The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1857-11-20


There is a great deal of savage ferocity
and fiend-like cruelty in John Bulls heart,
and, in spite of the stolid decency and re-
spectacle conservatism which usually
disguise the old fellows real nature. his
innate brutality will now and then peer
out disgustingly, when he gets excited
and his phlegm is stirred.
We rejoice that John Bull has got into
Delhi, because, rough and scoundrelly as
he is, the mem-Sahib is immensely worse
in atrocity, and has, moreover, none of the
milder shades which relieve the blackness
of his rivals character. Still, we were pre-
pared to hear ofthe most shocking barba-
rites and beastly butcheries when the
properly svouched story of the sack of
Delhi should come into Christendom.-
The demon which, even while sleeping, is
the constant attendant genius of the En-
glish nation, was thoroughly aroused and
chatting for blood. That old lion, whose eff
gy figures conspicuously on the British
coat of arms-although his actual entity
has been shrewdly doubted by people of a
sceptical turn of mind-we know must
have become terribly exasperated at the
consummate impudence of the Sepoysin
making puny "mutiny" against the
most colossal power on earth. Then, the
whole realm Of the three united kingdoms
had been seriously frightened i'll the out
set of the "fuss," and its rage was cores
pondingly augmented with the daily more
and more complete discovery of the true
insignidcance of the object Gifts terror
The moral power of the Anglo Saxon en-
pire had been brought into peril, and the
world had doubted, sven although only for
moment, its intrinsic material strength,
and was waiting the issue of the struggle
in suspense. Vindictive prophecies of
the speedy decadence of England to a
third rate power in the concerns of this
planet, were lavishly vented, wherever a
legendary hostility towards her was yet
ranking. The patient ass had turned, at
length, upon its BALKAN. English Cru
SOC was in apparent danger ofbeing sound
ly whipped by Indian FRIDAY, and sum-
marily elected, without legal process, from
the territory, by that indigenous gentle
man.
The fatuous anger of the uncouth, glib
bering idiot had pricked him to rebel
clumsily against the harshness of his
keeper England was not only ''hopping
mad" but fearfully chagrined. Her ex-
chequers had poured forth monies, with
more than the protuseness Of the horn OF
plenty; her best statesmen had sat in
long eounsellings about the "how-to-do-
it )" her veteran captains and bravest SOL
diers had been despatched to the distant
scene ofcombat while half the nations
of men were watching eagerly-ready to
laugh at her reverses and to make golden
opportunity" of her necessity.
Under these circumstances, we are not
surprized at all at the ominous and muf-
fed rumors that the breezes have already
borne to us in these christian sections of
the globe, of the most horrible and inhu-
man carnage in the wreaking out of the
British vengeance. We agree with some
contemporary that the whole dire history
of horrors will never become recorded
chronicle. Only in vague and doubtful
whispers will the tale of this great retrl-
button go down to other generations
Here is the description Of one of these re-
prisals, from the Bombay Gazette:
seThe first parade was a horrible sight but
the blowing away from guns is most appall-
inc. After the explosion, the grouping of
the mems remains in front Of each gun was
various and frightful. One mans head was
nerched on his back, and he, was staring
Found, as if looking for his legs and arms