The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-08-01
The Comet

The announcement by authority Of the appear.
snoe Of another comet, which IL rapidly making IFS
way towards the earth. has slightly revived the
interest which was felt short time ago In these
eccentric bodies. But since the failure of the comet
which was 10 have destroyed the earth on the 10th
Of June 20 become much rs visible TO the naked
eye, little reliance is placed upon any engagements
that may be made for the comets by the astrono-
mers. Like theatrical stars. they sometimes dis
appoint the multitudes who arc on tptoe 10 Admir-"
them One great astronomer says that comets are
~ numerous a. fishes In the sea- and another that
ut least seven millions in the habit of passing
through our system. The ancients had tradition
that, about 1867 years before the Christian era the
planet Venus changed her color. size, hGure ana
course, and about that time comet made its APP
pearance which IS said to have revisited The eafth
in seven equal revelations of five hundred and
seyenty6v wears. OF course, cannot expect
this great comet 10 be anywhere near at present,
though the subject is not unworthy the attention
of Rev Mr. Cummings, of London, and Of the st.
Louis astronomer, who prophesied that Carondelet,
six miles below st. Louis, was to be destroyed IL
those excellent and learned persons make II
appear that the comet of 1867 b. c. referred to by
Gibbon ia his Decline and Fall of the Roman En-
pire did effect an alteration in the color. magni
tude, figure and course Of Venus, and if they can
show, which cannot he very difficult, that comets
are sometimes a little ahead Of time they may be-
get interesting suspicion in the public mind
that the coming comet is the same gentleman who
made Venus change color and re-swaken lively
concern as to the stability Of our own respectable
planet. A celebrated astronomer, indeed, main.
tains that the visitation which affected Venus
not the first Of the comet, but that, in all
probability, il has had eight revolutions. instead
of seven, and then the first would have been 2}i2
b. C., instead of 1767 which is just abont the time
If the dclugo, that it might have been of
the agencies employed in bringing about the flood.
Taking this in connection with the atmospheric
phenomena of the present year, and the great guam
tty Of rain, suggest that here are some grounds
for getting up another panic.
Louis Napoleon on the United States.
In a work once written 10y Louis Napoleon, be
fore his accession to power, he said, in chapter,
"On Governments In General"
al speak it with regret, can see but two Gov
ernments at this day, which fulfil the mission that
Providence has confided to them; they are the two
colossi at the end of the world; ono at the eK-
remty of the old world, the other at the extremity
Of the new. Whilst our old European centre is NJ
n volcano, consuming itself in its crater the two
nations Of the Fast and the West march, without
hesitation, towards perfection; the ono under the
will of Il single individual, the other under lib
erty.
providence has confded to the United States Of
North America the task of peoplng and civil;zing
that immense territory which stretches from the
Atlantic TO the South Sea- and from the North Pole
to the Equator. The Government, which is only a
simple administration, has only hitherto been
called upon to put in practice the old adage Lassr2
fairc disscs rIssr, in order to form that rresist
BILE instinct which pushes the people of America to
the West"
The only other government in the world which
III the writer's opinion, fulfilled its mission, was
Russia. to the imperial dynasty of which, he said
was owinga the vast progress which, in q century
and halt has rescued that empire from barbarism
Such were the opinions which Louis Napoleon held
Of the United States and Russia before he attained
his present position. 1t would be TN instructive
lesson to have another chapter - on Governments
in general" and the United States and Russia in
particular, from the Emperor Of France.