Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-07-17
CIVILIZATION.

The states or conditions in which we find
the human family, present fruitful theme to
the moral philosopher, to the statesman, and
to the political economist Man exists in con-
ditions below the beasts of the field, in many
respects; in other instances, he is only on an
equality with the beasts, and in other instances
still, we find him elevated far above every
creature which has home upon this earth.
The spread Of civilization over the globe
seems to be from the East to the West. In
this general direction, the tide seems to have
been rolling for centuries.
At the commencement of tie Christian
era, the Romans were the most civilized people
on the globe. By them, Great Britain, to-
gether with all the German States, we're con-
quered or overrun ; and in process Of time,
these conquered tribes imbibed the manners
and customs of the Romans, and adopted
their language, in part or in whole. For sew
eral hundred years Great Britain remained in
semi.savage state. BY slow degrees, the bar
barous manners and customs Of the ancient
Britains were laid aside. Prosecutions drove
many of them to the necessity of seeking a
home in which they could live in peace and
quiet They selected America. Two hun
dred and fifty years ago, the territory desig-
mated by the name of the United States, was
an unbroken forest, inhabited by wild and un-
civilized savages. The first emigrants, from
necessity, landed upon the eastern shore.
The tide of civilization continued to roll on
until it reached the eastern shore of the Pa
cifc. The disposition to 60 West seems to be
almost instructive. Annually, thousands from
the densely populated States and crowded
cities of the East, make their way to Ameri-
ca. In many sections of America, the man.
ners and customs, as we'll as the language of
the people, are European in all their prevail
ing characteristics. The tide of emigration is
stopped only by the placid bosom of the broad
Pacific. In time, no doubt, the Pacific will
be crossed as the Atlantic was, and mighty
changes will be produced npon the eastern
continent by the inhabitants Of the western.
1t is noticeable feature of civilization that
its object seems to be to reduce barbarism to
subsection. 1t is not very particular how this
is effected. Persuasion is sometimes used; but
more frequently the sword. The first emf.
grants to America used but little persuasion
to ameliorate the savage Indians. In almost
every instance the appeal was made to the
sword. For the last two hundred and fifty
years the effort has been to exterminate the
aboriginal inhabitants of America, and the
effort has been successful The same thing
was done by the Romans. The tribes which
Julius Cesar found in Great Britain were, in
time, almost entirely exterminated by the Ro.
mans. Not only did the Romans pursue this
exterminating method, but the Israeites did
the same thing toward the Cananites. This
may seem strange, but facts are facts.
In the development of the arts of civilian
ton, it is rather a remarkable feature that the
fine arts were brought to high state of per-
fection while the useful arts we're scarcely
known. In music, poetry and painting, the
ancient Greeks and Romans surpass any mod
ern nations. In their palmiest days they were
defective in the useful arts. Implements of
agriculture, which boy can now construct,
were too much for the mighty intellects Of an
tiquity. The rapid and permanent progress
of civilization during the last century, has
been effected by the discovery and application
of steam. With truth, it may be said that
steam has revolutionized the world. 1t is
only in its infancy. What it will yet do nc
one can tell. At present, a voyage is made
between London and New York in less time
with as little risk, and at far less expense
than a journey was made by our fathers be-
tween places only few hundred miles apart
1t is also worthy of notice that while civil
zation removes many evils, it introduce;
many. Civilized nations are not so healthy Il:
savages. The North American Indians were
subject to only three or four diseases. The
great multitude of them, who were not killed
in war, died of old age. Amongst civilized
nations only small number die of old age
The manner of life amongst civilized nations
preys upon the nervous system, and death en-