American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-10-02
from the Daily Tribune.
NEW YORK AS 1T Is.

NEW lOIth AS IL is.
| The contrasts oil city are sometimes almost
too great, and the transitions from one to an
other too rapid TO seem real. If one wishes to
see the true sights Of Il city he should not 90
out of his way looking for them. The res!
lions lie right in his path. Sometimes we get
sick aud tired Of Broadway, and to relieve our
eyes Of the eternal glare OF plate glass win
dows and our ears Of the laundering omnibus
es, we dive into Centre Market and come up
some where in the ncghborhood of those i'm
mensc PatchouH manufactures called Gas.
houses From this point to the Park Ccntte
street runs parallel and within few rods OF
Broadway; and yet greater contrast than Is
presented by the two streets in the style and as
pGct Of their buildings, the appearance, dress
and manner OF their passengers, and even the
very atmosphere which pcrvades them, cannot
be found on the whole continent. In the one
there is a very striking prevalence of elegance,
prctenson aud aristoCracy. Even vice and de-
bauchery assume dashing and aristocratic
garb ana micn when they emerge into the
fashionable thoroughIare, and shabby or Ill
dressed persons shuttle along slyIy, as if they
were ashamed to be seen there IN such poor
condition. The shops look lofty and palatlal,
and the cosliness of the wares and merchln-
discs displayed in tie gigantic windows is al
most yond computation. In the other, which
is also great thoroughtare IN It's way, you see
plenty Of low, meam dirty buildings, looking
like oul-houses piled and crushed IN upon each
other without order or purpose and lett there
to rot at the leisure Of the wind and rain. In
stead of the dashIng and muStachcd dandy, the
comfortable man OF business sauntering home
ward, the gorgcously -attired females clustering
and swaying along in groups like bouquets OF
q.
barelooted washcrwomcn, sickly, STOPPING and
dclormed children, ghasily with dirt, heIcula-
mean men striding along like locomotives, and
perhaps here aud there lazy Police officer or
Reporter lounging in the low entrance Of
low grogery-wIth an occasional glimpse as
you pass the cross-streCts, of digustng piano.
rama of the bloated, drunken and obscene
lewdness which genders about the foul and poi
sOnous heart of that most incurable of moral
ulcers great city. Even the grog-shops in
either street differ as widely as any thing else.
In the one place dissipation wears supertine
coat, twirls It's cane, smokes the genuine Pana-
telIas and pays a shilling for its julep. Ia the
other bruised and haggard drunkenness, new
from its night of repOse in the prison yard, or
reeking from the fumes of the Points, sneaks
into dirty and squalid cellar and spends its
last three cents for half tumbler of drugged
and poisoned whiskey. Such are some OF the
contrasts which day after day run parallel yet
never approach each other-and to which we
have all become so accustomed that this little
sketch will scarcely DO recognized for what it
is-a true picture.
Well-and when we come to look a little
closer into the matter, what is after all the
mighty difference between humanity in Centre
street and Broadway? 1t is in either place the
same. In the gorgeously curtaned chambers
of the one beat or break no truer hearts than IN
the miserable dens and garrets of the other
Here as there, true love and devotion are spurn-
ed and rudely tranped on. Here as there in
nocence is betrayed anguish and despair aud
horror keep watch over the bed of guilt; broken
vows bring agony to oertasked hearts, and
treachcry plunges innocence into madness
Here where swing these heavy curtains, hiding
the room in velvet shadows, sits and weeps the
lonely wife and as the gay hours of morning
find her still alone, still weeping, why should
the tenant of Won sqmllid hut envy her rich
and 'happy' sister? Here too is true nobcness
of soul-as true and noble in The heart OF this
gallant, hard-handed fireman, as in tie dainty
frame of yondor poet or philantropst. After
all or boastea contrasts melt away and leave
before US the same naked Humanity, always
struggling, always distorted.
ID 81 ,-,tc