The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-03
CLOSE OF The SECOND GENERATION.
Review Of the Past 80 Years.
GREATNESS OF The NINETEENTH CENTURY.

off into wonderfully interesting sketch of the
past thirty-three and q third years, as follows:
With the close of this day, August 81, 1867,
will close the second generation of the nine
teenth century, and the fifty-sixth of the Chris
tian era. A century is divided into three
generations, of thirty-three years and four
months each; and as the nineteenth century
began on the LIST of January, 1901, its first
generation closed on the Both of April, 1884,
since which date thirty-three years and four
months have passed away, bringing an end to
the second of the three equal parts of the CEN
fury. The best explanation of what is meant
by a generation is that given by De Quincy.
II is not meant that the whole population of
the earth who were alive at the beginning of a
generation were dead at its close, but that a
number equal to the whole population had
died, one-third of whom were born in that
generation. The two-thirds who died of
those who were living at the beginning of a
generation must embrace persons who be-
longed to the active part of the community, and
therefore a new generation of active men NAV
be said to come upon the stage three times in
a century. The exceptions must be numerous,
as third of the deaths do not come from
among those who were living at the beginning
of the generation. Exactness of a literal char
acter is not expected in such case, but the
estimate is sufficiently exact to meet the moral
requirements of the matter. Looking back
over the third of a century that now is closing,
we find it full of wonderful deeds and great
changes. When the generation began, the
state of things in this country was very differ
ent from what it is to-day. President Jackson
was in the second year of his second term of
service, and was engaged in hot contest with
the United States Bank, the removal ofthe-
deposits question filling the public mind as
much as it is now filled by the
ruoctin11 Of rapOnctruptiOn Tho Whiu
was just formed, but the Democratic party
seemed to be impregnably seated in
power. The AbolitiOnists were in the
spring of their movement, and were hardly
less obnoxious to most Americans than were
the early Christians to the conservatives who
rallied round Jupiter Optimus Maximus. The
notification movement had been put down
the year before, and the slavery question had
been seized upon by Mr.. Calhoun to take its
place. The mails were rifed by gentlemen
of responsibility and standing" with Govern
ment's appreciation, because they were sup
posed to contain ''incendiary matter" and in
Boston pro-slavery fanaticism was almost as
strong as it was in Charleston. The number
of States was but twenty four, and ''the
Vest was hundred of miles from its present
occidental line. The navy consisted of wooden
sailing vessels. War, except with Indians,
had been unknown to the country for almost
twenty years. Slavery was, apparently, as
firmly seated here as the Papacy in Christen-
dom. Railways were little more than talked
of, and telegraphs were unknown. The gene
ration that then began passes away, and with it
passes the country that then existed, and of
which the people were so proud. OF all the
leading men who then lived, but few survive.
jackson, Calhoun, Webster Van Buren,, Clay
Harrison, j. @. Adams, Livingston, Tyler,
McDufie, Marshall, Taney, R. M. Johnson,
Mangum, H. L. White, Hayne, Preston,
Burges, Hamilton, Cass, Scott, Gaines, Marcy,
Woodbury., McLane, Stevenson, Porter, Ben n
ton, Rush, Dallas, Mclean, Tazewell, E.
Everett, John Davis, Berrien, A. Fl. Everett,
H. G. Otis, Cambreling, Leggett, Day
ton, Biddle, and many more, whose names
were as common in mems mouths IN
1884 as those of Grant and Sheridan in 1857,
have departed. The United States Bank is as
dead as the continental currency. The Whig
party has been in its grave fourteen years
and the Democratic party is in dying state
Slavery, that seemed strong enough to defy
fate, and claimed to have subdued fortune, is
abolished; and Abolitionism is the creed oi
the land The navy that was has become well
nigh as obsolete as the forces that fought al
Salamis, being replaced by vessels built o.
iron, which are propelled by steam. Tht
army, which was not strong enough to form
an effective division, has been increased t
ten times it's former numbers. The number
of States is increased one-half and more, Will,
the extension of our territory exceeds tht
dreams of the founders of the Republic
"The West " is now on the shores of TIN
Pacific where we have two States, one o
them the immediate creature of gold
power; and Territories there, or in the vicinity
of the western ocean, are growing into States
Russian America which was counted a
lying beyond the boundaries of possible civil
zatiOn, has become ours by purchase, tWent,
years after we had settled the Oregon disput
with England; and We are rapidly binding
those remote regions to the East by means @
railways and telegraphs, so that the Atlanti
and the Pacific will be Joined together by al
undivorceable bond ofiron in about three years
Great and opulent cities have sprung int
existence: San Francisco, Chicago, Milwaukee
and others, are of the creations of this genera
tion; while scores of places have risen fror
comparative insignifcance to wealth and great
ness. We have had two great wars: that wit
Mexico, which grew out of the annexation {
Texas, and which, meant to make SLAYER
colossal, was the means of its overthrow
while its effect on the worlds business throug
its leading to the acquisition of California
among the wonders of history, and belongs I
the romance of commerce; and what may
called the great civil war, brought upon th
country through the bullying and insolence {
the slaveholding interest, directed and wielde
nv the leaders of the Democratic party-an
the circumstances and incidents of that cor
test were as marvellous as the contest itse
was unlocked for. AT the beginning of TIL
generation we had no national debt, and th
States were comparatively free from pecuniar
ohlioations; at its close the national debt
,,ot Iass than So 500 600 600, and the Stats