The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-17
Lecture Of Hon. John p. Hale, En- Tho I.ane
Gladlatorfal Exhlbataon n Rnnas.

Lecture Or Hon. John r. Hale, en- tho Ia3
Gladlaterial Exhibatsaa at Rome.
Last evening the distinguished abolition Senator from
New Hampshire gave lecture this subject OF tho
TAbsnacs which was crowded to excess by al the abo.
tonists Of the city. Among those present wsre NJ.
jay and Henry J. Raymond. But, strange to ssys
Horace Greeley NON est iNrastus.
The speaker introduces his subject by sketch Of th6
history Of the Church in its primitive age The paea
where the last gadatoria exhibition was produced was
the Coliseum, covering eclipse of Ave It was
l60 feet high The centre $50 feet by 49, II
accommodated 81 600 persons There were seysnty-Hx
entrances for the people, besides two for the gadstors
The gladators slaves captives or condemned crf
nails and even reemen who subjected themselves to it,
and oath surrenderns themselves soul and bodv
to their masters Senator'S knights and even incredible
Is it seems women, fought here in the amphthsstre,
This the last year ofths exhibition The first was IN
the year A. when the two Of Brutus exhibited in
honor Of their deceased father The origin Of the custons
was buried in the depths OF heather antiquity In Homer
and Virgil there accounts of combats In honor Of
the dead it being believed that the blood Of the victims
appeased the Of the deceased At last the gadA-
tors became that the Roman senate and 60
became alarmad and not without reason for
in the time Of the Catane conspiracy the gadators be.
very formidabe; and subsequently, spartacus, at
stance Of fugitive slaves defeated several Roman armies
The greatest exhibition witnessed At Rome an
der Caudius when 600 fought board Of galeys,
lake, betwet which and tho shore all communications
cut off, and thousands from the land witnessed the
on to
s scribe the e fights and how the Roman people con.
as 10 OF s the
expired with the greatest pleasure and Of me finest
pieces Of ancient scupture vas The Dying Gladiator to
Harold Women and children witnessed these brutal
spectaees. The superior civilization Of Athens would
sm % a they sCv
the altar to Mercy which our fathers have worshpped
ted that even there they were At arst tolerated. and
fraly became the absorbing passion Of the people.
There Christians those dayIopposed to the gadi.
atoria exhibitions, who thought II time to put am
end to them and openly declared their sentiments But
there other prudent Christians who said they
the time was not yet to them. daughter
and great applause mingled with hjsses Such prudent
Christians had existed even to this day IAppausd Ind
set forth against charge in those peculiar
institutions which had been sanctioned by law and usage
full few who thought differently and they sent deputs.
ton t? the emperor Houorius to abolish the horrible
weaedness The emperor though disposed to conchate
who prescribed it. urged his suit with great eloquencs,
and appealed to bis Christian principles Honorius abb
who Lad sent him and who now declared that ~
effort had been made. But Teemachus and said
the last effort had not been madethat the cause was
hidden purpose in his heart until the time Of action,
and the world would then whether there was any
sincerity In Christian profession Christian effort The
long expected day for the gadatorial exhibition had
capacity: There were eighty nine thousand persons
there The preliminary parts Of the exhibition
The gadators marched the arena seyes
raj times with the most perfect unconcern before the
spectators. The wide dverity Of complexion and fea-
lures Of these gave terrible evidence Of the extent Of
the Roman empire comprising the beautiful Greek and
the yellow haired Inhabitants of the banks of the Ebe
and the Danube Every was now in expectation Of
what Telemachus would do. shrek heard-Teema.
chus had thrown himself the from the amphi-
to separate Them The audience indignant at the
interruption, and he ceased to i've But the noble
sacrifice which Teemachus had offered turned the
thoughts of the Emperor in another direction and he
ordeed the combat to The event wrought
his mind that afterwards he issued decree abolish
ing forever these dsgraceful exhibitions and the Roman
people rejecting upon the evil of the CUSTOM submitted
to the decree without murmur This incident had not
very prominent place in history tradition,
and 1t not very creditable to the Church,
name Of Tele machus monk who had died martyr for
humanity Had he been . warrior; and led victorious
hosts to battle his name would have been embazoned in
the pages Of history and enshrned in the memory Of
mankind but because he saved mems lives by the
sacrifice of himself but little il heard of bis His
history and the result to which his sacrifice has led
not without its application It needs commentator to
point out its application to the present time (remen
dous cheering and mingled hses) This is an ege Of
progress and the truth which is mighty, will triumph at
forever. The moral of this lecture is that he who lives
and dies in the Of TRUTH will not live and die in
vain.
The speaker having thus concluded the leading abol-
form, and almost devoured their champion with en-
braces.