The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-05

John MOrrIssey and Horace Greeley.
From Ae World.
The Tribune flung scoff at us yesterday for
publishing, in list of candidates for Congress,
The name of John Morrissey. The only defense
we need make against such a scof is, that Mr..
Morrissey is a candidate, and that no fastidious-
ness in reference to him would have justified us,
as a neecspaper, III suppressing the fact. As the
scott at us is the vehicle of a sneer at Mr.. Nor
rissey, we will convince the Tribune that we are
10 more afraid to discuss his character than to
publish his name.
Mr.. Greeley, as we'll as Mr.. Morrissey, is
running for Congress in this city, and as the
weak points OF both partake of the same char
acter ii suits our convenience to consider them
together. We have frequently, on divers occa-
sions, spoken with commentator of such quail
hcations OF Mr.. Greeley as we approve, and we
know no reason why we should not treat Mr..
Morrlssey with equal candOr. Neither Is a
model we should select for imitation: but per-
haps each of these gentlemen may be benefited
by seeing himself compared with the other. We
dislike cant and 90 not care to mlnce our words
We may therefore perhaps use some plalnnees
OF speech. .-f ".
Tue objection to Mr. Morrissey is that he
was, some years ago, prIze-hghter. We have
no fancy for prIze-hghting, our tastes being
rather philosophical than pugilistic. But ''the
manly art OF seli-de ense,n as Its admirers
pompously call it, is an objection to u modern
candidate for legislative functions, not because
1t is vice, but because 1t is repugnant to the
civilization Of this age. In earlier times, skill
in that art was esteemed. Had MOrnssey lived
in the heroic age of Greece, his personal quail
ties would have made him a rival OF Theseus
and Hercules. Among the games admirinely
described by the old poets, prlzefghting holds
a high place, although the mutilatIon attending
1t was more hidlous than in modern times, by
the hands being armed with hard. heavy
cestus. We form the taste OF our youth by the
study OF Virgil, although that noble and refined
poet compels them to admire the contest OF this
kind which he paints in one book of the
"Eneid." The celebrated DR.. Adam Clarke,
Methodist divine as he WAS, makes, in his CON-
mentary on one of the epistles, long quota
tion from DrSden's translation of that prize
fight, TO illustrate an alluslOn made by the Ap0s
tie Paul, and he does not conceal the enthusi-
asm with which he enters into the description.
That we hold such prsctices in horror when
presented to our eyes, proves that we have
advanced IN civilizations but the admiration
our most cultivated minds feel for them when
depicted in classic pages, proves that with all
their brutality, they had redeeming element
OF mani ness. ..
Even in recent times, sports of this character
have had famous advocates Wlndham, the
intimate friend of Burke, conspicuous member
OF DR.. Johnson's club, a fastidious classical
| scholar, described by Brougham as possessing
| wit equal to SheIidans in briiliancy and ind
nitely surprising 1t in refinement, described by
| Canning as the most insinunting speaker ever
heard in the House of Commons, described by
| this most accomplished person, in his celebrated
speech in defense OF bull-baiting takes occasion
| to express himself on the subject of boxing,
which he regarded as an exercise well calculated
TO bring out the hardy qualities of the lower
| classes, and form them 10 a love of manliness
and tair-play Cobbett whose admirable English
Mr.. Greeley might envy, undertook to prove
| that the best elements of English character,
especially the qualities which made the English
common soldiers the best in the world, resulted
from their addiction to this mode OF settling
| private quarrels. There is probably some tinge
OF truth IN such representations; but they
attempt 10 keep alive in this age practices which
are destined TO recede more aud more into the
glimmering past
We are not so sanguine as some amable
enthusiasts who look forward to period when
war also sball be loathed rs inconsistent with
| Christian civilization. The passionate admira-
ton of mankind for great soldiers is PROBABLY
an ineradicable instinct OF the human heart.
Even women, who lead IN all the softer infu-
ences of civilization, admire sol tiers above
every other class OF men. And yet Soldler-nke
qualities are but a development IN different
direction of the same elements OF hardlhood.
endurance, and superiority to fear and pain,
which make the accomplished boxer or prize
fighter. They are differently fashioned coats
from the same cloth, The fame OF letters palea
before that OF arms. The most ignorant
laborer has heard of Alexander, but scarcely one
in million OF them ever heard of Aristotle, his
contemporary. Napoleon is household word
but how lew know or care for La Places
Within the recollection of all who are noW
active in politics. we have elected four Presi
dents on the score of their military services
while the greatest statesmen OF the period
never could attain that honor We have q great
crop OF office seekers now whose aspirations
rest solely on the public admiration of soldier
ship. MIR. Morrissey has similar qualities, diff
feIently developed: and perhaps 1t is not strange
that in an age which is surrenderlng itself to pay
its most splendid tributes to brute force, he
{ should aspire 10 take his place with the rest.
Mr.. Greeley, for aught we can see, Is as opeI
I 10 CRITICISM as candidate for Congress as Mr.
4 Morrssey himself. And the objection TO boil
is precisely the same, that they have both, a
some point In their lives, given their persona
influence to uphold barbaTism In an age OF clIi
lization Each has done this In different way
corresponding to the different turn of his char
! acter. We do not know that the knook-dowl
} method OF editing newspaper Is whit NOR
civilized than the kDOck-down, method OF dis
, posing of a rival pugist. Bandying the lie
! certainly more out of keeping with the manner
I Of gentleman than using honest fists. Tn
coarseness, the ribaldry. the slaug, the calm
nicknames, the attacks on reputation, Whic
have tor twenty-five years prevailed IN tn
, Tribune, are as repulSive ana disgusting TO
: truly civilized community rs the hard blow
Q dealt In the priEe-ring -
bloody nose Is a great deal easier 70 bea
( than coarse attack on reputation The euitt