The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-05-20
THE DAILY DlSPATCh


THE DAILY DISPATCH.
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WeAneaan, M.r~s~.. hwy ~ s-ss
Love Or uears
There are sons preacher. of the 0osp''
only 80 arguments Of terror. and there arc 49,
whoss vssces are never heard savs IN 'Ns 1900
sivs accents Of love. We believe II !" .sa,...,ns
poias among the clergy. which mo-. them to re.
men y most eficacious 10 or'ns =, .oc,ety who
"a inos.r.tv. lives. and strive, - y"
tAs,r ,o,sr o,,ve 70 peace with all men, Az.
ara 49,. h.,I;sarsnt. combasive ano pnys'es"1
p.h,. a. ,n.r,;ns fear. Now, . very ofo'uA's w
..r,,,,., ~ m.nknd will enable Ne TO pese'I'e
vh,cn .,.. i. treated with the most courtesy .na
a.,.r.rc. which receives the most isnienoJ ~n'
,na,,..n.c IN their fsailties and errors Ano TO
.r,, ~ ,b,se observations will enable IN 70 aee'oe
vhsther men are most governed BY love OF ieai'
by selAshness or generosity.
A solution of this question not favorable 70 the
mauiiuess and elevation Of our species mas oeen
arrived At by those bitter and uusparins 81
tirists who abuse every body and every tn'ns
and whose hand, like that Of Ishmael's, seems "
BE- against every mau-but here the compar'SoH
halss mo mans hand IL against them. Men SOM
times wonder that some critics of manners SUI
be ferocious, undiscriminating, merciess' ~ ..
assaults upon others. This is sometimes Ass.o
TO desire to be thought original anu '"'er
dent May 1t not "a often arise rom 'ne
ton that men are mosre RI lily cont'ohe" -
fears than their reason, and that 'ne'e A." Nv
way to keep them in the traces 'hAn W e' 80
see the lash above their heads, ana ooo"''oA1
have q taste of 1t on their fanksF we en'o' 'a'.
no such opinions of human nature, IN genera w.
there are 30 many exhibitions OF sp'ri' 10,
makes war upon the quiet aud unofenoins' Anu
crinees like whipt cur at the hrst nostie nen'on>
stration of the aggressive and oeiserent tna' W
do not wonder st the unfavoraole views OF NUMB
nifty which have converted some OF the MOST emf
nent satirisss into seeming msanthropes; "n'eh
have Induced critics who would otherwise be to'e-
rant aud moderate, to rely for Influence ana re-
spect more upon terror than reason, ana "nis1
give tremendous emphasis to those pulpit minis
trations which shout in the ears OF craven 1eoei'
against God-"Turn or Burn"
The combined cowardice and ferscity of huniAA
nature is assumed in the philosophysof the dueiio
Is well as in the terrors Of the pulpit Among
the advantages claimed for the duel is the alleged
courtesy which it enforces between man and man,
without which, we are told the strong and VIC
leot would Cypress, harass and int ndate the weak
and gentle rs is said to be the casein communities
where the custom of single combat has fallen into
disuse II this be true, alas, poor human nature !
Then, indeed, man who was made little lower
thaa the angels, has fallen in dignity beneath the
devils, and In chivalry, below the brutes Wnat-
ever else may be alleged against Satan. 1t cannot
be pretended that he feared to make war upon
greater power than himself, and a noble dog dis
dains to grapple with An inferior adversary.
There may be some apparent ground for this
degrading theory, but the cases which sustain 1t,
are, We would hope, exceptional and not general
There may be, here and there, even in civilized
communities, men who by brute force seek to In
tlmidate their interiors in physical strength or
combative qualities, and who quake in perfect
agus Of panic at the power of men of larger mus"
Gle and more determined will than themselves.
But the same vile spirit may DO found where the
duel exists as where it is unknown. Even IN
lands where the duel prevails, instances are not
wanting OF individuals who select the objects OF
their spleen and malice, with as much care and
discrimination as the epicurs selects dainties for
his table, who pick out quiet, patient msn-men
who have given such pledges to society and to
God for good conduct that it Is impossible for them
to enter tho field of blood, or any path which
leads to IT, without sacrificing Ell their hopes of
happiness In this world and the next. There are
individuals who select such antagonists. and only
such, being to all others, and especially to &C.
kaowledged fire. eaters, As obsequious and defer"
entail as slaves to their masters. The duel, there.
fore, cannot and does not equalize matters, nor
produce that mutual courtesy which justice de
mands and the amenities of civilized society require
To show, however, the utter futility Of this pre-
tension, 1t is only necessary to contrast the pro.
ceedings of the American Congress, where duelling
IL recognised with those Of the British Parliament,
where 1t ia not. A more dighiied and courteous
delbsrative body than the British House of Lords,
and generally, the House of Commons, was never
assembled. The superiority of the officers of the
British army in polish and refinement of manners
to those Of the French service is admitted by one
of the most intelligent and observing of French
writers. Yet the duel in the British army and
navy is unknown. The courtesy of its officers is
the result of the instincts and good breeding of
gentlemen, and not the dictate of unmany fear.
At the same time, we do not deny that in al
society there are enough mean, curlke spirits
perpetually scowlng, snariipg and swapping 1t
those who they think will not kick them, to sug-
by the lash and the pistol. Hence, we are not
disposed to judge harshly, nor to attribute to Ill
nature, or even reckless savagery, the fierce and
persistent fagellations with which some censors
of the times lay on the rod. We can even ina.
CINE that these very critics were once mild and
gentle, until the iostiings which the retiring al.
ways receive from the aggressive had soured the
milk Of human kindness in their hearts The
slishtngs and the SCOTS which patient merit of
the unworthy takes" are among the necessary
trials Of virtue and fortitude In this crucble of
life. Noble that nature which can successfully
stand this test whose elements subjected to fiery
ordeal, show the least alloy of maignity and re-
venge; which loses in the furnace only its dross,
and comes forth, at last, pure and bright gold
New Publication.
The Sermons Of Archdeacon Trench, before the
University of Cambridge, the receipt of which we
recently acknowledged, are, in strength Of thought
and force Of expression, among the model sermons
Of the age, and would have done honor to the Eng.
lish pulpit iu'iss best days The style is plain and
unanbitious, but chas,e and luminous, and the
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