Sunday dispatch. [volume], May 09, 1847, Image 2

About Sunday dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1845-1854

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Siin&an JDigpatcl).
Sunday Morning, May 9, 1847,
The Celebration and Illumitation. —The
grand celebration of the victories of Palo Al
to, Resaca de la Palma, San Pasqual, Los
Angelos, Mesa, Monterey, Buena Vista, San
Francisco, Sacramento, Vera Cruz, El Em
budo, Pueblo de Taos, Mora, La Canada, El
Bracito, Alvarado, and Cerro Gordo, was
solemnized on Friday and Saturday; on Friday
with a grand triumphal demonstration and a most
glorious illumination—on Saturday with the toll
ing of bells, the firing of minute guns, and those
signs of mourning due to the gallant and the hon
ored dead.
The day was bright and beautiful. Sunrise saw
our triumphant banners flung to the breeze, and a
national salute fired from the battery. At twelve
o’clock, a salute of one hundred guns was fired
from the Battery, Washington Square, Tompkins
Square, and Harlem.
The military procession, under Major-General
Sandford, was worthy of the occasion.
At night the whole city was in a blaze of glory.
Never has New York exhibited so brilliant, so
thrilling a spectacle. We cannot give a better
description than is contained in the following
verses, which we adapt by a very slight alteration:
THE ILLUMINATED CITY.
The hills all glowed with a festive light,
For the Empire City rejoiced by night:
There were lamps hung forth upon tower and tree
Banners were lifted and streaming free;
Every tall pillar was wreath’d with fire,
Like a shooting meteor was every spire;
And the outline of many a dome on high
Was traced, as in stars, on the clear dark sky.
I pass’d through the streets; there were throngs on
throngs—
Like sounds of .the deep were their mingled songs ■
There was music forth from each palace borne— ’
A peal of the cymbal, the harp, and horn;
The forests heard it, the mountains rant,
The hamlets woke to its haughty clang;
Rich and victorious was every tone, ”
Telling the land of our foes o’erthrewn.
We can do no justice to the splendor of the illu
mination of the City Hall, Tammany, Park Row,
the Museum, Astor House, American Hotel, and
generally of the triangle which encloses the public
buildings of the city. Fine bands poured out ex
ulting strains of music from the balconies of the
City Hall and Tammany, and very magnificent
displays of fireworks were exhibited at an hundred
places. All the hotels, with one or two exceptions,
were lighted, and many presented appropriate
transparencies. Stewart’s marble store, the La
farge buildings, the fine block north of College
Green, and many other points on Broadway, made
a very fine appearance.
But it was not alone the public edifices, the
great hotels, and the palaces which illuminated;
we were rejoiced to see that in many, and espe
cially in the more public streets the humblest
dwellings were in a blaze of patriotism. We were
much pleased with the illumination of the single
window of a basement, occupied by a poor family,
the happy children of which were sitting outside’
enjoying the splendor of their dozen candles. It
was in a by-street, and the only patriotic demon
stration in the block.
The newspaper offices were in their glory—the
Sun and Herald buildings vied with each other in
the splendor of their lights and decorations the
Dispatch office blazed out with all its force, assist
ing the glare of the patriotic Engine Company No.
5; whose demonstration was the crowning glory
of Ann street. Even the Tribune office for once
looked patriotic.
A happy half million of patriotic and rejoicing
people, were at once the spectators and the best
part of the spectacle. There were no accidents,
and no offences—nothing to mar the beauty and
grandeur of the scene.
On Saturday, the flags were hung half mast, and
draped with the emblems of mourning in honor of
the dead. The bells tolled mornfully; and every
heart felt sorrow for the lost, and sympathy with
those who mourn them deepest. The following
lines, written upon the death of the German hero
poet Korner, will apply to many of our own gallant
heroes who have felt with Warren, that “it is
sweet to die for one’s eountry.”
A song for the death-day of the brave—
A song of pride!
The youth went down to a hero’s grave.
With the Sword, his bride.
He went, with his noble heart unworn,
And pure, and high;
An eagle stooping from clouds of morn,
Only to die!
He went with the lyre whose lofty tone
Beneath his hand
Had thrill’d to the name of his God alone
And his father-land.
And with all his glorious feelings yet
In their first glow,
Like a southern stream that no frost hath met
To chain its flow.
A song for the death-day of the brave—
A song of pride!
For him that went to a hero’s grave,
With the Sword, his bride.
He hath left a voice in his trumpet lays
To turn the flight,
And a guiding spirit for after-days,
Like a watch-fire’s light.
And a grief in his father’s soul to rest,
’Midst all high thought f
And a memory unto his mother’s breast,
With healing fraught.
The coming Campaign.—The Native Ameri
can party, in St. Louis, has nominated General
Taylor for the Presidency. We do not know
whether this was meant as an insult, but we have
very little doubt that it will be received and treated
as one. :
General Scott is also getting a little of the same ■
sort of “fire in the rear,”—a Pennsylvania Whig i
paper comes to us with “Scott and the Presi
dency—our banner streams in light,” flaming at ,
the head of its colnmns. i
Both of these noble old heroes have our warmest I
sympathy under these afflicting and humiliating i
circumstances. So far old Rough and Ready has 1
had the worst of it, but no doubt the hero of 1
Lundy’s Lane will come in for his full share; and <
we very warmly sympathise with the indignation 1
with which the St. Louis Reveille gives it to “ the
political harpies, who are always watching at home 1
for some little emolument from office, and can i
scarcely wait until a grateful country places its t
laurel upon old Zach’s brow, before they begin to I
finger the leaves which constitute the chaplet, and <
endeavor to appropriate them to their own selfish
and unholy purposes. They will not glorify his <
achievements without calculating how much poll- ,
tical thunder it will create. The dangers—wounds (
—death of the soldier, are glorious in their eyes j
only so far as they are available as political capital j
at home. Heaven has protected the brave old sol- (
dier thus far from' his foreign enemies, and we
trust that it will further shield him from the evil .
machinations of the political Rancheros at home.” j
Evangelical Alliance.—During the past week, i
we have had a meeting of the American Branch of I
this body, preparatory to the religious anniver
saries. Chief-Justice Homblower, of New Jersey, j
presided over the preliminary deliberations; and '
the Alliance found itself in a great variety of per- <
plexities, before it had been able to adopt a form
of constitution. i
One of these was the question in regard to the 1
Sabbath. AU Evangelical Christians agree that i
some day should be kept in some way; but a re- '
spectable sect in this country keeps the seventh day i
or Saturday. This was a difficulty so serious,
that the formers of the Alliance tried hard to dodge
out of it altogether. In fact the doctrine of the
Christian Sabbath is very indefinite. St. Paul
thought it was of little consequence which day,
was kept or how it was kept, or whether any was ;
kept at aU; so that one’s conscience was satisfied,
but some members of the Alliance were not of his
opinion.
The next difficulty was in regard to slavery.
The articles proposed condemn it indirectly,
but make a nice distinction between such as are
slave-holders from philanthropic motives, and such
as are governed by motives of gain. This eurious
distinction will form a new feature in the slavery
discussion, and it may tmn out, that slavery, after
all, is only another name for philanthropy, and that
the profits are only accidental; in which event the
Alliance will enfold the whole South in its
charitable embraces.
We anticipate difficulty on many other points be
fore this Alliance, which is to convert the world to
the Evangelical faith, gets into full operation.
What course will the Alliance take on the tem
perance question 1 Are its members tee-total, or
do they take a little wine for the stomach’s sake 1
Are they in favor of legal or moral suasion 3 Do
they approve of dancing! What is their opinion
on Odd-Fellowship 1 What course do they intend
to take on the Mexican war, and the use of to
bacco 3 On Mesmerism and ladies’ bustles 3 Do
they believe in phrenology and painless surgery by
the inhalation of ether 3 What rule do they lay
down in regard to reading novels and wearing
tight boots! Are theatres and cap ribbons im
moral 3
On these, and many other subjects, as all our
readers know, the Christian world is divided; and
a Christian Alliance, intended to embrace all
evangelical denominations ought to express a clear
and decided opinion on all these, and a great many
other subjects. What is the use of such a body, if
the matters which divide the Church are not to be
properly adjusted 3
War, in connection with Religion.—We no
ticed, in our last paper, the censure, bestowed by
the Evening Mirror upon the Episcopal Church,
for consecrating a chapel for soldiers on Governor’s
Island. Since then, we have seen the anti-war re-
■ solutions passed by the third Presbytery of New
- York, We propose to show that war, so far from
‘ being contrary to religion, is an institution of
3 the Almighty Being.
* , War is defined to be a contest or difference be
" tween princes, states, or large bodies of people;
■ which, not being determined by the ordinary mea
-3 sures of justice and equity, is referred to the decis
' ion of the sword; or, in other words, it is that
1 state, in which a nation prosecutes its right by
’ force.
‘ The objects of ajust war are precaution, defence,
' and reparation. Every just war is, properly con
sidered,defensive, inasmuch as every just war sup
’ poses an injury perpetrated, attempted, or feared.
1 A lawful war, according to Vattel, may be for
! three purposes—to recover what belongs or is due
I to us: to provide for our future safety by punishing
’ the aggressor or offender; and to defend ourselves
from an injury by repelling an unjust violence.
I War is the first necessity and right of the civil
state, guarding the right of security and the right
ofindependence. _
As far as the law of nations is concerned, every
' war, formally commenced and prosecuted accords
; ing to its principles, is just. Each nation must be
the judge of its own righte and wrongs. Techni
cally, the nation that receives the first blow, acts
defensively, and a strictly defensive war may be
carried on in the enemy’s territory.
The law of God, in this as in other matters, is
to be derived from the constitution of man—from
a general view of nature and from revelation.
The constitution of man, his capacity for offence
and defence, his genius for arms, his love of war
in every age and every social condition, from the
most simple state to that of the most refined civili
zation, his instinct for martial glory, his arts and
literature, all prove that war was one of the ends of
his creation; and we might stop here with the
maxim of Pope,
“ Whatever is, is right.”
It will be said that man’s nature isdepraved, and
peiverted. We must look then, beyond man, to
other animals, who cannot be supposed to have fal
len in consequence of any transgression. A drop
of putrid water exposed to the magnifying power of
the solar microscope, shows us a host of infusoria,
warring with and devouring each other. The ants
have their regularly appointed hosts, marshalled in
battle array; the whole ocean is a vast scene of
contest and slaughter. All tribes of gregarious
birdsand animals place sentinels, and follow lead
ers for safety and defence. Throughout the whole
animal creation, from the stately elephant to the
microscopic animalculte, war is the law of na
ture, and peace the exception. Thus the Creator
has stamped war on the whole animal kingdom,
to which rule the human race is no exception.
Revelation, to be true, must correspond with na
ture, and we shall find, in this respect, no disa
greement. In what sense we are to understand
that “ there was war in Heaven,” the two arch-an
gels and their hosts warring against each other, or
what may be meant by the flaming swords of the
cherubim,maynotbeimportantto determine. Itis
enough to know that the chosen people of God, and
the progenitors of Christ, were warriors, who
fought under the immediate sanction of the Divine
Being.
The reason given by God for leading his people
through the wilderness, was that they might be in
ured, hardened and disciplined for war; “ for God
said, lest peradventure the people repent whan they
see war, and they return to Egypt. But God led
the people about, through the way of the wilder
ness of the Red Sea, and the children of Israel
went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.’
Abram was a successful warrior, and his servants
to the number of several hundreds were armed and
drilled.
The first great battle of the children of Israel was
with the Amalekites. Joshua, thelsraelitish gen
eral Was successful; but only because Moses,
wielding the delegated power of God, held up hrs
hands to give him victory. It was on the occasion
of this battle that it is said, “For the Lord hath
sworn, that the Lord Will have war with Amalek
from generation to generation.”
From this time forward, through the conquest of
Canaan, effected with a more hideous and indis
criminate slaughter, than has ever been known in
the history of the world, the Israelitish nation was
engaged in a senes of long, and bloody, and suc
cessful wars, with comparatively short intervals of
peace: While Israel was a theocracy, enjoying the
direct government of the Almighty, he ordered,
directed, and led these wars, and crowned them
with victory. Under the Judges, no battle was
ever ventured without the manifest approbation of
God; and the kings never failed to consult his pro
phets, to attribute their successes to the Divine
Being, and to humble themselves before him
in their reverses
When Moses, by the direction of God, took the
numbers of the children of Israel, no account was
made of any but those who were “ able to go forth
to war,” and of these there were six hundred thou
sands the persond of a magnificent army. And
God was angry against those who were disposed
to peace, and were averse to the conquest of Ca
naan.
When the Hebrews drew out their armies, and
the time of battle was at hand, the high priest pre
sented himself at the head of the army, and said to
the people, “ Hear, O Israel, and be not injfear of
your enemies, for the Lord your God fights for
you.”
The heroes of Israel were raised up by God, es
pecially to fight the battles of his people; and a list
of more glorious commanders no history can fur
nish.
Among these were Joshua, Caleb, Gideon, Jeph
tha, David, and Josiah. Joshua’s troops amounted
as we have said, to over six hundred thousand; but
the armies in succeeding times were of immense
numbers. Abijah, king of Judah, led an army of
four hundred thousand against Jeroboam, king of
Israel, who commanded eight hundred thousand;
of which five hundred thousand were slain in one
battle.
But we need no recapitulate the facts of sacred
history, which ought to be familiar to every
reader of the scriptures. It might be enough to say
that it was the same God, that gave the law on
Sinai, who led the armies of Israel, and who was
called the God of Battles, and the Lord ef Hosts.
But we will, to fix the question more thoroughly,
quote a few passages from different books of the
old Testament in support of our belief, that war is
that condition of human affairs, in which God man
ifests his presence and power in a peculiar man
ner, and in respect to which his guidance and pro
tection is to be most appropriately invoked.
When the sons of Reuben, to the number of
forty-five thousand, went to battle with the Hazar
ites, they were victorious, “ for they cried to God
in the battle,” and, “ there fell down many slain,
for the war was of God.”
Amaziah, with four hundred thousand men,
going to battle, was warned against it by a prophet,
who said, “ God shall make thee fall before the
enemy.”
David praises God who “girded him with
strength for the battle,” and made his enemies fall
before him. He speaks elsewhere, of “ the Lord
mighty in battle,” “ the Lord of Hosts,” and says,
“Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teach
eth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.”
Isaiah says, “ the Lord of hosts mustereth the
host of the battle.”
In fact the Old Testament contains but few pages
which have not some relation to war, and the most
frequent mention of the Deity represents him as a
glorious warrior, or engaged in war.
But it will be replied that in this respect the new
Testament differs from the old. Has the Un
changeable changed 3 Is He who is without va
riableness or shadow of turning, no longer the Lord
of Hosts, no more the God of Battles 3
No where, says Paley,is the profession of the sol
dier condemned, in the new Testament. He might
have gone farther, and have said, that it is often
commended, by having compared with it the high
est excellencies of the Christian character.
One of the most clear and emphatic declarations
of Christ is, “ Think not that I am come to send
peace on earth ; I came not to send peace but a
sword.”
Christ recognises war again,in comparison, when
he says, “ Or what king going to make war with
another king, sitteth not down first and consult
ed!, whether he be able with ten thousand to meet
him that cometh against him with twenty thou
sand.”
And one of the last commands Christ ever gave
to his disciples, was—“ He that hath no sword, let
him sell his garment and buy one.”
Paul to the Romans, says of the Emperor, “ He
beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minis
ter of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him
that doeth evil.”
Such comparisons are frequently used by Paul, as
“ if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound who shall
prepare himself to the battle 3” The comparison
of a Christian to a soldier is fully carried out in that
beautiful exhortation beginning, “Put on the whole
armor of God.”
Timothy is exhorted to “war a good warfare,”
and to “fight the good fight offaith.”
To suppose that Christ and the Apostles would
compare a Christian life to anything detestable, or
wrong, or wicked; or to anything that is not right,
and noble, and dignified, strikes us as rank blas
phemy. Those who oppose war on Christian prin
ciples, believe in a different Christianity from that
taught by Christ or his apostles, who speak of the
profession of a soldier with the highest respect, as
one of the most dignified ofhuman employments ;
and as such it always has been, as it is now consi
dered. The heroes of the world are its warriors.
War is one of the natural, though extraordinary,
yet quite inevitable conditions of the human race.
The progress of Christianity has been, is, and
must be closely identified with war. Roman con
quests prepared the way for it, and continued to
extend it. Constantive was converted at the head
ofhis army. Christians, in the early ages of the
church, were very often soldiers; and if we come
down to later times we shall find that the most
Christian nations in the world are those which have
been most engaged in war. If the great nations of
the east are ever converted to the Christian reli
. gion, it will be after some Christian nation has con
quered them.
Fosterana; or “City Items” in Ppiladel
phia.—Never had we felt the full force of the ex
clamation in Young’s Night Thoughts,
“How blessings brighten as they take their flight!”
till we lost the late lamented “ City Items” of the
Tribune, and found him corruscating in the co
lumns of the Philadelphia North American, where
he opens with amusing richness. The drabbed
denizens of the city of Penn will now know some
thing about the weather. They will understand
how remarkably blue is their sky, how very green
their grass, how remarkably odoriferous their
flowers; besides knowing much more than they
ever thought before of the music of Rossini.—
Foster is fully up to all that sort of thing; he is.
His first flights into the good graces of the Phila
delphians are delicious. He begins, of course, by
abusing New York, and exalting the city of
Brotherly Love by “odorous comparisons.” As
thus i'-
ll is impossible to describe the pleasure a
stranger derives from going through the public
squares in Philadelphia, filled with beautiful chil
dren, unconsciously weaving their fairy spells with
musical voices and an infinitude of graceful mo
tions—until he deems himself translated to Fairy
land, too far away from the common, every-day
world to remember aught of its rude noises and
uncouth stragglings. In other large cities, like
New York anuNew Orleans, so rampant and en
croaching is the spirit of insolent rowdyism which
is so rapidly pervading our metropolitan popula
tions, that the fine Squares and Parks of those
cities are necessarily deserted by ladies and chil
dren, and given up almost exclusively to rowdies,
loafers and other improper characters. The spa
cious Battery, in New York, of which you hear so
much in the newspapers, is fast becoming forbid
den ground to respectable citizens; and its pleasant
shades and delicious sea-breezes are for the most
part enjoyed.by the very lowest class of the popu
lation, of both sexes. Occasionally some of the
thousands of strangers who haunt that city during
the spring and summer, find their way through the
broad gravel walks of the Battery, or are seduced
into a lounge upon the benches of its glorious
ocean-facade. But they are soon driven off by
crowds of foul looking fellows smoking villanous
cigars, or exhaling intolerable fumes of poisoned
whiskey ; orbytroops ofstillvilercreaturesflaunt
ing by in the disguise of women. The City Hall
Park is never entered by ladies, although the chil
dren of the poor people m the neighborhood swarm
every afternoon in the granite glare of the vesti
bule, and nurses and loafers occupy indiscriminate
ly “them benches” around the mud-puddle with
its purulent pimple, dignified by insane reporters
with the name of fountain.
This is superb. There is no rowdyism in Phila
delphia—no fighting on Sunday—no church burn
ing—no drinking! Not a bit of it. “The glori
ous Maid of the Mist, with the sun-lit diamonds
in her hair”—and all that sort of thing, became a
purulent pimple the moment Foster left for Phila
delphia ; which, from this time, is a place, and no
mistake, and is to be for a long period to come;
for Foster says:
“ Far distant be the time when this most lovely
metropolis of the New World shall fall beneath
the soiling and degrading touch of loaferism and
blackguardism, encouraged by the possession of
power to defile every thing pure and beautiful!”
Of course, women and the vegetables come in
for theirfull share of penny-a-line admiration; and
our, or rather Philadelphia’s “ City Items” ven
tures to'assert that
“Woman still exercises those delicate faculties
and aspirations which ever invest her heart and,
however surrounded, impart to her character its
distinctive and inestimable charm. As you move
languidly about the city, sighing for a grateful spot
upon which to pasture the eye, or gasping for free
and unbreathed air, you see with a thrill of inex
pressible delight, whether in broken casement of
cleanly and toiling, poverty or in spacious palace
casement, here and there a flower or a green vine,
offering sweet incense from the heart and hand
of woman to the Creator of all pure and lovely
things.”
From women and green things we come to little
girls, who, if “ City Items” does not much belie
them, are still greener or still fonder of greens.
Items says :
“ We are besought by thirteen thousand dimpled
and bright-eyed school-girls, hoop and jumping
rope in hand, to ask somebody—the little creatures
don’t exactly know who, since infallible mama baa
failed them—why Washington Square is not open
ed before nine o’closk in the morning.”
City Items makes hisnextattack upon the Moon;
the only thing with which he finds fault in Phila
delphia; and she, it is hoped, will soon amend.
He says:
“We can tell our lady Moon that she is making
herself very unpopular by the course she thinks
proper to pursue, and that unless she goes fairly,
ride and tie, with the gas-nosts, she will be likely
to lose her election next fall.”
Next to this threat at the Moon, comes a little
dash of “ soft sawder” at a nunneiy.
“ The coolest, freshest and most sweet-scented
of grass has already carpeted the spacious Logan
Square, opposite the Nunnery, and the fair-faced
loiterers behind those envious blinds may well be
forgiven if they sometimes withdraw their eyes
and thoughts from the cold blue sky to the warm,
green and tender earth which lies in sunny dreams
beneath the whisperingbranches.”
A public building is described as:
“ Picturesque and classical, uniting in a wonder
ful degree simplicity with romantic effect, and
satisfying at the same time the judgment and the
imagination”
A painter was to be puffed—for a portrait, proba
bly, and we find that
“ Every now and then an exquisite head from
Sully’s pencil, glorifying some window in Chesnut
street, looks out with its celestial beauty upon the
thronged and noisy thoroughfare, as Ariel might
have hung upon the skirts of Prospero’s storm.”
And to conclude, our exquisite “City Items” tells
us that he—
“ Lingered a cool moment beneath that parasol
of living chrystal with its shifting fringe of glanc
ing water-drops,”
And then and there came to the conclusion that
Mrs. Seguin is a pretty nice sort of singer, or, to
use his own expression, is—
“An exponent of the passionate frost-work of
Rossini, with its inexhaustible exuberance of em
bellishment.”
We congratulate Philadelphia on having such a
“ City Items.” We condole with Yankee Doodle,
the Park Fountain, and the Batteiy.
The “Mirror of Fashion.”—This valuable,cu
rious, and very unique monthly, has been laid upon
our table, with his usual promptitude, by the pub
lisher, G. C. Scott, of 146 Broadway. The article
upon the month’s fashions is as piquant and in
structive as ever. The weather has a close con
nection with clothing, and according to Scott, “the
sun looks as mild and blandly upon our snow clad
hills, as if he meant merely to form coruscations
of them to dazzle thebeholderm July next. Owing
to the backwardness of the season, very few orders
are being made for light clothing: and while it pro
duces in customers an unpleasant hesitation be
tween broads and drap d’ete, it would give them
the ague to think of linens.”
The present style of coat, Mr. Scott thinks,is the
most difficult to cut of any for a long period. We
are of his opinion; but all its difficulties, we ob
serve have been mastered in his own establishment;
where the fits have certainly been exquisite.
After digressing into a not ice of Blackwood’s
“Model Republic,” the Mirror informs us that
Scotch plaids of large figure are in great demand
for strapless pantaloons. While full dress panta
loons are generally made with straps and worn
with suspenders, they are invariably made of elas
tic goods; light colored plain cassimeres are not
deemed out of keeping for full dress, when made of
goods which is very elastic and confined with straps.
White linen waistcoats, made double breasted and
to open very low, are preferred with evening dress.
Fancy colors, mulberry, plumb, and blue with the
vermillion tinge, are gaining favor for coats.
Groans of the Wounded.—“ The Spirit of the
Age and Mirror of the nineteenth century,” we like
to give titles in full—is mourning over the brilliant
triumph of the Moral Suasion Temperance party,
and heads its doleful wailing with a stanza from
that rather remarkable temperance poet, Lord
Byron:
“ Yet freedom! yet thy banner torn but flying,
Streams like a thunderstorm against the wind ;
The “ Spirit,” &c., &c., &c., says:
“The appalling news which has broken in upon us
from all parts of the State, though distressing to the
soul of the true reformer and philanthropist, is not
sufficient to shake out from the heart all hope.
“We give no returns at present. When the re
sult is made up complete we shall lay it before our
readers. It is sufficient at present to say that the
majority of all the Counties heard from have proved
recreant to every principle of wisdom, love and
truth.
“ Every man who votes for license, becomes a
partner in the guilt of murder.”
There,Moral Suasion Temperance men—putthat
in your pipe and smoke it, and learn to behave bet
ter in future. Above all, try and never again make
the conductors of our “ legal suasion” temperance
papers look so very remarkably foolish.
{lts» Santa Anna’s escape on a mule appears to
have been by a familiar process—like many other
rascals, he got off by giving leg bail.
The Arrival of the Jamestown at Cork.—
The steamship Caledonia at Boston, brings us the
welcome intelligence of the safe arrival in the Cove
of Cork, on the 12th ult, of the U. S. frigate James
town, Capt. R. B. Forbes, after a passage of only
fifteen days from Boston.
We should fail, if we attempted to convey to our
readers an idea of the depth of that gratitude which
is now welling from Irish hearts for the sympathy
which has been aroused and manifested on this
side the Atlantic for that sorely afflicted people.—
The Dublin Nation ofthe 17th ult says:
Welcome! - than ever was kingly guest is the
flag of America to our eyes. We have seen its
stars shining through the night drawn by human,
conjurings around the land, and we felt that
Ireland was not altogether outcast of nations.
A nation, steeped to the lips in calamity, can
seldom speak as a nation even in such straits
should. But the same Providence which has
raised us up friends, will some day send us an op
opportunity of requiting them. ’ May it come
soon! “
Till then, let us cherish impatience for it in
our hearts.
Let us learn to look at this generous Republic
with our own unenvious eyes.
May her eagle long abide among the stars !
The Cove of Cork was brilliantly illuminated in
honor of the arrival of the Jamestown; a deputa
tion with an address waited upon Captain Forbes,
and the citizens of Cork and vicinity invited him
to a public dinner which took place on the I4th ult.
More than four columns of the Cork Examiner of
the 16th are taken up with a report of the speeches
made on this occasion.
Dr. Maurice Power,lJ.P., presided, and made an
eloquent speech, which we extract from as fol
lows :
If, gentlemen, we open the page of history
and scan the actions and motives of the men
who figured therein, we shall find for the most
part that they have attained an unenviable re
nown by the spilling of blood, and the tramp
ling on the rights of their country and their
kind (hear, hear.) In America alone in mo
dern times can we look for the example of pure,
generous, and disinterested virtue (hear, hear.)
Washington, after his victories, retired to his
farm on the banks of the Potomac, first having
established his country on her present firm, and
I trust, imperishable basis, (cheers); and it is
not too mnch for me to say that our honored
guest of the evening, Capt. Forbes, has added
another laurel to grace and encircle the brows
of Columbia (loud cheers.) Let it not be said
that I am offering the incense of flattery, or thatj
I am now instituting an unworthy comparison,
(hear, hear.) No, for if I have read the char
acters of great men aright, I feel that that great
man if here, would acknowledge and recognize
the portrait, for his heart was ever with the
virtuous and the good, and though first in the
mighty ranks of war, his (Washington’s) chief
delight lay in the cultivation of the arts of
peace, and in the practice of deeds of mercy,
(hear, hear, and cheers.) To me, gentlemen,
who have spent my youth and early days of man
hood in that country, a country to which I am
bound by the strongest, the holiest ties (hear,
hear,) connected also with a family whose name
is written in the brightest page of that country’s
history—the scenes of Tuesday last were of the
most pleasing and gratifying description, (hear,
hear.) You, gentlemen, must have withessed
the enthusiasm which prevailed on the occasion
when the good ship moved slowly and majesti
cally across the broad expanse of our glittering
waters, when the tear-drop of joy trembled in
the eye of many—for joy, like pity, melts the
heart to tears (hear.) Yes, you must have seen
the tear glistening in the eye of many a thous
and whose parching tongues hailed with joy,
and exclaimed with heartfelt ejaculation—“may
God bless America” (cheers.) And how shall
I speak of the occurrences of the night—the
night when bonfires blazed from every hill;
when a thousand lamps made the face of night
look beautiful and brilliant, whilst “Fairy-like
music” stole across the whispering waters,
which murmured and rippled joyfully in the
beam of light, as if conscious of the precious
burthen they bore on their brightened bosom,
(cheering.) Captain Forbes, you indeed have
accomplished a great and glorious mission; you
have added new glory to the land of your birth
—the land of Washington and Franklin (loud
cheers.) Sir, you have erected a monument to
your virtues more lasting than brass, for alrea
dy your name is engraved on the grateful hearts
of eight millions of enthusiastic and truly
thankful people (loud cheers.) Ages of Irish
men yet unborn, shall pronounce with rever
ence and respect your honored name ;— “ Sem
per, honos, no nenque tuum, laudesque mane
bunt” (loud cheers.)
*****
With regard to the government of the United
States, I will only say that, if in ordinary times
they had placed at the disposal of the country,
vessels of war, it would be sufficient to challenge
our admiration (hear, hear,)
But when we see them engaged in a bloody
and protracted struggle with an adverse power,
and at the same time placing two of their ves
sels at the disposal of native citizens to convey
to us the generous offerings of the American
people, our admiration must indeed be changed
into something of wonder and amazement—
(hear, hear.) Acts such as these are the strong
est bonds of amity and peace. Acts such as
these are the safest treaties by which nations
can be bound—(hear, hear.)” They are trea
ties formed in the sympathies and affections of
the people, in the good and amiable qualities of
the human heart, and not based, as they gene
rally are, upon crooked policy or selfish inter
ests (cheers.) If the tyrants by whom the world
is infested, should ever at any period league
against America and her free institutions, it
will be some consolation to them to know that
wherever there lives an Irishman, wherever a
free heart beats or a virtuous mind operates,
that there America will have an unfailing ally,
an inalienable friend (loud cheers.) Yes, we
will pray that no pestilential breath shall ever
lay bare her fertile plains or blight her abun
dant crops (cheers.) That no foreign foe shall
ever pollute her shores of freedom, or domestic
enemy rend asunder the union in which she
now reposes and shall continue to repose,
(cheers.) Yes, we will pray that her com
merce may continue to vex every sea, and hei
fleets fill every harbor; whilst over her “Happy
homes and free altars” the star spangled banner
shall continue proudly to wave through ages to
come, the terror ofthe oppressor and the hope
of the oppressed (loud cheers.) Gentlemen, I
give you the health of our distinguished guest,
Captain Forbes, and the country of which he is
so worthy a representative. (The toast was
drunk with deafening acclamations, nine times
nine, and one cheer more.)
Tyree and Omoo.—The man who has not read
Typee, has in store a pleasure, upon which he has
to be congratulated, and which he should hasten to
enjoy. But beautiful and fascinating, and best of
all, truthful as is Typee, Omoo we really believe to
be the best book of the two. Nothing in the way
of voyages and travels can we remember that can
match it, for freshness, interest, and genuine
humor—a spontaneous genial mirth, which is no
where forced or labored, but which bubbles up all
over the book, and makes it, aside from its other
merits, most delightful reading.
Our contemporaries have not got over their queer
notion of treating these books as fictions. They
pay the author a great compliment,, but they de
tract seriously from the value of the books, whose
great and profound interest consists in their truth;
and that they are absolutely real adventuies and
true descriptions can be testified by probably an
hundred persons in this city.
We had intended to give a somewhat elaborate
review of Omoo, with extracts from some of its
finest chapters, but the publishers, with a meanness
which is quite characteristic—and quite as despica
ble, have neglected to send us the work, and we
did not procure it until our outside form was full,
and further matter inadmissable.
But .Omoo we commend as a very charming
book, and Mr. Melville we rank with the best of
living writers; at least, in this instructive and en
tertaining department of literature.
Benefit of John B. Gough.—This young Eng
lishman, as the Tribune calls him—though we had
forgotten that he was one, his Yankee dialect is
so good—had his benefit on Thursday evening ac
cording to previous notice. We did not go. Hav
ing heard him twice, our curiosity was quite satis
fied ; we do not know, therefore, how well the
benefit was attended. We do know, however,
that many worthy temperance people, in this city,
discountenanced the whole business, and would
neither buy nor sell the tickets. They have had
enough of Gough.
The result of the excise election ought to satisfy
the misguided friends of this mercenary young re
probate, that he injures the cause of temperance by
his violence and absurdity wherever he goes;
though good at last may come out of evil, and legal
suasion and the whole excise law humbug may oe
brought into a more speedy contempt than it would
otherwise have been.
Yankee Gallantry.—We heard terrible stories
of the mountain passes in Mexico, some months
since particularly from the Tribune,and the anti-war
papers. We have had a chance since that time to
see what they all amounted to, and we have found
the Mexicans defeated at every point, no matter
what their superiority of numbers or advantages of
position. Doniphan won a most brilliant and glo
rious victory in the mountain passes of Chihuahua;
and when the Mexicans fortified the passes on the
road to Jalapa, our dragoons, some three hundred
in number, on approaching them, dismounted, and
scrambling up the mountains, attacked the fortifi
cations pell mell, drove the Mexicans ahead, and
destroyed the entire works erected along a line of
some ten or twelve miles.
“ That’s the way to do it!” as old Taylor exclaim
ed at Buena Vista. Dismounted dragoons attack
ing and carrying'fortified mountain passes; and
driving the Mexicans before them like so many
sheep!
The Academy of Design.— Second article. —If
we expected or even desired to please everybody,
we should not write a syllable about painters or
paintings, actors or acting, or the hundred other
subjects for the discussion of which the press is
supposed to be established. We certainly did not
expect to please the National Academy of Design,
when we wrote the article, in our last, about this
year’s exhibition, and we are not disappointed.
One friend, who is an Academician, tells us that
the present collection is the best ever presented by
the Academy, just as the arch-bishop told Gil Blas
that the homily which the latter thought feeble and
pointless, in comparison with others of his grace,
■ was the most eloquent, the most forcible, the best
he had ever delivered. If we had been in Gil
Blas’ place, we might have withheld our strictures;
more independently circumstanced we gave them
free vent.
Another friend, whose knowledge of books en
titles him to our respect, but for whose opinion on
paintings w’e would not give the scrapings of an
old paint pot, thinks that we are altogether in the
wrong and advises us not to expose our ignorance
of the art, by assailing the pictures which are now
strung up on the walls of th© Academy. We are
grateful to him, as we are to all persons who with
good intentions proffer advice gratuitously, but as
we are in for it, we will just keep on. And, in
advance, we humbly solicit the forgiveness of all
those artists whose gilt frames and dye stuffs we
may approach, beseeching them not to get into a
fever, but to preserve their passion for their pictures,
and so direct it, that next year we may see their
canvass glowing with life, full of energy, and
approaching nearer to that actuality (especially
in portraits) which falling short of this year, forces
us to regard them as “ no great shakes,” or N. A.
—No Academicians.
We have no idea of beginning at No. 1 and
wading through the catalogue to No. 375. We
will wander to and fro, an evil spirit some may
think us, avoiding all the technical words and
terms, of which, for the most part, notices of
pictures are made up.
The first picture which strikes us is No. 95
“ Children of tty Country” painted by J. T. Peele.
The sky of this picture and the breeches of the
boy are made off the same pattern, deeply, but not
beautifully blue—and the only fault of the artist is
in not marking with white paint the part of the sky
from which the breeches were cut. A simple dash
of the white brush, would have given a more natu
ral aspect to the sky, and furnished at the same
time an idea of the quantity of stuff it required to
make the youngster’s unmentionables.
King Phillip— No. 72—W. J. Hubbard. In West
Broadway, over the door of a little toddy shop,
is a sign board picture of Tam O’Shanter, which
Mr. Hubbard seems to have copied, barring the
witches, and dubbed it King Phillip. Phillip’s
pony is very like Tam’s spunky little mare, and
there would be absolutely no fault to find with the
picture, if the witches were in, a pari of the pony’s
tail out and the rightful name restored. The
painter of the picture in West Broadway, has
modestly witheld his name, and we have no means
of knowing who it is that Mr. Hubbard has copied.
Cromwell exhorting his Captains before the battle
of Naseby.— J. W. Glass. This is No. 6 of the
collection and a good picture to our thinking,
though the figures are too much huddled together.
Cromwell’s face ind icates an honest soulja stout re
solution and a firm faith. Both painter and penman
are beginning to understand Cromwell’s charac
ter, from the greatness of which, his psalm singing,
exhortation, and prayer, with their snuffle and
cant, do not detract. Psalm singing was to the
English revolutionist what song singing was to
one of our parties, a few years ago—a means to
an end. We have great respect for both the song
and the psalm.
The portrait of Gov. Bouck— No. 25—painted by
Charles L. Elliott. This is a “ full length” and a
good likeness, though the artist would not have
lessened the excellence of his picture if he had
been a little more sparing of his colors. In the
distance is seen the ex-Governor’s “next friend,”
the old white horse, quietly grazing, and looking
remarkably well out to grass. The picture belongs
to the city, and will take its proper place in the
Governor’s Room of the City Hall.
1. O. of O. F.— lmportant Movement. — One of
the Lodges of this great and increasing Order of
benevolence, has, recently passed unanimously,
the following preamble and resolution, which we
think of sufficient importance to transfer to our
columns.
“ Whereas, We, the Officers and Brothers of
Stonington Lodge No. 26,1. ®. of O. Founder the
jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the State of
Connecticut, believing that the numerous Papers,
Books and Magazines, which are being daily pub
lished and issued, purporting to relate to the Inde
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, are injurious in
their tendency, and detrimental in their effects, to
the interest and prosperity of the Order, therefore,
“ Resolved, That we, as a Lodge of the Inde
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, disapprove all pub
lications purporting to relate to the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, excepting such Books and
Publications as may be authorized and approved by
the Grand Lodge of the United States: And that
we recommend the Brothers of the Order to dis
continue their contributions and subscriptions to all
such publications.”
We have no hesitation in expressing the opinion
that all our moral, religious and philanthropic
organizations would be better off without the
fungous-like “organs,” which cling to their
trunks, and extract their sap for nourishment.
They are generally started from interested mo
tives ; and are quite irresponsible, and uncontrolled
The Order has no direction or check upon them*
but if they are badly conducted, it is sure to be
held responsible, and to suffer accordingly.
There have been serious difficulties and rival
ries already. An Odd Fellow’s paper and maga
zine started in Philadelphia, have been either
stopped or suspended for a long period; and in
this city two publishers are at variance about an
Odd Fellow’s Annual.
On these and many other accounts, we think the
preamble and resolutions above quoted are very
well timed and judicious; and such is the opinion
of all the members of the Order with whom we
have conversed.
If the Order is called upon to support a publisher,
printer or writer because he is an Odd Fellow,
why not a butcher or baker, a shoemaker or tailor 1
If we are have to Odd Fellow’s newspapers, maga
zines and annuals, the next thing will be to have
Odd Fellow’s mutton chops, boots and breeches.
Odd Fellow’s Relief for] Ireland.—Some
three weeks ago, a correspondent informs us, a
circular was addressed to the several lodges, sug
gesting the propriety of sending a contribution of
provisions to Ireland, in the name of the order, in
this city. The matter was promptly taken up, a
considerable sum has been collected, but as yet,the
provisionshave not been purchased, except, per
haps, in the case of one or two lodges, which sent
their collections to the general committee.
The committee, having this matter in charge,
should take warning from the Pittsburgh cage. It
will be remembered that the money raised by the
Odd Fellows of New York for their brethren in
Pittsburgh was kept back so long; that a portion
of it had to be returned pro rata to our ledges.
A Massacre.—lt is not safe to interfere with
the designs and operations of Providence. One of
those designs and operations, as many suppose, is
connected with the slave trade, by means of which
Africa is to be civilized and christianized; b»U
several nations, our own included, have thought
proper to unite in an attempt, but partially success
ful, to put a stop to this trade. The following is
one of the results of this benevolent, but, we fear,
ill-judged effort.
A slave depot, called Gallineos, reported to have
2000 slaves ready for shipping, was so strictly
blockaded by our cruisers that the slave owners,
finding it impossible to embark them, actually in
cold blood beheaded the whole number, placing
their heads on poles stuck in the beach, saying,
“ if you will not allow us to make profit of prison
ers we take in war, we will kill all.”
Relief for Ireland.—sl3s,3o7 have been re
ceived by the treasurer of the relief committee in
this city—that contemptible committee, which
refused to send provisions by the frigate Mace
donian, for fear of hurting the tender feelings of
John Bull! A government which starves its people
by thousands must not be too delicately sensitive.
Mortality of New York. —The deaths in the
city, on the week ending May 1, were unusually
numerous, amounting to a total of 336, of which
number 53 were from consumption, and 32 from
inflammation of the lungs; affections produced or
aggravated by the inclemency of the season. The
deaths of the large number of emigrants then in
the city, contributed to swell the amount, which is
about a hundred above the general average of the
past year.
Wonders never cease.—The Tribune, of Fri
day morning, had a pretty sensible article on war.
There is hope yet of “ a good time coming.”
Odd Fellow’s Diplomas.—A very nice specu
lation on these certificates or diplomas of Odd Fel
lowship has just been knocked in the head, we un
derstand, by a circular from the secretary’s office
of the Grand Lodge of the United States, forbid
ding the use of all such unauthorized certificates.
What will our “ Golden Rule” friend, say to this 1
The Tribune threatens that if the Excise law
is repealed, the “ Temperance fanatics” will vote
for excise officers of their own stamp. So it seems
that we are to mix up temperance and politics,
anyhow.
tlhcklp (gossip.
A Poem on Gough.—We find in a morning
paper two stanzas of a poem on this notorious tem
perance reformer. The poetry is about equal to
the subject.
“ The young shall hail thy saving hand,
Which grasped them when pursuing,
With Dissipation’s thoughtless band,
The path to endless ruin.
The weapons of thy righteous war
Love’s garland are entwining ;
And Peace speaks as when Bethlehem’s star
Was o’er the shepherds shining.”
The poem is scarcely complete, and we venture
to suggest two additional stanzas.
Look out for stupifying drugs,
When soda water’s nowwig;
From pretty ancles turn aside
When through the streets you’re going.
Stay not too long in Walker street,
Love’s garlands there entwining;
Or people will get sick at last,
Of all your cant and whining.
Native Wine vs. Temperance.—What will our
tee-totallers say I The American Institute has un
der consideration samples of native wine, the pro
duct of the vineyards of Ohio. A tasting commit
tee was appointed, ftvhich has not yet reported,
but its members have been seen going round,
smacking their lips, ever since. One vintage of
several hundred gallons of this wine sold readily at
$1,25 a gallon. The State of Georgia is also
beginning to produce considerable quantities. All
this, our temperance friends will think, is much to
be deplored; but we do not think so. A half a
loaf is better than no bread —a partial reform better
than none at all, and wine better than whiskey.
If all those who now drink rum, whiskey, gin and
brandy were to drink wine, especially of their own
manufacture, we should be much better off.
Webster at the South.—We are glad to see
that the great representative of the interests and
principles of Massachusetts, is received everywhere
at the South with a chivalnc courtesy and a noble
generosity. At the dinner at Richmond, which
must have been a sumptuous aflair, the following
beautiful toast was drunk with enthusiasm :
“ The States of the Union I distinct like the bil
lows, but one like the sea.”
This toast, drunk ata dinner, given to the Sena
tor of a State that is continually threatening to di
vide the Union, was appropriate, and significant.
No Amalgamation in Hayti.—The great ex
citement, at this time, in the Island of Hayti, arises
from the refusal of the negro senate to pass a law,
allowing the black citizens of the island to marry
whites. This law the negroes sturdily refuse to
pass, on the ground that it would tend to destroy
the purity of their Ethiopian blood, and increase
the number of mulattoes; whom they hate scarcely
less than the whites.
So the black girls of Hayti must go without
white husbands; and the white girls will be com
pelled to marry husbands of their own color. What
a terrible despotism! What a pity Hayti has not
some paper like the Tribune to protest against it!
Going it Strong.—The Rev. Moses D. Scud
der, in a temperance speech at Huntington, Long
Island, where the people have just given a very
decided majority against “legal suasion,” said:
“There is an engine going through the land
whose smoke is from perdition and whose fire is
from Hell; and yet no one says —‘ Let us turn out
and tear up the track.’ Even in this good town of
Huntington, there may be good ground for strong
action.
The good town of Huntington was not inclined
to follow the reverend gentleman’s advice; so
this terrible engine will keep its steam up. It is
such speeches as these that have disgusted many
sober people with a truly good cause, and its vio
lent supporters.
“The Great Western.”—The Delta informs us
that the name of this Heroine, whom we men
tioned in our last, as worthy of some honorable
distinction, is Sarah Bourdette, “a woman of
bravery, character, and integrity, who has been
with the army in an humble capacity since the
commencement of the war with Mexico.” A
subscription has been opened in New Orleans,
for the purpose of giving to this heroine of real
life, a suitable and substantial token of the public
estimation of her merits and services.
Tracts in the Army.—Agents of the American
Tract Society, have distributed an immense quanti
ty of religious tracts in the Army in Mexico; one
account says 265,643 pages. These have no doubt
had something to do with the valor of our troops,
and their general good conduct; so that the read
ing of these tracts, may have enabled them to
conquer such immense tracts in Mexico.
“ The Paraclete,” is the title of the new paper,
published by parson Howe, of Stingaree celebrity,
at Lafayette, La. Our eyes have not yet been
blessed with a sight of this no doubt remarkable
paper, but the Delta notices its appearance “ with
every demonstration of joy.”
Money Plenty.—We have now in the banks
and sub-treasury in the city of New York thirteen
millions of dollars in gold and silver; probably the
largest sum ever in th,e city at one time. We have
have a war at the south-west to fight, and a fa
mine at the north-east to feed; and the famine
sends us more money than the war takes away.
The Future.—Mr. Brisbane wishes to raise a
capital of four hundred thousand dollars to establish
a Fourier Phalanx; and ground has been broken
for the New Opera House in Astor Place.
Neither Rough nor Ready.—The Union, the
official organ of the government gets over General
Taylor’s nomination to the Presidency in the fol
lowiig smooth and procrastinating, not rough and
ready manner. It says:
“ When General Taylor’s principles have been
fully developed, if we approve of his views of the
constitution, and of the policy in which the gov
ernment should be administered, we shall be able
to appreciate his claims to the Presidency. We
shall weigh them in the best spirit. We are now
uncommitted to any candidate, as are hundreds
and thousands of the American people.”
M. Lafarge, the business agent of Louis
Phillippe in this country, has contracted to build
the new Opera House in Astor Place, and rumor
says that the old French King is at the bottom of
t he speculation. With all our heart. We have
no objection to Louis Phillippe building an opera
house for us, and we hope that he will keep it open
after it is built. Providing us with choice music,
at his own expense, would be a most delicate way
of repaying the kindness and hospitality which he
met with, when, a penniless and a friendless exile
from his own country, he sought refuge here. If
this be Louis Phillippe’s idea it is all well enough;
but if he goes into it to make money, he will get
his fingers burned.
(KJ- There was a large crowd assembled in
Broadway on Wednesday, opposite the site
selected for the new circus and theatre. A rope
was attached to the brick wall of one of the old
buildings, and a dozen men were pulling on it,
while one man was inside the building endeavor
ing with an iron bar to shake the wall. The whole
interest of the crowd was centered on this one man,
whose life was in jeopardy. Not succeeding in
starting the wall, and beginning to fear for his
own safety, he at last left the building, whereupon
the crowd immediately dispersed. They took no
interest in the falling of an old wall, but they were
curious to see it that man would not be killed, and
we heard one man offering to bet that he would be.
One of the English papers tells a laughable
story of an attempt made by a Protestant clergy
man to save Daniel O’Connell from the errors of
Popery. The zealot waited on’lreland’s ehampion
and told him that “ salvation could only be obtained
through the merits of the Saviour.”
To this extraordinary announcement Mr. O’-
Connell replied, “ Well, sir! yes; I think I have
heard of something of the kind before.”
The zealot sloped.
By an advertisement in the Sun we learn
that twenty men are wanted “ to sell General Tay
[or and the Mexican war.” Application to sell the
hero of Buena Vista, should be made to those who
have nominated him for the Presidency.
OCJ- Santa Anna’s victory at Buena Vista was
celebrated with great pomp in the city of Mexico.
What they would have done had he gained what
we call a victory, it is quite impossible to imagine.
We begin to think that some of the hundred vic
tories this “ Napoleon of the West” used to boast
of ten years ago, were of the same sort.
“ Why don’t you hang out your flag 1” ask
ed one John Smith of another, in a part of the city
where the Smiths are plentiful.
“ My patriotism never flags” replied the ready
John. At night he was asked,
“ Why don’t you illuminate 1”
“My patriotism is not to be made light of;” said
the still unabashed, imperturbable John.
Chief Justice Homblower, the President of
the Evangelical Alliance, is very decidedly of the
opinion that they must exclude Christians who
practice polygamy. This will cut off the missiona
ries, also, who allow it. A icligion must, or per
haps we should say does, always conform more or
less to the customs of the country in which it is
established.
More Money.—The Caledonia brought out
$2,500,000. Getting so much money from abroad,
we can afford to feed a few of the people who come
with it.
police Rccorkor.
Not until the robbery and probable murder of
Mr. Alvey Hottchkiss, in Brooklyn, on Monday
night last, did people on this side of the river
know, that a citv with a population of eighty thou
sand, had but eighty watchmen for its protection!
Mr. Hotchkiss w as going home, between 10 and
11 o’clock on that night—a moonlight night—and
was in Clinton street, South Brooklyn, when he
was knocked dowra, robbed, and left for dead, his
skull being beaten in upon his brain. This daring
act of high-way robbery occurring in a large city,
at a comparatively early hour and by moonlight,
has created, as may well be supposed, a tre
mendous excitement in Brooklyn. The Common
Council has offered a reward of five hundred dol
lars for the apprehension of the highwayman, and
the citizens of the Sixth Ward, in which the out
rage occurred, two thousand five hundred dollars.
On Thursday night, at about half-past 11 o’clock,
Mr. Bennett, one of the jiilots on the Williams
burgh ferry boats, was struck on the head -with a
slung shot, by a ruffian who lay in wait, at a stone
yard on the corner of Grand and Second streets,
Williamsburgh. Mr. Bennett, though severely in
jured, was able to cry out for help and the ruffian
fled.
The police of this city number one thousand
men, who are properly officered, divided and lo
cated, so that the amplest security is afforded to the
citizen. Rogues know this very well, and are re
luctant to pursue their business with the almost
certainty of detection. Hence the safety of life
and property here, and the greater danger to both
in the populous places on either side of New York.
The authorities of Brooklyn, Jersey City, Wil
liamsburgh and Hoboken should immediately take
the most energetic measures to put their respective
towns under careful watch throughout the night,
and until this is done, the citizens of these places
should organize volunteer patrols and protect them
selves.
A little caution too, even in well-policed New
York, to those who are returning home late at
night, may not be out of place. When our business
keeps us out to a late hour, we have our eyes about
us as we go home. Alleys, or courts, or carts, or
waggons m the street, either of which might give
shelter to the ruffian who wishes to strike sud
denly a fatal blow on the unsuspecting passer by—
we always give a wide berth to. It does no harm
to be on your guard.
We know a gentleman, who from early child
hood, was in the habit of looking under his bed
and into the clooete of his room, before retiring to
rest. People laughed at him, but he persisted.
Five years ago, being then temporarily in Phila
delphia, he made his usual scrutiny of the room he
occupied in the hotel, and discovered, stowed
away beneath his bed, a stout negro armed to the
teeth. He did not, at that moment, think the
cautious habit of forty years thrown away.
The outrages noticed in the commencement of
this article are full of warning. Housekeepers, as
a general rule, are careless about fastening their
premises ; people out late at night, pass through
narrow, dark and deserted streets without a thought
about their safety. People, by their carelessness,
seem to invite pillage, and actually foster thieves
and burglars. Efficient as is our own police,
every citizen should second their efforts to rid the
city of knaves, by being constantly on their guard
at home and abroad, and so render the commission
of robberies the more difficult and the detection of
robbers the more certain. This is a subject worthy
of consideration.
A New way of disposing of Convicts.—The
Police Gazette, a paper devoted to the interests of
criminals of every grade, and which has already
done much fortheir literary if not moral improve
ment, exposes an outragous and murderous fraud
practised upon the convicts of the state prison at
Auburn. The state provides good, substantial ra
tions of healthy food for all its children, and espe
cially for such as, by the commission of erime have
been brought under its immediate charge; but in
stead of the good pork and beef, authorized by
law, the prisoners at Auburn have been fed upon
unhealthy mutton; and the state has thus been rid
of a considerable number of convicts. Feeding
prisoners upon putrid or poisoned meat is a bad
business; and ought to be put a stop to. The sen
tence of the law should be strictly carried out; but
the inflictors of these unauthorized barbarities are
worse than the men on whom they were prac
ticed.
iCocal Naus.
Drowned.—A man named Owen Rielly, was
found in the water, about ten o’clock on Friday
night at the foot of Jay street; he was taken out
by some citizens, and placed on the dock, after
which word was sent to the Fifth District Station
House, it appears he had beenin the water but a few
minutes
Firing with intent to Kill.—Policeman Boyle,
of the fourth district, arrested a young man about
19 years ot age, named Hedgell,on Friday evening,
in Dover st, on a charge of shootingjat Mr. and Mrs.
Derrickson, of Market st., with a loaded pistol. It
appeared that Mr. and Mrs D. were going through
Dover street on Friday evening, Hedgell was amu
sing himself with a pistol at his door, and as Mr.
and Mrs. Derrickson passed by he let it off, by
which they were both sadly wounded, several
grains of duck shot having lodged in both their
aims.
Assault and Battery on a Policeman.—Charles
Wallj an illl ooking fellow, was detected on Friday
night in the act of stealing barrels. The officer at
tempted to arrest him, he thereupon assaulted the
officer in the most violent manner; he was how
ever secured, brought to the Tombs,and committed
on two charges, one for stealing and the other for
assaulting the officer in the discharge of his duty.
Robbery and Arson.—Twomen named James
Bloomer and Perry White, were arrested on Friday
night by two citizens. Bloomer and White in the
course of the evening got into a house and found
their way into one of the rooms, broke open a
drawer in which was SGO in bills, which they took
away together with a silver watch. After they
came out they got into a shed attached to
the house and set it on fire; the fire was dis
covered in time and They were
committed to take their trial for arson and grand
larceny.
Highway Robbery.—Thomas Johnson, Patrick
Maguire and Esther Shields, were arrested yes
terday by Policemen O’Brien, of the Sixth Dis
trict, on a charge of highway robbery. Edward
Wakefield, a gardener who had been at work in
the country, arrived in town on Thursday—went
to the Five Points and met with the prisoners, who
induced him to go into a place called Murderer’s
Alley, in the rear of Cross street. When they got
him into the Alley, the men knocked him down
and the female rifled his pocket of sl7. They
were committed.
Inquests.—The Coroner held three inquests
yesterday, one on the body ol a woman found dead
in a room, in Chambers st.; another at the City
Hospital, and the third on the body of a man
found dead at the foot of Jay street.
-—
Ths Ninth of May.—To-day is the first anni
versary of the glorious battle of Resaca de la
Palma ; the first decisive victory of this war,
which has been a continual series of splendid
triumphs; with not one defeat, nor, save the loss
of so many heroes, scarcely a disaster. General
Taylor opened with a decisive victory, and General
Scott has closed the war, we trust, with one equal
ly decisive and glorious. Now, the Halls of the
Montezumas!
Complimentary Benefit to Miss Clarke. —
This sweet, nice, clever little actress, so long the
pet of the Olympic, has been choused out of a
benefit at that theatre, by some mismanagement,
which, we believe, the publie pretty well under
stands, So smart a girl, and so good a one, ought
not to suffer, especially when she has a heap of
friends and admirers. A complimentary benefit
would be a card for any manager. Simpson, with
whom her father played so long and so well, ought
to offer it at once; butif hedon’t, we haveao donbt
that either Jackson or Davernawill jump at the
chance of doing a thing so handsome and so
popular.
gtj-It is a pity that John Anderson did not take
the stump for the office of Assistant Aiderman of
the Fifth, instead of running as a party candidate.
As an independent he would have been elected by
a large majority. His fine cut tobacco, or rather
the great reputation that his fine cut enjoys, would
have saved him. People would have said—a man
who manufactures such superb tobacco and con
ducts so extensive a business with such surpassing
skill, must make a good Aiderman. John should
have placed himself on his fine cut, some of which
is even now rolling, a delicious morsel, under our
tongue and appealing to us to write a paragraph in
its praise. Anderson’s stores are at No. 2 Wall
street, and Nos. 213 and 215 Duane street.
View of the Old Government House. —-AVe
noticed a week or two ago the issue of a beautiful
ly colored view of the old government house, built
for General Washington; afterwards occupied by
the Governor of the State, and subsequently as a
Custom House. It stood where now stands the
Whitney block of buildings, below the Bowling
Green and looking up Broadway. The picture is
interesting to every New Yorker, and is really a
fine specimen of the pictorial art.,
WramcL
When the venerable Spranger Barry “shuffled
off this mortal coil,” early in January last, Mr.
Andrew Jackson Allen and the world were witness
es of our grief over the terrible bereavment. We
paid our humble tribute to the worth and genius of
our old friend; placed him, with no other assisting
hands than those of Andrew Jackson Allen, in his
coffin; washed his face frequently with alcohol to
preserve its freshness until the day of the funeral,
and finally, Andrew Jackson Allen and ourselves,
followed the honored corse to the tomb prepared
for its reception on that side of the hill in Green
wood, which looks towards the city poor Barry had
loved so well. In short, to adapt Shakspere te our
purpose, we
“ —7- gave his honors to the world,
His blessed part to heaven ”
and hoped that he would sleep in peace. But
“ The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones.”
So has it been with Barry. While his talents and
his virtues are buried six feet beneath the surface
of the earth; his errors are held yet in remem
brance. He was a kind, generous man, was
Spraager Barry, but he had his peculiarities and
prejudices. Of these latter, the one which laid
most violent hold on him in his doclining years,
was that against Mr. James E. Murdoch, the aa
tor. Mr. Barry could not endure Murdoch, and
he on all occasions, both in season and out of sea
son, orally and in writing, gave strong expression
to his dislike. We express no opinion as to the
correctness and fairness of his strictures on Mr.
Murdoch’s acting, and we have written thus much
only byway of introducing the following letter,
which we found thrust under our door yesterday
morning, and which shows the angry feeling yet
cherished against our friend by the friends of the
actor he assailed. As we were not with Mr.
Barry in his last hours, we cannot say whether the
letter speaks truly or not —those who road it ca *
decide for themselves.
New York—The Crown of My Hat, )
Near the Park Fountain, May 1,1847. >
To the Editors of the Dispatch:
The late lamented Spranger Barry, Esq., left few
more ardent admirers of his many virtues than my
self. The only reflection that consoles his lou is
that he was too good a man to live. The ailment
of which he died has not been stated in any of the
public prints, but I am satisfied from my own pret
ty steady observation of his constitution, that he
collapsed (if you will allow me so profane an ex
pression for so valued a friend,) from an over
charge of truth. His delicate ana sensitive frame
yielded at length as I knew it would, to the ra
vages of an over-active veracity. Peace to his
memory ! But while wo are lamenting his loss, i n
admiration of his virtues we should not loose sight
of one or two little lapses he was guilty of—such i s
frail humanity— toward the close of his life. I
think he wandered a little in his mind in his con
tributions to the public journals as his end drew
near, and that his wits were unsettled by too oon
stant contemplation of one object. Mr. Murdoch*
the tragedian. In reference to tnis gentleman a
strange mania seems to have possessed poor Bany
. —by which he got everything wrong. For ex
ample : if Mr. Murdoch was playing a brilliant en
gagement at New Orleans, Barry would assert
that he was at Vicksburgh and nobody in the
house. If he had a sword presented to him by his
friends at Boston, Barry would have it that he saw
Mr. Murdoch buy it at the cutler’s and privately
present it to himself; and so with an elegant Shak
spere given to the actor at Philadelphia by his old
school-fellows, Barry would swear in all the oyster
houses about town, till he was twice as red in the
face “as natural” —that it was Murdoch’s gift to
Murdoch, and that he saw him take it from the
shelves of his own library with his left hand and
pass it over in the act of self-presentation to his
right. I believe the idea began to dawn up«n poor*
distracted Spranger on his death-bed, that these
were little better than fibs, in fact that authentic
history would have to set them down as whoppers.
Between ourselves (friends to his dear memory,
you know,) a waiter who carried in a brandy
smasher to him in his last hours, has assured me
that nothing could be more pitiful and melancholy
than the close of Barry’s life, of which he was a
witness. He asserts that during the last day and
night, his bed, as well as it could be made out from
his own disordered communications, was besot by
our young American actor, taking ten thousand
shapes to his distorted fancy. At one time he
would cry out that Hamlet was in the comer of the
chamber, a beautiful, sad sight, talking with a
spirit, a real spirit he knew from the countenance
of the actor. The instantly Barry would burst into
a great laugh and exclaim—see, see, that mad
Rover, he’ll be the death of me—and, before the
echo of the laughter had fairly died away, his face
was horror-stricken, and he cried out that the
witches were there and Macbeth amongst them
looking like life. And eo he kept up a battlement
of these airy visitors—Mr. Murdoch being evi
dently the prime mover among them—till the clock
struck twelve, when gnawing the quill he had
always used in his late communications, with
a kind of spiteful violence, and casting its fragment
away from him as a polluted thing, and saying the
play was over, he fell back on his couch and yield
ed the ghost. lam well satisfied—and I make this
statement as an act of justice to his memory—that
he repented bitterly and with true contrition all
the falsehoods he had been the means of putting
into circulation in reference to a fine-spirited,
variously gifted and noble-hearted actor.
Your obedient servant and friend,
John Johnson’s oldest Son.
“ Jack Cade” has been performed twice during
the week, at the Park, to large audiences. The
play is full of genuine democratic right
down, hearty, out and out loco focoism; and we
are surprised that Mr. Forrest does not oftener
persent it. The objection urged against the play
is that the character of its hero is widely different
from that which sober history describes; but our
own opinion is that Jack Cade was much more of
a patriot and a gentleman than those who crushed
him allowed the world to know. It is an old
trick of despots to slander those who rise against
them. A rebellion suppressed is always represented
as a very low and vulgar outbreak of the populace.
It only acquires respectability with success, and
then it is dignified with the name of revolution.
General Washington and John Hancock would
have appeared to no very great advantage in his
tory, if the arms of George the Third had been
successful.
Mrs. Shaw’s performances at the Bowery con
tinue to be witnessed by large and approving audi
ences. On every night of the last week, notwith
standing the attractions elsewhere, tkat capacious
house, the largest we believe in the country, was
crowded from floor to ceiling.
At the Chatham, Mr. Barney Williams, who,
albeit a Yankee, is an exceedingly clever stage
Irishman, has been entertaining crowded pit and
full boxes with the brogue and humor of poor Pat.
In the melodramatic business, Mr. Marshall is the
hero of the Chatham, and the applause which he
receives evidences the appreciation of the patrons
of that establishment of his performances.
Mr. Dunn has been, and will continue to be for
another week, the star of the Museum. He per
forms in light pieces, and throws so much humor
into his parts that it is impossible for the audiencoa
not to be delighted. The spacious and beautiful
saloon of the Museum will be crowded on every
night of the present week by the admirers of eur
friend, “ that Rascal Jack.”
Mr. Anderson commences an engagement at the
Park Theatre, to-morrow night.
Mr. James E. Murdoch is engaged at the Bowery,
opening to-morrow night.
A theatre, on a diminutive scale, has been open
ed in Newark. Mr. Nickinson, of the Olympic,has
something to do with it.
Mrs. Mowatt wrote a poetical address, and de
livered it, on the opening of the Athenaeum, Cin
cinnati, on the 26th ult. Thorne, formerly of the
Chatham, this city, is the acting manager of the
Athenaeum.
Mrs. Kean, we regret to learn, is very ill, at St.
Louis.
Collins, the Irish comedian, is atpSt. Louis, play
ing to good houses.
Musical.—There was a performance at the
Opera House on Wednesday night, and on Thurs
day, Signorina Barilli having recovered, Bene
detti’s benefit took place, the performance being
Lucia di Lammermoor, in which Benedetti has
greatly distinguished himself. The house was
crowded, as a matter of course, and the beneficiary
greeted with the most tumultuous applause.
Christy''s Minstrels have returned and will give
concerts on every evening of this week at Me
chanics’ Hall, No. 472 Broadway. The simple
announcement is sufficient to secure overflowing
audiences.
The Swiss Bell Ringers after giving their delight
ful entertainments at the Apollo, have taken the
Society Library Roon, and will remain with us for
onn week more, when they depart for home.
Swaim’s Panacea.—This medicine,which made
for its’ original proprietor a fortune estimated at
$1,500,000, has not done making a noise in the
world. We had occasion to mention it the other
day, in an article respecting our very distinguished
surgeon, Dr. Valentine Mott. By return post from
Philadelphia, we received a package of four bottles
of this celebrated medicine, for which we tender
Mr. Swaim, our acknowledgments and thanks; and
with them the celebrated certificate of Dr- Mott
which is in form and words following, to wit:
“ From Doctor Valentine Mott, prefwsor ef but
gery in the University of New York, surgeon of tha
New York Hospital, &c., &c. .
II have repeatedly used Swaim’s Panacea.botn in
the Hospital, and in private practice,, and have al
ways found it to be a valuable medicine in enrp
nic, syphilitic, and scrofulous complaints, and m
obstinate cutaneous affections.
Valentine Mott, M. D*
This is the honest and truthful certificate of Dr.
Mott; for which he has no need to be ashamed,
and on account of which he never should have
apologized to that conglomeration of pretentious
humbugs, who have dubbed themselves the New
York Academy of Medicine.
The motto of Riker, the hairdresser, in
Broadway, near Reade street, excited the smiles
of thousands. For a barber, nothing could possibly
be more appropriate than—“ Ready, but ntft
Rough.”