Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-04-12
The Nations that have Risen TO Great
meas In the Last Hundred Years.

Tho Nations that have Risen 90 Gront-
ness in the Last years.
When we consider the immense pro-
gress that has been made by mankind
in politics, science and education, with
in the last hundred years, and compare
II with the progress made in former
times, We are astounded, and we appre-
ciate the fact that never did the world
see an epoch that approached this in
the greatness of its events or in the
rapid succession Of startling incidents.
It is very nice TO talk Of the glorious
days Of Athens and Rome, and OF the
splendor Of the ages Of Pericles and
Augustus, but the plain fact 10, that II
man is accustomed to steam and light
ming, railroads and daily papers, and
all the numerous comforts and luxuries
of u age, and familiar with the revela-
tons of geology, physiology, chemistry,
philology and historical criticism, he
would feel very unhappy to be compell-
ed to live and talk and think as did the
best of people in Greece aud Rome in
their most prosperous times. He may
be ~astonished to think that 80 much
greatness could be crowded into so small
a city; but Athens, with the 100000
inhabitants which it had when it COM
prised most Of the genius and art of an
tiquity, could not possibly bear a COM
parison in interest with a hundred cities
which we see in our day, all larger and
richer, with more extensive commerce
and greater learning than that metrop-
oils ever possessed. Civilization and
freedom are not now confined to o few
square miles Of a small peninsula, but
in every quarter Of the globe science
and art have established themselves, to
be never more superseded by barbarism.
In the matter of national development
a multitude Of surprising changes have
occurred Of late, altogether uneIampled
in history. The establishment Of a grea,
national power on n permanent founda-
| ton is comparatively q rare event in the
history of the world. The ancient
world saw only three great European
empires-those of Athens, Macedon and
Rome; and the first thousand years Of
the Christian era witnessed only two
those of Charlemagne and Venice. Ger.
many, England and Spain were of q
later date. Never until quite lately was
more than one great national power
established in a century; but within the
last hundred years we have seen four
nations rise to eminent power-thc
United States, Russia, Prussia and
| Italy; and within the same period Po-
land and Venice, that ono ranked
among the Great Powers, have disap.
peared from the map. Our nation is the
| only one that adopted the policy Of
| peace from the first, repudiated the idea
Of conquest, and depended for much Of
its wealth and population upon success
in attracting immigrants from distant
lands. The attempt was q most bril-.
liant success; the people have come by
millions to the land Of white manhood
suffrage and of universal and free edu-
cation. Never was liberal policy more
literally rewarded. The poor of Europe
have proved how rich they could make
a country.
Russia became known as a great pow
er during the wars Of the French Revo-
luton. The Muscovite troops proved
themselves a fair match for the best
armies Of the West, and from that time
national development rapidly advanced,
and the freedom lately conferred on the
majority of the people will be followed
by education. As yet the greatness Of
Russia is chiefly military. Prussia and
Italy became great by the influence OF
the doctrine of nationality. The Ger
mans and the Italians were each divided
into a number of little States, and each
longed to secure unity as the first step
towards freedom and security. They
Joined hands and both succeeded, and
henceforth Germany and Italy are great
names politically as well as geographic
cally.
Three Of these young nations have
risen by means never on so great a scale
before-one by immigration and free
dom; the other two by national feeling.
Once great nations were made by con-
quest, but the time for that seems to be
past. We are rapidly approaching an
era of peace, when war will be left to
b~arbarism, and when the great nations
Of Christendom will band themselves TO-
gether for mutual protection against
anybody that might be so mean or ma
licious as to begin an aggressive war
G n ALkn fF Tf HTaf