The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-10-17

notice calling the meeung wa w
tomorrow. a.,e.
Ms ;mnortant that we should have eei..
,,.t;on IN the Norfolk Convention, "iiien
shor,a ;oc,ude our ablest men, and We truss
az - lii he APPOINTED and that they will
60.
- The statement of Capt. Luce, which
~ publish to-day, presents such chapter Of
horrors AZ the world rarely sees. But start
,;nv a is the sensation which such events
produce. the impression is as transient as it
ia vivid. In q month it will be forgotten
vessels win be urged as fast as ever in fog
or darkness, just as railroad cars hurried on
In tNoweeks after the Norwalk catastrophe,
with the same speed, and we have no doubt
the same recklessness which produced that
most lamentable event.
The truth is, that travelling both by sea
and land in American conveyances, has be-
come, to say the least of it, dangerous. It
renders life in this age quite as insecure as
in the time of the first settlers OF this coun
try, when the settlements were never secure
from the incursions of the savages, and men
women and children were the Victims VI
their cruelty; quite as insecure as IN the oafk
ages in Europe, when the strifes and feuds OF
ambitious chieftains and kings made every
hamlet place of peril. We read OF those
times and those people, and wonder now e.-
istence could have been tolerable amid sucn
constant hazards and frequent destruction OF
human life. Yet, in the midst of our imagin-
cd safety, we suffer as much by the instru-
ments of our boosted civilization as our fore
fathers by the weapons OF barbansm.-
Steam has taken the place of the tomahawk
and scalping knife, and the impatient and
restless spirit of the age is more Unsuitable
than the revenge of the Indian. Not only
strong men, but gentle women and delicate
children are the victims, and die the most
horrible deaths. The man who now travels
on an American railroad or steamer, has
no more certainty of security than the man
who enters battle field. We say emphati-
cally american, for, to the shame and disgrace
of this country, there is more recklessness
here of human life than in any other country
under heaven Accidents, as they are called
do happen to the vessels and rail cars Of
other nations, but then they are rare, and
they are accidents; or, if not, a most rigid
judicial investigation follows, and all involv-
ed in the responsibility of the occurrence are
punished with the utmost promptness and Sc
verify.
There is no courage in all this. The very
men who are so eager for quick passages and
rapid progress when danger comes, are over
whelmed with terror. The poor, weak wo-
men, who are appalled, at the wanton care
lessness of the stronger sex, surpass them in
6rnanoss ind fOrtituds when the hour or porii
arrives. When will our people learn true
wisdom7 When will humanity become fea-
ture of our civilization? Has not the impa-
tient spirit of the times been yet propitiated
by the multitude of burned, drowned, scald-
cd and mangled wretches heaped upon its
altar, or does it demand new victims?
II It is one of the most unfavorable
''signs of the times in Virginia, that her peo-
pie, instead of uniting in common efforts for
the common prosperity, should be divided
and set against each other in bitter sectional
disputes about internal improvements. City
is in arms against city and town against town,
whilst the communities of more enterprising
States, well aware that if Virginia should en-
srgstically and harmoniously develope her
natural advantages, she would be formula
BILE rival, laugh at the very idea of competi.
ton from this Commonwealth, and leave to
her own people the work of cutting each
others throats
We are happy to be able to say, that the
city of Richmond, although she is an objec.
OF greater enmity than any other city, has
taken no part as yet in this unhallowed con
test. The records of legislation and the files
of her daily journals may in vain be search
ed for the exhibition of such temper. He,
press breathes the most friendly spirit te
every section and every city of the Common.
wealth, and only asks for Richmond share in
the common prosperity and common glory of
Virginia.
We trust that the assaults upon her from
other quarters the display of jealousy and
occasional spite; the misapprehensions and
demonstrations from which she suffers. NAV
not provoke her to course of revenge and
retaliation. Let others wrangle as they will;
let them make Richmond, if they choose, the
target of hundred poisoned arrows, our
duty is plain. to stand by Virginia; to make
her glory our watchword, and her interest
our aim; to recognise no enemies but enc
mics of the South, and to strive and labor for
every plan of Improvement which will deli.
YER the Commonwealth from her present pro
vincial position, and make her strong and in
dependant. If the day is at hand, as the pro-
gress and spirit Of anti.slavery seems to indi
cate. when the bonds of 'ths Union win be
broken. and the hand of violence be put
foKth to crueh Southern institutions. II n tina