|
_ There
seems to be an element of human nature that delights in brutality for
it's own sake. We believe the phrenologists locate the bump for it just
behind and above the ears. The faculty is evidently much misdirected,
and our own community has not yet brought it into harmony with the
bumps on top and front of the head, or such a sight as was seen on
Wednesday could not of occurred. For months we have had notes of
preparation, and Heenan, "the Benicia boy," the representative of
Yankeedom, and Morrissey, the favorite of the foreign "fancy," have
been in process of scientific training, under careful diet and regimen
and severe exercise, until they have been freed from superfluous flesh
and had their muscles hardened like iron - all this in order that the
world might see which would stand up longest under the fists of the
other, and thus vindicate his title to what is called "the championship
of America." This manifestation of the "muscle movement" that we cannot
bring ourselves to "fancy."
_ The
sporting men of the whole country have been intensely interested in
this encounter, and it is said that large sums of money were staked on
the result. Large beets were made as far south as New Orleans, and west
at Chicago and St Louis. A Spaniard residing in Albany, induced his
father, a Cuban sugar planter, to put up two thousand dollars on
Morrissey, against a similar sum staked Heenan by a New York dry goods
merchant. Those who claim to be posted, estimate the amount of bets in
New York alone at from $200,000 to $250,000. The opinions expressed by
the opposing parties were amusing. "There is no chance for Heenan, and
Morrissey will die sooner than be whipped;" "Heenan will be knocked out
in less than twenty minutes;" "Heenan is strong as an ox and spry as a
cat, and will whip Morrissey in no time;" "Heenan has more science than
Tom Hyer, and stands square on his feet, while Morrissey is
tangle-legged." Well, we don't care a penny which beats, and the
telegraph will doubtless give us the earliest news. Indeed it is said a
flight of carrier pigeons has been engaged to convey the earliest
intelligence to Buffalo, whence the telegraph wires will diffuse it to
an expectant nation.
_ There
has been a migration of sporting characters towards Canada for a week,
Buffalo has been full of them. The flash saloons and gambling halls of
New York have been literally deserted, and we can believe the assertion
that it was "the ugliest party that has left that city in a good many
years." If the whole grand swell mob, while in Canada, could be induced
to go into a general scrimmage and enact the tragedy of the Kilkenny
cats, we would be willing to assist in crowning the survivor as "the
champion of America," and heaping upon his head the gratitude and honor
of a relieved and thankful people.
_ It
is said there is no law by which these brutal exhibitions can be
prevented. The preparations may be made and the program published on
this side the line, and our authorities can interfere only in case of
an actual fight here. The Canadian officers cannot prevent them,
because the field is not known to them in advance, and the barbarians
make an irruption, settle their hash and retreat before a sufficient
force could be brought to the spot to arrest the combatants or prevent
the fight. There should be laws which shall treat prize-fighting as
dueling is treated, and punish for a challenge or preparation to fight.
The mystery to us is that men are found, and by thousands too, who
consider this sort of thing "sport," who go long distances at great
expense of time and money to see two brutes pummel each other, batter
each other's noses, smash each other's eyes, break each other's ribs,
and come as near to driving the soul out of the body as is possible and
yet escape the guilt of absolute murder. We can understand how any man
should make the best use he can of all his powers in self defense, when
attacked by a madman or a mad animal, or how an angry man may be
stimulated to fight in imaginary vindication of his honor; but that men
should deliberately set to work to bruise and maim each other, in
perfect cordiality, and for mere amusement or rivalry, is one of the
inexplicable things in human nature. And the motives that induce men to
look upon such a contest with interest and pleasure, and bet on it's
results, and give themselves up to it with enthusiasm, quite pass our
philosophy. If human nature is a cross between the bull-dog and hyena
we can understand it, but not otherwise. It is quite time that the race
should find it's amusement in something a little less brutal, and test
its muscle in a more harmless way.
|
