The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-10-15
TIE NEXT PRIZE FIGHT.

TRE NEXT PRIZE FIGHT.
The late English papers received inform us
that the final preliminaries FOR the fght be-
tween MACE and CoBURN have been con-
cluded, and that the contest will come off In
Ireland on the appointed day, unless the police
should interfere.
A curious phase in the growth of a taste for
prize fights is the moral and respectable
ground upon which the advocates of such re-
fined recreations attempt 10 place them
Nothing Is more common than to find, in a
certain class Of newspapers, long articles in
favor of boxing, on the score Of Its improving
the bodily strength and promoting such men
tai and moral virtues as courage, endurance,
etc Very weak-minded youth, like those
who saunter along our streets, are
often convinced by this logic, and 1t
is not at all uncommon to hear Cassandra- |
like predictions about our country generally,
based on the neglect of this indispensable in
gredient In nations safety. More than this,
some of our readers will doubtless remember
the remark of the Duke of Wellington, when
reyisiting his old school:-"On that play
| ground" said he, the battle Of Waterloo was
won" In fact, the whole prosperity Of Eng
land is ascribed to the paglistic practices of
her boys, and the "manly art Of seltdefense'
is pictured as bringing in its train all the noble
qualities of manhood. This Is not one whit
overdrawn, and there is no use in shutting our
eyes to the fact that able and persistent efforts
are made to create such sentiment in this
country. AS tree is best known by its fruits,
| 1t will be we'll to point out the beauties of this
regenerating amusement.
| Two men, distinguished In the sporting
world, melted by others or their own amil-
bility, arrange the prelimlnaries for a trial Of
strength and SKILL and begin straightway
course of training for the contest. Here Is an
interesting, if not improving, study at once.
They who had surrendered themselves freely
to the dictates of their passions, now sacrifice
their lusts and appetites to the direction Of
their trainers; and, thirsting for glory, they
give up all that might thwart their ambition.
They walk enough to carry them across
continent, they strike hard blows enough to
: fell q forest, and practise enough asceticism to
, entitle them to rank with st. SIMEON STY-
o | LTTEs.
) Having reached the proper point Of perfec-
@ ton, they meet, with party of select friends,
"a good moral effect of such assemblages might
n be inferred from the intellectual and refined
countenances of those present, as well as from
8 the charges, made on every such occasion, Of
d foul play, etc. That high degree Of security
al is also felt In the peaceable intentions ant
II characters of all, is apparent from the profS
ly sion OF bowie-knives, firearms, and other plea
be SAINT playthings. Still another proof OF thu
ce value of prize fights is found in the practice
ss betting-of all means of making money th'
ii. most conducive TO the good Of the fOrtunat
th individual and the State.
is The accessories Of the struggle, however
on are insignificant when compared with tn
sst fight itself. AS the interest concentrates /
ty the scene, so cheering and so creditable t
re- humanity, 80 from that the strongest an
es. highest lessons of instruction are to be draw
tho Stripped TO the waist, with hair cropped clos
be to the scalp, lest the magnanimous opponeI
the may take a hold thereof, with hearts beatin
,ral high with hope and emulation, and filled wit
lct love for all mankind especially the specime
in just opposite this triumph of civilization, th
mt; 4; perfect man, begins TO beat, batter and brui
sti- his adversary.
llts As the result Of this, the "human fat
of divine" is soon rendered a pulpy mass
ned bloody jelly, and the body mutilated and di
nan figured in a style quite equal to the lacer
$ II tions and woundings attending railroad acc
no dents The appropriateness of the nan
;ut, "self-detense," applied TO the "manly art"
the obvious from a recent exhibition of the kin
of when both men had TO be carried from I'll
the ground after an encounter Of twenty minute
be duration. That it would put an end
90 assassinations is easily shown by the fate
Of some dozen or two in the last few year
among the gentemanly crowds attendiI
md these displays.
.ss. 1t is useless to comment further on d
on, advantages of prize lights, and we may safe
uit lay it down as an axiom, that, considering the
in influence on the community, in the way
nd choice literature, humanizing topics Of col
AN versation, and worthy models for Imitation
de- and on those more nearly concerned in I'll
nd culture Of their minds, and the graceful amt
he mites Of social life, in the extinction of inten
perance, rowdyism, malevolence, and bry
on tality generally, they should be encourage
ID by every lover of his country and his rae
th Two infantile roosters Of tender years an
nd flesh never exhibited more bravery than di
Dir MoRRIsEY and KING; but truth compels Z
We to add, pair of bulldogs would have show
far more pluck, while, stil better, two XII
lie kenny eats were once 80 successful tha
Is nothing was left OF either but the tails. Ii
ar, us hope that they win do better next tim'
ICY and that their good example may be followe
o. curing all coming years. We tell our chi
aAh dren that VRoIL is the prince of poets, an