The New York herald., 1845-02-08
HALE AND THE BIsHoP's BooK.-The Journal o

Commerce has very curious paragraph in defence
OF the publication Of the trial OF Bishop Onder-
donk, including also the price paid for the copy
right, and all the profits accruing to the publishers
Our cotemporary seems to think that 1t was abso-
utely necessary TO publish the whole Of that evil
dence-however much it comes in competition
with the lcentlous literature of the present day-in
order to justify the conduct of the Court Of Bish-
ops before the community and to satisfy the public
that the sentence Of Bishop Onderdonk was justly
awarded against him on account of his private con-
duct Perhaps there is some reason in this as there
is in the roasting Of eggs. What is most to be OBJ
Jected to, after all, is the miserable hypocrisy Of
these divines indicated by their sneers and accu.
sations against the press generally, for doing, in
modified degree, and with purer motives, that
which they themselves have just done-publishing to
the world the records of vice and crime. How OF.
ten have we seen the Bishops and the clergy of that
and other churches rail by the hour against the
newspaper press for publishing reports of those ca
ses OF crime, disclosed in the public of jus
tice, the publication of which tends materially to
deter and intmidate others from SHINING in the
same way! These holy men are very ready to ex-
claim against the conductors of the newspaper press
for these reports, but it is altogether different
thing when they are called on to indulge in similar
conduct of broader character and more extensive
injury to public decency and public morals.
But the truth is, 1t is not with the publication Of the
proceedings on the trial that the community find
fault with the Court of Bishops, II is with the
peddllng out of that report-the selling OF it to
the highest bidder-the putting it up at auction as
it were for thirty pieces of silver and then the spe
culatons, not only of the accusers, but also of the
accused, and their connections, all endeavor.
ing to make much money out of the whole affair,
and the whole degradation and disgrace of the
church and individuals, as they possibly could, as
if it were as legitimate business that of
selling ones Lord and Master. The whole affair,
from its inception to its present position reflects
anything but credit and respectability en- the
Episcopal church and the Episcopal clergy, and the
selling Of that book in the circumstances for eight
hundred pieces of silver, and the hawking of such
disclosures from one end Of the country to the
other, at two or three shillings copy, will tend
more to injure the respectabliy. character, and in
fuence of the Episcopal church and all connected
with it, than anything that has ever taken place In
the last half century. That book Is broad and burn
ing evidence that there is something wrong in the
pious and holy circles of the Episcopal church, and
that if the divine light from heaven had been per-
mitted to shine upon their councils and to guide
their action in the smallest degree, even
equal to single jet from the weakest
gas-light of the New York Co., we never would
have seen two of the principal Bishoprics of the
Episcopal Church in this country dishonored and
disguced in the manner that they have been dur
ing the last year. 1t is utterly impossible that the
two Onderdonks, both elevated from the lowest
rank in the church the highest could have reach
ed that position of honor unless there was some.
thing wrong in the morals of the pious and holy
circles of the church. 1t will be our purpose to
investigate this subject at future day, and to bring
to the examination as much light and fact as re
cent developments both in Pennsylvania and New
York may place within our reach
ITALIAN OPERA-PRosPEcTs FOR NEW SEA-
SOMA reigning topic of conversation in musical
circles, and among exquisites, fashionable loaf
ers, &c, is the prospect for q new Opera season.
We have heard that there is some intention Of or
ganizing company with Signori Pico and Valtel-
lima, Qate Majocch,) Sanquirico, Antognini, and
Valtailina The ladies' both nnee - so,,rnmos
and the company would feel the want of soprano,
did they attempt to produce any opera calculated
to make decided impression. Some few minor
pieces they might get up, bat they could do nothing
without soprano that would restore the interest
which the public were beginning to take in the
Opera. To supply this want of a soprano, we have
Madame Otto, very powerful and effective sing
er, well known to the public, and Madame Ar
noul, who is also excellent singer, but less fa-
miliar with stage business. Thus we have among
US materials for very fair company-but it re-
mains to be seen whether they possess sufficient
adhesive properties to come together so as to make
themselves felt by the public There is great
want of harmony among the artists, which we
fear will prevent any thing satisfactory from being
effected. They quarrelled first at Nbo's, where
it is said injustice was done to Madame Valtelina
and subsequently at Palmo's, even when they had
organized themselves into a democratic brother
| and ssterhood, they could not keep from SQUAD
blings, which, fomented by certain persons with
out, who assume to be leaders and oracles in such
matters, led to the recent explosion This, occur
ring as it did, at the very moment when the public
had begun to take paying interest in the Opera
has gone far to destroy that interest, and to disin
cline them for any more experiments. Even If tn,
new company should be organized, the public hav,
no security that it will not be broken up again BY
| its own ridiculous dissensons, as soon as thing
| begin to get into prosperous and hopeful condi
ton. At all events, it will require satisfactory
probation of good conduct and good music, to re
store the Italian Opera in this city to the position
it SO unnecessarily and foolishy lost, through tn,
quarrelling oil the artists.
AGRICULTURAL PRoDucTs.-There was q seriou
error In the tables published yesterday. All tn,
statements of 1874 were inserted under the yea
l64S They are corrected in the Weekly Herald
Bishop HUGHES LKCTuRE.-We have in type
| report of Bishop Hughes lecture on Thursday even
ing, which is deferred until tomorrow, owing :,
| want of room.
i WEIGHS EQUESTRIAN COMPANY AT THE PARl
THRATRR.-There is to be a grand juvenile trea
this afternoon, by this unrivaed company Of eques
trians at the Park. Something quite novel ane
amusing may be expected. On these occasions
/ fYyya han he ~.