Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-03-05
UWR PBBSS
LETTERS FROM THE METROPOLIS.
Nsw YoaK, February 20,

TX no way, with which am acquainted, can one
% silly acquire vivid impression of the wide gulf
thai is fixed between the different grades OF society,
by two hours walk through some Of Our principal
thoroughia!cs. At single glance, he may behold
the very extremes of allucnce, bloated and PRIDE
swollen ON the one hand, and want, the most utter
and the least relieved on the other. Here rolls the
carriage Of the millionaire, decked off in the most
gorgeous hlazonry, the lex horses and the trim
wants, seeming to share the pride of their maser-as
h,ppy in their serviy as he in his wealth and haugh
,y independence; there lodging its crushing and un-
mindful wheels, crawls the bcgeor-whosc home IL |
the stroct-whosc aspect is utterly hagnard and re-
pulsye that even Charity herself turns her head and
passes HIM by; weak from hunger and long disease,
he throws himself upon the walk and stretches out
his lean flcshlcss hatd-a more eloquent pcadcr to
him who viii tam his eyes upon II, Than the pitcous
tale which the bcagar for the hundredth time repeats
In the hope that some eddy Of the human stream that
sweeps by him, may whirl penny within his grasp
Ana this is his lie and there are t,rnty hsousand as
poor and as destitute though as desperate he
within the bounds of our metropolis Nothing that
have ever met, and no scene of the Imagination, can
50 mitch arpa a human heart, filed with natural
sympathy, the aspects of utter, unredeemed and
almost rrcdeemabe Indebtedness that will meet the
eve of one who walks through some &C our lowest and
vlest streets. Dwelling in the fithes, cellars, in the
mls, Of human beings who only await an outward
and apparently slight change to transform them
into fiends these m,3railc oucasts have naueht hut
clId dark and chccIlcss life without, and within,
bite, burning, unqlcnchahlc flame. And yet they
are lncn-b,t know it not, and there 10 tell
;hcni Vice has poisoned their sous, and the grave
is yawnng itr their bodies. They see themselves
thrust oul um the life Of socicythey feel the sngs
of poverty, the cravings OF hunger and the absence
Of human smiles; their pathway has been marked
out over horns and the hot rloughshares OF misery
and woe the Past 10 them has been fiery trial.
thew have learned no lessons from it Tor the Present
and ia the FUturel Despair, What wonder Is It, that
these men charge their sutltings upon that society
from which they shut out, and from whose non
will they yet receive their destiny? What marvel
that they are eager for destruction, for tearing away
tn. sacred barriers against winch they rush, but
which they cannot overpass-t the rights of property
AMI oil The machinery y! !aw-whci IN Their eyesls
tyraut and minister Of evil These men are the
prev Of delnagogues who latter their prciudces, ad
minister t. their PASSIONS promise 10 crafty tho
wishes and solicit their votes. They formidable
in number, yet utterly destitute Of Intelligence their
one motive, andt mast be confessed that it is suft-
GENTLY powerfully "a IivS5ER.
rhcse are the subjects 10, such philan,hropists as
and Il is mostly Of sach materials tina. their followers
arc composed. Some OF the leaders in these various
echcmes for recognizing society, have doubt are
actultcd By sincere honcvolence: they disintcr-
ss-1 and heartily desrous of assisting to alleviate
this mountain weight Of misery thar weighs down
great portion of our race, But they charge all
the evils that affect humanity to the outward mechan-
isn OF society; and in Their proposed remedies they
merely seeking palllatycs, by changing the cir
cums,inces that surround the individual, instead Of
striving for his personal reformation. Their plans
all founded upon false principles, eaving entirely
out OF view the higher relations Of man, and looking
only 10 his outward condition and circumstances in
social lie. Such is the fatal error in the doctrine Of
Association which has recently been discussed with
great earnos,ncss and no little ability, in this city A
society has been formed 10 carry the designs of the
leaders into effect, by establishing paper advocate
their doctrines and in various Other ways promote their
objects. lnry d. not succeed, however in awakening
much rca, active interest and no second number of
The Future, whch was to be their organ, will pro-
bab!y be jssuel There is nothing new in their opin-
ions: they arc introduced lom France, lind which
has been sufficiently fruitful N ingenious and mis-
,hiey9Is theorists.
In my last Letter gave YOU some accoun, of the
'Mcr aute Library Association, one Of the Literary
Societies of the city. Another is called the New
York Society Library II is an older and more
wealthy institution than the first, having been frs,
organized, though very mpcricctly, as carly the
year 100 under the administration OF the Esrl of Bal.
l,mant, then Governor Of the colony. Its are
in building owned Is the society, u, the corner OF
Leonard s.. anI Broadway abou! half nile above
the Aston House Ii is laI q and elegant ed fee,
the exterior being made of brown sandstone and
adorned with exceedingly neat .ftcade Of Ionic
columns. The basement is div lcd into stores and
Offices, and large hall occupies the middle Of the
building. At 1.-THE head Of nbroaI Eight Of stairs is the
entrance 10 the Readin" Room-a lofty and spacious
apartment covered with rch carpet and filled with
periodicals weekly, monthly and qlarterly--literarv
scientific, religious and rolrical from every part OF
the United Stat and from Of the countries OF
Europe. From landing Place on the staircase, two
fights turn and ascend 10 the Took-rooln large
apartment in the from, OF the building with two row
OF columns dividing it and formed into alcoycs con.
tinng the books arranged in double ranks Between
the El9diD.-room and the Book room are two smaller
apartments, used rs conversation parlors as commit
tee and s,Gd!cS for those who wish to exam
me many works Mt one time. The Library contains
about 3 600 volumes, and the cost Of grounds build
ing AM fl nturc has been about s?5,CC0 The priv
c.cs of the society may be attained by The purchase
Of a share of s?5 and an annual payment OF 81 =
tracs 10 tho wealthy bat sum, sufficient to confne
the advantages to those who al least in easy cir.
cumstanccs.
The appfrhcnsons OF our citizens with regard IL
n war with England continue undlminshcd. The
veSatioUs question of M'Leod's imprisonment, the
n, T. anil Oregon Boundary disputes, the seizure o.
vessels by British cruzers the coast of Africa
thee and sundry other points OF controversy present
formidable Obstacles to the uninterrupted continuance