The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-22
rHE PERILs OF CITY LIFE.

town death meets US in the face more
than seven Zines in the day, and is as
m~apy-shaped as Proteus self. Here we
are more liable todisease--to the ravages
of ~epidemics and plagues-and to the
blighting influence o fevery kind OF dis
sipation-that system of slow dying,
known under the polite and very express
sive term Of fast living" The very at
mesphere we breathe is filled with fatal
poisons, and our most wholesome foods
deleterious to the system. Our general
habits of life, are, in fact, well calculated
to shorten the term of years allotted US
in this mundane sphere. But aside from
these very potent evils, we are constant
ly forced to encounter other risks, which
the innocent inhabitants of the country
never have cause to dread. "Man made
the town." but the country is Gods own
handiwork-andH He seems to have taken
the inhabitants of his chosen kingdom
under his special care and protection
while he has left those of the cities to do
the best they can for themselves. We
have no desire to be held blasphemous
or irreverent, but we cannot help the
conclusion that cities are God-forsaken
places.
The dangers of the city, the precari-
of life and property, are a thou
sand times greater than even in the most
sparsely settled country. The human
denizens of the wild wood, are less sub
ject to the visitations of disease, and are
never troubled with riots and mobs,
have no fear of incendiary fires, and are
not in hourly dread of meeting death by
the hand of the midnight assassin, or
being beaten or disfigured by robbers
waylayingth them on their way home at
midnight, in dark streets and alleys.
These evils are inseparable from citylife.
They are the premium we pay for the
compensation received in the social ell
joyment of aggregated humanity; and
we are compelled to pay a pretty high
rate for the questionable benefit at pre-
sent in Norfolk. iul 4
In all cities there is felt a sense of inse-
curity of person inperambulating lonely
streets at untimely hours-and this feel
ing is increased according to the locality
and the reputation of the particular
quarter of the city or street through
which we are compelled to pass.
Imagine a lonely pedestrian wandering
at midnight, OH his way to his family,
weary with the tolls of the day, through
"Murderer's Lane" noted as the scene of
many a terrible deed Of blood-with no
friendly lamp to cast a cheering ray to
guide his footsteps, or warn him of the
skulking Notwithstanding his oppor-
tunity in some dark nook-and no vigil
liant policeman within hailing distance,
to afford friendly aid at the cry Of dis
tress. Threading amid the tombstones of
yawning graveyards, at the witching
hour, to a believer in ghosts, is not to be
compared to the anxiety of mind expe-
rienced, even by those who do not lack
the courage to head u column in the
charge, or face danger in any shape but
that. The perils of the picket line
would be a welcome relief.
Yet, this is the ordeal through which
thousands are compelled to pass every
night, in all of our large cities. The
danger, it is true, may not be, at all
times, SO great as to justify all the
ap%prehensions felt by m%any-still it is a
great inconvenience to be subjected to
any annoyance whatever from this
source. And besides, we have but too
many evidepces to the contrary in the
misfortunes that are continually over
taking the victims of misplaced conf
dence,t to Justify the belief that one may
go about in a city as safely in the dark
ness of night, as in the broad light Of
MONDAY.
There are always evil disposed per-
sons-thieves, robbers and murderers,
in cities,-ready to take advantage of
any relaxation of vigilance on the part
of quiet and well-to-do citiZens-fOr
whom the law has no terrors and who
are seldom deferred by dread of the
consequences from acts of violence,
when there is a prospect ofthe crime
affording them yer the smallest re-
m%uneration. Men are murdered in the
sometimes for trifing objects of
plunder-and are even assaulted when
defenceless for no cause whatever, but
merely to crafty a wanton desire to do
mischief on the part of the assailants.
The great object of all good government
is the protection of life aud property.
The duty of its administrators is to pro-
tect the peaceable, law abiding citizen
against the violence of the turbulent,
vicious and worthless, who are found
c~ongregated in all large cities ever as
buzzards gather around a carrion-and
who fatten upon the proceeds of their
innumerable crimes. They thrive by
crime.
Norfolk has of late become a very
dangerous city after nightfall, and every
morning we are presented with some
new and striking evidence of the fact,
that when the sun goes down the city is
given over by the authorities to the pro-