The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-23 00:00:00

THE AMERICAN CRISIS.

EXTRACT PROD A LETTER DATED NEW YORK, NOV. 11.
I fear that anythiug I could write to endeavour to
depict the awful state of prostration in all and every
branch of business would fail to convey to you an idea
of it. To make you understand it at least in part I
will state that money for two months past has ranged
at from 3 to 5 per cent. per month for the very best
business paper, Inch as Brown, Brothers and Co.,
Grinnell, Mortimer, and Co., and houses of the very first
standing, and that all other paper has been utterly
unavailable at any rate. The consequence has been
that nearly every person is in fact bankrupt, and the
payment of notes and business liabilities has ceased,
and every obligation to banks and amongst merchants
and traders have been renewed and extended for diffarent
periods of from four to 12 months. You can hardly form
a conception of the confusion caused by this state of
things. Nothing has ever been known like it before.

FINANCIAL DISTRESS AT THE THEATRES.

The throngs of people who nightly visit the eleven
theatres cow open in this ,city seem happy enough, and
no one would imagine, from the receipts of the places of
Public amusement, that there was any severe stringency
in the money market. During the past two weeks we
have published statements of the number of visitors
at each theatre, with the sums received. From these
it appears that on Monday, Nov. 2, 15,800 people
visited the theatres, paying 5,800 dollars. On the
evening of the 9th, the number of vistors rose to
16,000, paying 6,360 dole. From the last statement the
German theatres are omitted. They take, however, about
500 dole per night. If we leave the average, however,
at 6,C00 dols per night—and that is quite within bounds
—we shall have a weekly expenditure for theatres, in this
city alone, of 30,000 dollars, which is doing very
well for hard times. At about the time of the
bank suspension, last month, several of the theatres
were in a bad way, and even now they are not doing
quite so well as usual at this season, which should be
the best of the year. The managers have generally
reduced their expenses, and are now playing to more
than paying houses. The opera season has commenced
well ; the management has stopped the system of dis-
tributing tickets to barbers, boot-blacks, and other use-
ful members of society who came to talk loudly in the
lobbies and get in everybody's way, and the effect of
this and several other reforms is seen in a great improve-
ment, both in the number and character of the audience.
It is, likewise, a curious fact that while the journals
are filled with reports of distress among the working
classes, the theatres and saloons on the easterly side
of the city—which places of amusement are supported
almost entirely by mechanics—are quite full every night.
There is no doubt that great distress exists among
the poor, but the poor do not march about the streets
with banners and cries for bread or death. The poor
do not make speeches in the Park or in Wall-street, or
frighten the federal authorities into detailing marines
to protect Uncle Samuel's cash on hand. The de-
monstrations in Tompkins square are as purely theatri-
cal as any stage play. They are made by idle fellows,
who grow fuddled over beer and preach chartism or red
republicanism by yard. The really poor shrink from the
light of day, and are only found by the benevolent after
strict search. These supernumeraries of Tompins square
arc getting up a little play of their own. Pretty soon
they will pass around the hat.—New York Herald, 11th
Nov., 1837.

The Queen has ajgnifiecLher royal pleasure to raise to
the dignity of Baronet of the United Kingdom Generals
Wilson and Havelock, by the titles of Sir Archdal e
Wil,on of Delhi, and Sir Henry Havelock of Lucknow.
REPRESENTATION OF FINSBURY. —We are authorised
to state that the reports respecting Mr. Duncornbe's
health which have lately appeared in a portion of the
public press are without foundation, and that the bon.
member will not only be in his place at the meeting of
Parliament, but that his health is at present far better
than it has been for sometime past.

The Austrian 3azette, in confirming the intended
reduction of the army, states that the budget of the war
department will not now exceed 95 millions of florin,.
ETIQUIITTE IN Amaica.—We had an opportunity of
observing that our guides had much more etiquette than
any of the tribes farther south. They gave Ud food, but
would not partake of it when we had cooked it ; nor
would they eat their own food in our presence. When
it was cooked, they retired into a thicket, and ate their
porridge ; then all stood up and clapped their hands,
and praised Intetnese for it. Tho Makolols, who are
accustomed to the most free and easy manners, held out
handfuls of what they hal cooked to any of the Balouda
near ; but they refused to taste. They are very punc-
tilious in their manners to each other. Each hut has its
own fire, and when it goes out they make it afresh for
themselves, rather than take it frean a neigh hour.—
Lieing.tton's Missionary Travels in South Africa.
PARSONS.—The term Parson is much mote le;iiimate
than is commonly supposed. A parson (4ays Black-
stone), persona eecicsice, is one that bath fall e,ossessiou
of ell the rights of a parochial church. Ho is called
parson because by his person the church, which is an
invitible body, is represented ; and he is himself a body
corporate, in order to protect and defend the rights of
the church (which he personates) by a perpetual
succession.
He is sometimes called the rector or
governor of the church ; but the appellation of parson
(however it may be depreciated by familiar, clownish,
and indi.m iminate use) is the most legal, most beneficial:,
and most honourable title that a parish priest can enjoy."
"Though Teough we write Parson differently," says Seldm, in
his " rabic Talk," yet 'tis but Parson; that is, the
individual Person eet apart for the service of such a
church ; and 'tits in Latin Persona, and Personatus is a
Personage. Indeed, with the canoe la wyers Personatas
is
,any dignity or preferment in the church. There
never was a merry world since the fairies left dancing,
and the parson left conjuring. The opinion of the
latter kept thieves in awe, and did as much good in a
country as a justice of peace."