The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-03-04

mass of the nation lived almost entirely
on rye, barley and oats; the paupers
and bcggars were estimated at 1880, 600
out ofa population of $3.50, 900, as great
as it is at present, with a population
four times as Urge; the rate of deaths
in the capital was one in twenty-three,
row it is one in forty; men died faster
in tho country than they do now in
towns; noblemcn had not the comforts
which are now common to their servants
But if it be contended that these were
still good times, morally, socially and
intellectually, let us bear in mind some
further facts related by our historian
He tells us, what indeed has ever since
been matter Of worldwide notoricty,
that in those days extravagant liccntious-
ness prevailed, and that woman was
morally and intellectually degraded; :;
the prcfligacy of the English plays, sa-
tires, songs and novels, far exceeded the
most disgusting productions of Eugene
Sue and his obscene disciples; the
poets rejoiced to put their loosest
and most indecent verses into the
mouths of women, to be repeated
at the theatres; husbands of sta.
ton beat their wives without cons
junction; statesmen, without giving
scandal, could easily accumulate princely
estates; the most savage intemperance
of party spirit prevailed; blood could
not flow fast enough to satisfy the thirst
for political revenge; Wings hcoted at
Tory victims and Tories at Wings as
they passed on to execution; there was
no daily paper in England; few Of the
gentry had libraries as good as English
footmen now possess; female education
was almost entirely neglected; the
poetry and eloquence of Greece were not
familiar even to accomplished gentlemen;
men were pressed to death for refusing
to plead and women burned for coming
moss troopers and robbers so abounded
in parts of the kingdom that the gentry
and larger farm-houses were fortified,
and parishes were obliged to keep blood
hounds for the purpose Of hunting free
hooters, while there were portions Of the
metropolis in which the warrant of the
Chief Justice could not be executed
without the aid of body of armed men.
And yet, may it not be too soon to &C.
cept this picture of Macaulay as decisive
of the question? There are social
anomalies in her civilization which re-
main to be solved, and which may yet
pcrplex and confound the master spirits
Of the age. 1t remains to be seen
whether the bulk Of her population are
always going to drudge from morn till
night for bare necessities of life, and
with all the intellectual and moral de-
ferences which this implies. We have
seen a nation which had made more rapid
progress than England come suddenly
to grief.
How long is it since the London Times
spoke thus admiringly of American pro-
gress? "In an interval of little more
than half century it appears that this
extraordinary people have increased
above five hundred per cent. in num-
bers their national revenue has aug
mented near seven hunderd per cent,
while their expenditure has been in-
creased little more than four hundred
per cent. The prodigious extension of
their commerce is indicated. by an in:
crease of near five hundred per cent. in
their imports and exports, and six hun
dred per cent. in their shipping. The
increased activity of their internal COM
munications is expounded by the num-.
Der of their post-ofliccs, which has been
increased more than hundred.fold, the
extent of their post roads, which has
been increased thirty-six fold, and the
cost of their post-office, which has been
augmented into seventy -two-fold ratio.
The augmentation of their machinery Of
public instruction is indicated by the ex-
tent of their public Libraries, which have
increased in thirty-two fold ratio, and
by the creation of school libraries,
amounting to 1900, 900 volumes.
"They have completed asystem Of canal
navigation which, placed in q continuous