New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-02-18
Decay OF EnrlaSSa Power,


In q copy of the Illustrated London News dated
Dec. %, 1910, find one Of those articles in which
English papers sometimes speak unwholesome truths
to the ears of John Bull After quoting the picture
of New Zealander in remote age of the future, sit
ting upon ruined arch Of London Bridge and NOR
alzing upon the fate of the once mighty empire be-
come as much a thing Of the past as those of Rome
Greece and Assyria, he enumerates the "signs of
decay" the causes that threaten English supremacy
and says:
Although our empire stretches to the east and to
the west, to the north and to the soutf-thOugh we
have our hands in Asia, our feet in Africa our arms
in America and the South Pacific Ocean, our own
peculiar territory is but small spot in remote cor
her of Europe We have only held that corner by
the enormous sacrifices we have made. 1t was or
ambition to become ruling power-giving the lawto
the woodland we became so but it was mt cost of
a debt of $S00000,O00, that pauperises our popula
ton, and lies like perpetual and killing weight upon
the energy of all classes. In addition to this supen
dOus evil, we share the eiicteness of all Europe
There is but one empire within European boundaries
that is not worn out and paupersed by debt and eX
tavagance: that Empire is Russia and she is the enemy
of all the rest and desires to rise upon their ruins.
Destiny to have traced her path as it has traced
outs! The Sclavonan races will inevitably be the new
lords of Europe. The Anglo Saxon race must be con-
tented to be the lords Of the larger and more splendid
inheritance of America and Australia In this case
falls to the ground, and exists only-like other Pow
ers and Potentates of the world--in the bones and
sinews of its sons and successors transferred to a
new soil, and enjoying privileges blessings and op-
portuntles from which their 1oretathers were ex-
cluded.
Let those who dream Of a perpetual Britain, think
upon these things. The signs of decay are around us
on every side In our fall we shall have few friends.
In prosperity, We have not comported ourselves so
humby as to be justified in the expectation of sym
pathy or aid from any quarter. Our very excellence
has made foes and our violence and cupdity have
estranged the nations. We may have peopled the
earth We may have spread far and wide our arts and
our arns-our commerce and our civilization, but we
have not had standing room for our pretensions.
Events are more powerful than we are. We must,
sooner or LATER yield place to the more prudent,
the less embarrassed and the more vigorous otfshoots
of race and consent to occupy the easy chair of
our senility Nor is there anything to regret in this
What is there in of the globe that should
for ever expect to give law to all others? The civil
zaton that is removed is not destroyed and the ge
NOUS Of our people exert itself as well on the
banks of the Ohio or the Mississippi as on the banks
of the Thames and rule the world from the White
House at Washington, with as much proprety as from
the Palace of ST. James,
We live, indeed, in remarkable period of the
worlds history-period in which new empires take
the place of old ones with wonderful rapdty; and
in which old empires are paying the penalty Of trans
gressi0ns against the laws Of morality and social well
being, committed by them during many generations
Europe has enjoyed power and has abused it, and the
scepter of the worlds dominion is passing from her
grasp. Civilization of DID, is following the course
Of the sum- and the destines of humanity will work
themselves out in new field and on larger scale
The world is, it were, starting afresh, and from
more favorable sartingpoint: The lover of humanity
but hope that the civilization which may arise
will take warning from the errors fthe old and thatin
the decay and fall oempres humanity itselfwilI merge
from each change in brighter ustre, wiser and uster
peaceabe and more religious and doing as much
as man can do to aid the coming of the prophesied
time, when the people shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks !;
when nation shall not lift up the sword against ma
ton, nor learn war any more"