New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-10-22

fessed pugists live and move and nave toeir oeins
Whatever. il other days the ring may have oeen-
however. in other times and other ands' IL m'!
have received the countenance and support OF dis
tincui-hed men. and even Of cultivated men-and
il would be useless to deny that 1t has recsiSed
such countensnce-it must be admitted that us
quasi re.pectsbty is gone, that lis hon"rs
have faded-tbat its glories are quenched' No in>n
who values his reputation, his selfresPect Ills
honor or his social position. VIII no" nave an!'
thing 10 DO with il. Pugilism has sunk from tue
small elevation which il once attained. Whenever
an attempt is made to put il back to It's old posi-
ton, We shall be ready 10 make some suggestions
We shall want Doctors of the Law OF Laws to be
bottle.hoders. We shall cry sloud to gentlemen
eminent in commercial or literary circles TO sport
their money and to sanction by their presence the
blood and brutality Of the ring. AZ present there
is little need of such appeal. The thing Is where
by it. natural gravity of basene.s it SINKS. 1t is IN
the groe.s shops and the brothels and the low gam
ing bells. The patrons of the ring are thlmble'Hg
gamesters fancy fighters, burglars, street thieves
bar-room bules New-Yorh Aldermen. There Is
not in any fight presumption even OF fair play
There cannot be prize ring pitched IN New-lork
into which the most honest bruiser can step with
an assurance of equitable treatment. 1t is all a
miserable imbroeho of bad rum, brutality, pro-
faulty and vulgarity; carnival of debasement,
drtiness and animal passions; hell OF low instincts,
dirty jealeusies and damnable excitement. OF the
mischief which such a renconter occasions there IL
no end. And indeed, the beginning is bad enough.
For mophs before such contesthe record Is full of
bar-room collisions, OF street bull! ism, OF corner
battles The devil of assault takes possession of
the minds of men; and with or without provOca-
ton upon slight temptation or great, there
ia a perpetual breaking of heads if hspl!
there is not something worse. We have
read the most respectable sporting papers.
We have read the most decent reports OF
the most decent fights. 1t all comes to the
same thing. No amount of fine writing no pre-
tension of aiming at physical deyelopment-no
cant Of preventing assassnation-can save the
Prize Ring from the condemnation of all good men.
And We do not use the phrase good men IN any
conventional sense. We will admit as good y
all who like fair play, gentemanly demeanor, and
honest and honorable dealing. The Prze King,
with its bloody brutaites its show Of science and
its pretebse of fair plry, has been abolished BY
Legislatures. and discarded by the generous and
manly because there was in it that irresistible
procliyity to baseness against which rules, codes,
regulations, esprit de corps aud conventional honor
were lmpotent. 4 bruiser will be BLACKBOARD.
Not merely vulgar aud dIssgreeable blackguard,
but one who will take your pocket-book, fitch your
watch, and, il necessary to his purposes, murder
YOU. The ornaments of the Prize Ring will, when
business is dull, rob you, main you, and swindle
you. They take naturally to swindling. They yield
with feminine pliabity to the fascination of bur-
glary. They will even steal handkerchiefs, if
nothing better can be stolen.
OF course when pair of these beautiful crea-
lures have determined to come together and to
pourd each other, there will be two classes who
will be interested. The first is of those who fol-
low the same business, immediately or remotely,
who fight when they must, OF who talk, in their
cups, of fighting; the second is of those weak peo
Pile who are determined to be interested in what
ever makes general brut We have no particu-
lar admiration for either set 1t would be hoping
against hope TO express the trust that this business
may disgust society it should. Fools will con-
tnue to bet money which may or may not belong
To them, and DULLES will still swagger and strut
and abuse the good gilt of physical strength The
law seems to be worth nothing. The death of
some combatant in the ring may dampen the ardors
of sucking Morrisseys and of callow Heenans.
Until that blessed example is youchsafed to the
turbulent and pugnacious, We must, We suppose
submit to the impotency of legislation. When So
cety is ready TO regard pugsts as it regards
thieves burglars and assassius-when they are in
famous in fact as they are Infamous by statute
when they are universally recognized as brutal,
animal and ingrained eowardy fellows, We shall
need no new laws against them. The laws which
We have viii be- efficient