The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-07-16

by each other, has revived the question
whether the world, as IL advances in
civilization, is not retrograding in virtue.
OF course, if civilization be rightly nm
derstood, the very statement of such q
question presents it's own solution.
Civilization is not, as some seek to con.
slider, steam, gas, electricity, facility OF
locomotion, an1 material development.
Unless it implies dsliveranoe from the
morals as we'll as the rudeness of barba-
rous nations, there seems no reason why
we should expect civilized people to be
any more virtuous than savages If it
may be understood to comprehend anne
lioration Of the hearts AZ we'll as intel
lectual progress. then advance in civili-
zation necessarily includes Improvement
in social relations and in morality gene
rally. We ought to settle the question
first whether civilization in this elevated
sense has advanced, for that will deter
mine at once whether the world is better
or worse than it was formerly. No one
having the most superficial acquaintance
With history can be in doubt on this sub.
ject. Let us put entirely out Of view
the inventions and discoveries of modern
times, which are really no Indications Of
improvement in virtue, and inquire whe-
ther there has not been great moral
change for tho better in the last few
centuries. We think there has, and that
it is capable of demonstration that all
orders of society have derived benefit
from the modifying influences of true
civilization upon their character. No
thing is more remarkable than the ame-
lioration which has taken place in war,
which was conducted few centuries ago
upon principles akin to those of our
Western savages, and even that was an
improvement upon preceding centuries,
when, in addition to other acts of cruelty
and revenge, it was the custom to make
slaves Of osptives, an abomination which
only yielded at Inst to the advance of q
true civilization. The slavery of the
white race, at one time for more general
than that Of the negroes, and more abso-
lutte, inasmuoh as the master possessed
the power OF life and death, power not
unfrequentiy exercised, has only been
entirely abolished within the present
generation, when tho Emperor of Russia,
few years ago, struck of the shackles
from 40,000,0O0 of serfs, number
greater than the whole population Of
this country. Even in regard to official
integrity, England. ut least, exhibits a
great improvement since the seventeenth
century, when statesman at the head Of
affairs, without giving scandal, might &C.
cumulate in q short period an estate
ample to support @ dukedom. In regari
to humanity, no one can deny that we
live in more merciful age than that Of
our ancestors. In workshops, in schools,
in private families, brutality was, few
centuries ago, the recognized means Of
upholding discipline and imparting
knowledge. A husband nova -dnys who
beats his wife is looked upon as savage,
but even Blackstone lays it down as
law that correction may be administered
by husband to his wife with rod not
thicker than the thumb. The implaca-
bility of political parties to each other,
bitter as it is now, is mild compared to
the days when English Wings murmured
because Stafford was suffered to die with
out seeing his bowels burned before his
face, and Tories reyiled and insulted
tower to the scaffold. At the same
the pillory, his life was endangered by
the brick-bats and paving stones thrown
at him, and il he was to be whipped the
crowd pressed around imploring the
official to give it to him we'll and make
him howl. Many now living can recollect
whea not only tho whipping post, but
the pillory, was in use in mout OF the
States, and when imprisonment for debt,
as savage aud senseless 8 custom as ever
existed, prevailed. Few OF the present
generation have any idea of the obstinate
resistance made to the abolition OF tac
custom. but which this journal. which
labored 30 hard and successfully to
bring it about in Maryland, is not likely
soon to forget.
It has always been an illusion Of man
kind to overrate the morality and happi-
ness Of preceding generations. Even
Homer, near 5000 year ago, speaks of
"these degenerate times" AS to the
progress Of crime, we must recollect that
we have positively no means Of deter
mining that it has increased, because
there were formerly no such methods Of
announcing and proclaiming criminal
acts among the mass of tho population
as now. Each town aud neighborhood
might know the offences committed
within its own limits. but as to what
took place outside their OVID limited
horizon they were in perfect darkness.
Now the press and tho telcoraph catch