The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-08-17

Of powerful interest," WHICH we 6uoulu not
have had but for The syslem to which we refer.
But for that, we should now be solely depend
ent upon Europe; and, as the demand exceeds
the capacity Of the European manufacturer to-
supply, we should have to wait their conve-
nience, and pay whatever they might choose 10
exact, in the mean time.
The American system has organized the
powerful interest described above, and we ex-
pect it either to drive its competitors out Of
the American market, or compel them to trans
fer their capital and skill to the American side
of the Atlantic. Hurrah for the iron interest!
SIN the Midst OF Life we are In DEATH
Two terrible plaques are ravaging our
country, and spreading death and terror. The
yellow fever and the railroad cut of, unwarned,
day after day, our helpless citizens The
heartrending details with which the press is
daily charged fill the mind with CONSERVATION
Now we read every morning Of one hundred,
of two hundred, carried TO the grave in New
Orleans; and now the narrowing recital of
railroad ''catastrophes,' where the terror
stricken husband sees the mangled corpse of
his beautiful wife, and where the tender and
distracted mother sees at her feet the mutilated
boay of her child. If the unhappy people
would fly from the fever in the South to the
North. will they not be killed by the railroad?
Let US not be told Of accidents" always. We
know that accidents will occur with the best
management and with the greatest foresight,
and we are aware they do occur under the most
stringent laws and wisest regulations; but who
will say that all these collisions are "acci-
dents2" We hear but rarely Of such things
abroad, and yet with us the ink is hardly dry
that records one terrible catastrophe before
there is news of another. The telegraph an
nounces another, and another, and another, till
the public mind becomes familiar with such
occurrences, and is apt to look upon them, after
the momentary excitement is over, as "things
Of course" No, they are not all accidents"
and, indeed, but few are. If they are not cases
Of murder they are of manslaughter under the
most aggravating circumstances. aa
We have heard of people dying from the
fear Of death, and Of others leapng or falling
down an awful precipice when the brain reeled
at the fearful chasm, and we have seen those
who swooned at the thought of danger; but
who can realize the feelings Of passengers in
the cars when that unusual whistle, giving
warning, pierces the ears2 1t was but the other
day that Mr.. SrErsoN, in such state Of mind
caused by the panic now SO natural to railroad
travellers at every appearance of danger, when
passing Hackensack bridge, threw himself
from the window Of the car and was instantly
killed. Every one travels in apprehension
and the scream of the locomotive inspires more
terror than the yels of the Indian or the roar
Of cannon. When the husband leaves his home
on business, the wife looks intently at him with
tear in her eye, thinking of NorwaIk, and Of
the many other tragedies too numerous to re-
count. voyage at sea or in the air is safe
compared to journey on the cars.
On Tuesday. the 9th, an 'taccident" oc-
Cured on the New Haven railroad, when one
man was killed and one fatally injured.
On Tuesday, the 9th-the same day-an-
other accident" occurred on the Amboy rail-
road, when some thirty persons were smashed
some killed, some fatally injured, and others
wounded or had their limbs broken.
On the 18th another accident" on the Bal
timore and Cumberland railroad, when one
man was killed and two badly hurt.
On the 18th, yet another terrible "accident"
on the Boston and Worcester railroad, when,
''as Is estimated, y twenty were killed and for
ty or more wounded. t5fe i5t#e1
How many more accidents occurred in
these three days we have not heard yet. We
are aware that railway authorities, as far as
they are able to suppress information and to
influence the press. hide the knowledge or ex
tent Of these accidents from public sight. God
knows we hear enough, if it were not necessa-
ry that the whole truth should come out, to
stimulate the people and their Legislators to
some action to stop such wholesale destruction
Of human life.
There are grave faults somewhere. Let the
Investigations in every case be full and COM
plete, and let the blame and punishment fall
where it ought. Punish the interiors when
proved guilty, aod make the companies respon
sible for their servants. The public must be
!, protected-must be saved from this fearful
scourge. We bow with resignation to the
ravages of the yellow fever, for we cannot
avert or comprehend the dispensation Of Pro
whence; but in the case of this other plague we
have the remedy in our own hands. Will not
the juries and courts of law, will not the Lee
gislatures of the States, and will not Congress,
as far as it is able, arrest this work of destruc-
ton 2 And, above all, will not the people re-