, after all, the nature of man Is unchang
ed and even in this liberal sge and country,
we have by no means arrived at the highest
pitch of federation and charity. We are
free to think as weplease in politics and re-
hgion, and we are equally free to denounce
and abuse ali who differ from Us in opinion
There are few men who do not avail them
selves of both privileges to the extent Of their
capacity. Mankind are just as marrow, self
opiniated, unwilling to make allowances for
The errors and faults of each other as they
ever were. They are not only certain oftheir
own infallibiEty of opinion, but they do not
convictions as themselves. 1t is true, they
may not use the thumb-screw or the rack
10 give potency TO their arguments, but there
il one weapon which they may use, and which
is capable of more mischief than all the en-
gines OF the inQuisition. This is the tongue,
athing which is described in Holy Writ as
an ''unruly evil, full of deadly poison, set on
FIRE of He'll" The body cannnt be harmed
in these times, but the reputation of the best
man living can be burned to death, on slow
fire. Political opponents can no longer send
each other to prison or the scafold, but be-
hold how they butcher each others charac-
ter in the public prints. 1t is almost impos-
sible in these days, famous for charity
and liberation, for the public to form a cor
rect opinion of the talents and character of
any leading public man. Many sensitive
and high minded Statesmen dprefersosuf
fer from the most internal machine of phyei
cal torture rather than to have his good name
crushed beneath the massive weight Of the
press.
We wish it could be said with truth that
there is more liberation in the religious than
the political world. Sectarian hostility is Of
ten quite as deep, if not as noisy, as political
strife. Strange that men cannot make allow
ances for difference OF education, habits,
tatses, and Of intellectual and moral organi-
cation tits clear that all parties in politics
and theology cannot be right; but il is equal
ly evident that all are sincere. and therefore
entitled to the forbesrance and liberation cs
sll.