Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-05-14
Fifty Years Ago.
Written for tho Gezettel

How few there Gre who can rsfes 10 e
noted event 10 tbeir liyee that ocourgsd fifty
years ago? On the oh day Of May, lS40,
l then in my 25ah year-ssrong aud buoy
an!-startlng out from the city of Natchez,
via New Orlesus, travelled what wag called
the southern rCute-Mobile, MoGtgomery /,
Macon, Augusta and Charleston, Whining.
ton, Richmond, Alexandria ana Washing
ton f; thence through Baltimore, Phiiadai-
phia on to New York, and sailed opt OF that
mort on board uf the Great Western steam
ship, Capt. Hosk!ns commanding, bound for
Briatol channel, England, TO TIE port and
city of that name-the suburban town Of Cltl-
ton intervening, where the custom house was
situated and whore l first set foot Oh British
soil, and first paid tax on ny cigars, &c,
which port wes made by 3 euccesstul voyage
ia IA days and 8 hours from New Yors, the
fastest then on record. The Great Western
was the pioneer IL regular ocean stesm
navigation and this Was about her second,
or at most, third trip. What ohanges nave
taken place in steam navigation enc in rsll-
roai:ng, which were then in their infsucy,
compared with what they are now Tee
graDhy was moi known even, and the arts Of
grim viaeged war, wish his Wrlnklad front,
hes been remoddled, but not modified nor
betterod mans inhumanity to man con
.inues about the same, ard many lsnds have
been drorched in blood, and the fair fsce Of
the earth desolated by shocking crueities
prscticed by man She victor, upon man the
vsnqushed.
Earthquakes have occurred and destroyed
neny human victims, oycloEes and stcrms
al sea and on land have taken place IL d!-
vera places causing great loss Of life s1d de-
strucion of property. Revolutions have
hIezsd forth giving rise TO new forms OF gov.
errment, or fastening OH struggling peo-
Die the oppression OF the cid. All these
nave taken place within the last flty years,
while thousands cf other minor eVents
affecting the interest Of human kind fot
good or evil have happened Notwithst2nd-
Ing the multiplied evil, the civilized world
thinks it mas advanced snd improved and
has good reason for gtsiustion upon is
present condition, with nigh hopes for the
future.
What ba7e seen and experienced within
the period named of prosperity or adversely,
of sickness and health, OF pain snd pleasure,
OF despair and hope, Of sorrow and joy, con.
Germs myself aud not the reaGer-!t would
take volumes to unfold. The eyeDta Of life,
NAV say, have been 60 evenly balanced, or
counter balanced, e5 TO raise ne question Of
doubt as to tbs usa Of life-the qpi bono; in
other words, whether as we'll not 30 be, as to
be, is question not toF ne to decide. Within
these fifty years is comprised the greatest
mechanical period Of The wor:d's history, Of
scientific feyelopement and general diff
sion OF knowledge among men, yet al these
have not altered nuns nature in the slight-
est degree, nor materially battered his coa-
ditiou. Going back Of ibis period. il Is my
Grm belief there vas then far more general
contentment and substantial happiness
among all classes and ages than noq', o
fact, 10 my opinion, beyond ell controVersy
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