The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-06-26
TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 1866.
Our Modern GIadtatoriaI sports.

WE have grown to be prudsh in our criticisms
of the morality OF the ancients. We have
gradually become vrtuous censors, sitting in
judgment on the tastes and diversions of the old
Romans and scholarly Greeks OF classic days.
With holy horror we view the history of the
gladiatorial sports. The reformed Christianity
OF our age reads with mental indignation and
disgust the story Of the crowds assembled to
witness the death battles OF fellow-men. The
painful details shock us, and we wonder how it
was possible that men so intelligent could tole.
rate and even reward the victims in these bar
barous games-games in whicn human life was
sacrificed to hasten the fight of time and vile
away the tedious hours of an afternoon. Still
later we find in Spain the bull fights, which dis.
graced the records of that country, and the de-
praving effect of which was found IN the low
standard of culture and morality. There is
something positively painful in the thought of
having man engage in deadly battle with a
brute in order to entertain his opponents infe-
riors. We have prided ourselves that the civili-
zation of our age had eradicated the temper
which would tolerate such dlsgraceful exhibi.
tions Moralists have shown to their own
satisfaction that the enlargement of our views
has been followed by spirit which could lily
We look down on the ancents from the sublime
heights of our selEesteem, and like selEright-
eous Pharisees, thank Goi we are not such as
they were.
Yet, within the last few days, within sight of
the dome of our National Capitol, so near that
the rising sun almost threw the shadow of the
pile upon the spot, a contest came off which,
compared to which the gladatorial arena and the
h,,11 HrIt +bn ,1n e
Ovid to the doggrel verse of some newspaper
Jenkins. A prize fight, after previous announce
ment for days, was consummated IN the pre-
sence of a large concourse of citizens who
gathered to enjoy the sight. Nor were the spec
tator5 all men from the lower walks of life; but
some, whose official position should have taught
them more selfrespect, were gathered around
the ring, listening to the barbarous jargon OF the
mill" and applauding the blows that drew
blood. Not only was it known that it would
take place days in advance, and not only
was it contemplated, but certain ne wspapers,
representatives and mirrors of the sentiments of
the age sent special correspondents to give all
The details to their thousand readers. SO great
was the interest that it became matter of news,
and we were compelled by the action of our
contemporaries TO JON in the general publica
tion. If it be inoeed true that in the daily jour
mails is found the reflex of the feelings of the
times, what a comment will it be on the dege
neracy of this generation, that the principal neocS
paper of the country found it proper to devote
columns after columns to all the harro wing and
disgusting "rounds" which went to make up the
sport.
The appearance Of the contestants after the
forty odd rounds was too sickening, according to
eye-witnesses, to be borne. One spectator told
us that the faces of each looked like raw meat,
and added, that altogether the fight was the best
we have had for some time. Had it happened
that Pennsylvania had been the site of the en-.
counter, we hope it would have been prevented.
AS il was in the capital of the nation, it was
allowed to go on without interruption, and the
vanquished allowed to fall so weak as TO be I'M
able to stand, with both eyes blinded, and pre-
senting horrible evidence OF the brutality of
our tastes. When all was over and the stakes
deposited, the authorities hastened to the spot
and arrested the conquered and number of the
spectators. 1t was natural for us to suppose
under such circ instances, that the prisoners
would have been 50 punished as to act as an ex-
ample and a terror to those who might here
after feel inclined to patronize such sports. On
the contrary, no yever, on them was imposed |
the.enormous fine of twenty dollars, and that
founded on the charge of carrying concealed
deadly weapons, With such legislation and
such punishm 9nt, how can we expect the
Christianity of the age, unaided by the force of
law, TO protect tn good and restrain any exhi-
bitlon OF the maj gnant passions of the worst |
class of our comm unity?
Massachusetts and Her Defamers.
The Ane has mad. discovery. II cries ,'En. |