The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-12-14
TIE MeAr suors-rnE Buroarns-rHE ALurR.

MEN.-The movements on this subject in the Corpo-
ration has created deal OF attention The whole
state OF the case both before and behind the cur
tan may be stated in few words The facts
these
The butchers OF this city number some four or
five hundred men, respectable, wealthy, influential,
and strong politicians. About ninety in a hundred
of them good democrats and true. 1t is said they
are monopollsts certainly they are opposed TO the
free and unrestricted sale of meats, except in the
public markets. They WELD strong political influ-
ence, which is felt in the Common Council The
most OF them reside up town, and do their business
down town, thus making their influence felt in both
the upper and lower wards. So much for the
butchers.
As to the Common Council, we believe decided
majority of that body heartily in favor OF licens-
ing the meat shops. The Wing members seem ra.
Their favorable to that measure. But the leading
members of the opposite party, although they OPP
posed TO monopoes, yet they dare not oppose ninety
per cent of good democratic butchers
Look at the facts of the case on Monday evening
1t will be seen, in our report Of the meeting OF the
Board of Aldermen, in yesterdays paper, that the
question of licensing these shops taken up for
final action, and lost by vote of ten to five, two
Aldermen being absent. The friends of the new
ordinance, who came up boldly and promptly, and
without any backing or filling, or lodging, were
Alderman Jones of the Fifth Ward, Underwood of
the Third, Woodruff of the Second, Smith and
Bonnell, The first three named supported their
votes with very able arguments and much zeal. On
the other side, the opponents of the same measure
were, first and foremost, Alderman Leonard of the
Ninth Ward, Aldermen Lee, Purdy and West, who
took an active part in the opposition; Aldermen
- &c 4 ~
Illus. 1t was not strict party question, although the
leading friends OF the meat shops were whigs and
the leading opponents were democrats. Alderman
Leonard of the Ninth would strike out the mono
poly features of the meat laws, but would still con-
fine all sales of meat to the regular public markets
Alderman Woodruff will vote for licensing the meat
shops, provided none but butchers be licensed as
the city charter gives power to regulate any other
business than that of butchers therefore the Board
would have power over other persons than
butchers.
As to the practical force virtue, and effect Of the
dinance passed by the Board of Aldermen, on Mon
day evening, it is perfect nullity 1t leaves every
thing just where it was before. 1t makes the con-
dition of neither butchers nor meat shops either
better or worse than it was before. The ordinance
was taken up in the Board of Assistants last eve
ming and ordered to be printed 1t is to be the spe.
cal order of the meeting next Tuesday evening,
whenit will receive severe overhauling.
BANKRUPTCIES, AS ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE SOCIAL
CONDITION. the city of New York there are pro-
badly about two thousand applicants for the benefit
Of the BANKRUPT law. The schedules containing the
necessary description of the affairs of these indiv.
duals are about ten thousand in number, and form
a rkahl md rotiv
character. In fact, no collection of tones in the
known world, from that in the Vatican to the Bod
eian Library, could compete with this extraordinary
assembage of manuscripts, in point of that matter
ofact interest which comes home to the bosom and
business of every man. In these documents we are
presented with perfect pcture-drawn with all the
stern fidelity of legal accuracy and precision-of the
actual condition of society," the errors folles, vices
and indscreions of men-the course and progress of
finance, morals and religion.
1t is indeed difficult to describe the full interest and
importance of these most curious of all -biogra.
plies What world of sagacious speculation, and
sober reasoning, and painful moralizng, and phio-
sophie reflection is opened up to the thoughtful rea.
der of one of these magic volumes The whole his.
| tory of mans career, with all its bounding hopes
its disappointmens, its hypocrisies, its shftngs, its
doubngs TO escape the dreaded exposure, its POSI-
tive frauds-all this condensed into the formal
cord OF legal document ! In oden times the had
their Illuminated manuscripts, and with wonder fully
graphic power did the artist often unfold and illus
trate the story but the plain familiar, and unpictu
rescue memorials which occupy such conspicuous
place in the bankrupt's schedule, have signi6-
cant expression than all the cunningy devised works
of monkish illuminators They are the most intelli-
gibe of all marginal references. They do, indeed.
expodnd faithfully the meaning of the text. And the
text sefis written with admirable simplicity. We
understand ii at first sight 1t is the story of life in
one brief chapter. Take up volume after volume of
this extraordinary library, and read the same
history of man starting in life, with perhaps good
principles, but rapidly coming involved in the
meshes of i'll fortune, in consequence of adopting
false and ruinous notions Of business, finance, and
domestic economy. He then resorts to one trick
and continuance after another, in order to keep up
appearances, and exc out brief existence of out
ward show. We thus trace the whole down.
ward career, until it ends in open bankruptcy No
doubt many individuals have been ruined without
being guilty of criminal expenditure and living be-
| yond their means. Misfortune, which no prudence
or foresight could have prevented, has often laid
well earned fortune in ruins But in the great ma.
jority of cases, the melancholy catastrophe has been
produced by the wilful misconduct of the sufferers
themselves. The great mass of these bankrupts
have been made so, by their own imprudence, am
bilious projects and want Of economy.
sto be hoped that the developments which these
records of bankruptcy unfold will exercise a whole
some and salutary effect on all TO whose view they
| are presented. Let the plain, practical wisdom
and genuine philosophy which they teach, sink
deep into the minds of all Let the wise and prur
dent be confirmed, and let the cxtravagant, fool
ish and ambitious, hear and profit by the warning.
REDWOOD fishers SCHEDULE IN BANKRUPTCY
We give to-day another rich plate Of soup from the
United States District Court 1t is the schedule of