Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-11
The ReveI of Ruin-Tcachings of
History.
GFrom the Round Table.

From the Round Table
1t has been said, not once but hundred times
that stranger landing in New York would never
dream that a war was desolatns the land He
would see the streets alive with brilliant equip
ages, the shops filled with the cOstliest and most
luxurious goods. the theatres nightly crowded
with gay and we'll dressed audiences; he would
see cafes, rivalng the most splendid establish
ments OF Paris, ablaze with light; from a humid
red houses the sweet clamor" of music poured
upon the air, thrilling in tune TO the movement OF
dancers dancing in tune" All this he would see,
aud If he were stranger content to judge things
by their superficial aspect only, he might go away
amazed to 6nd the fearful events which for three
years have been laundering upon our devoted
country, so "overcomeHs. like summers cloud,
without our special wonder
But if the inquiring stranger will only Look
little more deeply into the state of things about
him. and if he be but ever 50 slightly familiar
with the story of the past, he will abund-
ant occasion To recognize the working of an
cient and irresistible laws upon the social or
der in which We live He will see the bands of
social justice. equity, decency, everywhere re-
laxed; he will see men less respectful of their
social obligations. women less lender of their
social rights; he will see the appetite Of wealth
and enj ment IN ,ddening in the eyes, and max
ing eager the fees that he meets; he will see,
as il were, everlasting the whole CAV and g0r
geous panora ma about him. the far-hung shadow
of those awful wings of death which are win
moving the land from E ,st TO West. over so
mrny hundred thousand miles OF what but n
brief three years ago was the rich and prosperous
home OF happy and high spirited peOple-a
shadow which those who do not il feel; a
shadow which breeds that burning recklessness
of the olden time, "let US eat and drink, for
Tomorrow we die "
Felt in our highways and byways, this awful
shadow reveals itself in the increase of violent
and horrible crimes. The ssnctity of life and
property dies out of the popular heart the
pressure of want grows daily heavier. as the re
ward of labor becomes daily more uncertain, as
its value becomes daily more capracious.
Felt in the higher circles of life, where property
exists but the wings Of property are seen daily
and visibly expanding. where the call of the
dragon of battle for human lives is heard only
Hfsr off, aud only disturbs the repose without
threatening the safety of men, this shadow gives
n keener zest to the immediate satisfaction of the
moment, and urges not to crimes of violence.
but to crimes which may be called crimes OF de-
sire, to the "lust of the ewes and the pride OF
life" All things are taking hght-why not
principles. hopes purposes. old religions, tradi-
tionsl agencies. the transmitted morals Of anoth-
| er agef s1
In the most fearful crisis of the past. these
same phenomena, which to the seeing eye mark
our life Of to-day, swept over the great cities OF
men. Florence saw them when the singers OF
Decnmeron strung their lutes and laughed the
| summer hours away upon the sunny viae-cad
nights OF Fiesole. while far below the pestilence
ragged. turning men into demons Of despair and
selfisbness. Germany them when. out OF
the bloody and trampled fields of the thirty wears
war, sprang up a horrible harvest CT murder and
madness. of sensual fury and sensual license.
France saw them when pestience and ruin stalked
hand in hand over the fair kingdom, John Law
aud the plague dividing the bodies and the estates
of million Of men in a general bankruptcy OF
health and wealth.
Never was Paris OF the Regency so gay as on
the of the explosion of the Mississippi scheme