New-York daily tribune., 1865-11-08
SOCIAL SUICIDE,

cVCAAA oOAOADhs
There Is nothing in this world more remsrka.
bic than the phlegmatic contempt which man.
kind exhibits for its own experience "Lya
and learn is venerable and accepted maxim:
but We live without learning to any practical
purpose, and, what is still less toerable, we die.
sometimes by thousands in day, and with q
thorough knowledge Of the causes Of our NOR.
tality, without in the least acquiring precau-
tionary wisdom. Health, public or private, ia
valued when it is lost and becomes cheap again
when it il recovered. The cholera is no longer
q novelty-we have already had cruel expert
ence of it in New-YOrk; and, however the dOo- :
tors may differ in regard to its infective quail
ties, it is absolutely certain that it is born Of
dirt, follows the trail of filth, and is nourished
by noisome cOrruptions No epidemic ever
gave such kindly, peremptory and persuasive
warning. For months. we have known that tha
blue-lipped avenger Of mans faithlessness tS
simple social duties was stalking toward us, and
we have awaited the coming with all the indif.
ference Of Moslem fatalism. The man who de-.
liberately takes his place upon the rail1ad Aud
defies the advent of train which VII, I'D
him to fragments, is no madder and i.o more
foolish than great city which permits innu.
merable and chronic nuisances to poison its at.
mosphere and to prepare its population for the
death dealing stroke Of merciless epidemic. So
have we beon waiting. Every fetid exhalstoS
was a warning; every slaughter-houss was
memento moyi; every bone.boiling establishment
savored Of death; every crowded tenement.
house was full of predestinate victims; every
foul thoroughfare led to the expectant grave
yard; every reeking cellar was already tomb.
We knew it all; We understood it oil. Wa
talked Of it with indomitable complacency, bus
we did not lift finger 10 save ourselves from
our doom; 'and now, when the frightful cOnss.
qnence Of our wicked neglect begins to be sp-
parent, VIC take clumsy refuge n qusran'
tine, as if we could fix a GORDON ,anita'n through
tho upper atmosphere, and imprison the pest
freighted Winds. Our very CONSERVATION pre-
cluGes prompt and wise and effective action; wa
are thrown back upon expedients, aud are thank.
ful if We can but mitigate the austerty OF tho
visitation.
Faulty like this, exhibited by iadiyiduals. IL
it cannot be pardoned, must at least be endured.
But municipal government is instituted for Nd
other purpose but to guard all against tn,
aggTessions of each, and it is supposed TO rep.
resent whatever common sense may have been
vouohslfed 10 us. Ii the wisdom Of society ba
not higher than the wisdom of the persons
which compose it, then society is al a mistake.
and the sooner each retreats 70 condition ot
nature, and begins TO adopt purely selfish
methods of self-deiense, the better. If it bs
the duty of those elected to govern IS 20 act
now, it was still more their duty to have acted
long ago. Failing IN this, they should have
been compelled TO give place to men whose
ideas Of public service were clearer; and society.
which is responsible for their good behavior.
and has the power Of punishment equally
with that Of promotion, must take .hl
direful consequences Of its negligence.
| Once more. We are warned of our obligation IN
this behalf. Once more, we are reminded, with
startling precision, that, even in so vulgar thing
as a municipal election, there may be issues oflfs
and death, of public panic or OF, public serenity.
Of commercial prosperity or prostration. If ws
do not care for lives, we certainly care some.
thing for ledgers. If We ara Indifferent to our
neighbor's prolonged existence, We surely ara
not Indifferent to our own. The ordinary mo.
rAlity which would compel Us to interfere if va
observed some wretohed creature adjusting q
moose to his own neck, or mixing a potion "
poison for his own stomach, should be sufficient;
but we have more immediate motives, for tho
plague which dispatches Lazarus is by that
very act making ready 10 DO Dives the SANG
grim service. The Five Points may poison the
Fifth-ave, and downtown send to uptown
the cholera with its compliments. Can nothing
be done during the present Winter, to ward us
| from this widespread wol If it were an.
nounced in the newspapers that twenty thou
sand persons would to-day commit suicide III
Central Park, regiment Of policemen would
hurry up TO avert the horror. There are more
than twenty thousand lives 1T stake in this city
this morning.