New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-10-04
NEW-YoRR IN SLICES.
slice XXVIlI....THE 'Hors.

4 stranger might live a life time in New York
without forming acquaintance with this extraordinary
cas. Of beings or even seeing them, except IN case
Of general confagration their way 10 target
shooting excursion, OF musical festival AZ Biddles
Grove or Aotila ball, torch light procession, or
some such peculiarly New Yorkish turnout. And yet
one cannot be said u really know NewloTk-to under
stand In what way is human nature is different from
other human na,urc-wiihout studying the habits and
character Of the Enjoys 1t is true that We have re-
Gently had a representation upon the stage OF pre-
tended type of this extraordinary development OF the
social anina-and presented, too, IN likeness "hcn
all seemed readily enough to recognize. But get the
portrait was false one, and gave only the more con
.ucuous deorrnlties Of the character. Indeed, mir
ro 90 foul and distorted the modern stage could no,
he expected to reflect anything but the obvious faults
vices and barbarsms Of whom.oeyer was brought De
fore il and therefore it is that while the hoy himself
possesses many OF the noble and truly manly attributes
which 20 Alleging 10 gentee society, our Nose and
Jakey and sykesey Of the stage are nothing more nor
better than absolute and unmiiigated ruians, whom
to do anything but losthe, would be in itself SIN
The Bhoy As we see him on the stage, is only in his
outdoor midnight rowdy aspect and II Is a amenla-
bic thing enough that instead OF endesvorng TO elevate
tue character ana sIfuulht dHlDttloh "a
tors by showing them one Of themselves in his better
phase the getiersup Of these eXecrabe representations
should have gained temporary popularity by bringing
out only the cOarser and vulgar traits and thus
enl.ting the brutal sympsthes and passions OF their
audiences Many a halftimid young man struggling
between the dictates OF his better nature and the
promptngs Of depraved appetite, mas been confirmed
in vicious courses by witnessing and contributing TO
the applauses with which the beasty eXuberance OF
Nose were received from the stage
II IL in his domestic character and associations that
the Bhoy commands most of our respect Many
OF the toughest and untanable specimens OF these
benes-who are hrst at a fray and ever ready for a
feast or irolc a knock down and drag out-practce
the social virtues with sincerity and to extent rare
enough among classes OF far higher pretensons and
OPPORTUNITIES. Thrown into the world in childhood
without guide protector, and with no means oil edu
cation or worse still no 10 inspire IN them the de
sire for education they grow up ike wild weeds ana
must inevitably produce bitter and unwhoesome fruit
And yet in despite OF this utter lack oil culture ana
development, many Of them become tender husbands
and like other wild animals, seem to reserve all the
nobleness and susceptibility OF their natures to lavish
upon their mates and offspring while to all the rect
OF creation they show nothing but teeth and caws-
Another virtue which ihtS pOrrS99 III N'eiNN -
friendship Full of rough play and uncouthy sociable
as p company of young bears-often even quareing
and fighting among tbomsolyes-yet let an enemy sp-
pear or let friend be threatened with danger and they
are devotion itself freely risking life and limb in de-
fence of a companion and sharing with him when un
fortunate their home and purse. homely and scsnty
though they may be- with natural and cordial hospi
tally which the consecrsted poetry Of poverty They
Id lint pot naturally vic ked
They are good unselhsh frolcsome creatures, whose
misfortune is that rude contact with society under
unfayorabe auspices has served to rpen and bring out
only certain class of functions and attributes, while
the intellectual and moral faculties which could alone
have given them value OF useful direction, have been
repressed and s,unted Thus their courage is quarrel
someness; their frankness is vulgarty their magma
nity subsidies to thrilessness their fun expands TO
rowdyism their feeling Of friendship and brotherhood
seeks dangerous activity in mobs and gangs who con-
spire against the public peace.
The worst feature in the character OF the Bhoy Is
his dssipaton--his worst enemy the grog-shop the
three cent cellar the liquor grocery on the corner
Deprived by position and finally by inclination OF re
spectabe associations-and especially OF the rehnine
influence of cultivated female society-hs restrained
social instinct his ambition his desire to struggle and
shine which he shares in common with all man and
woman kind lead him 10 the rumshop and to me
haunts of the vicious and the vile. Here he hnds MIN
self from the audacity of his temper and the strength
of his arm an object of consideration and regard h'
vanity ia battered and his sppetites awakened until
he gladly embraces the career of vulgar rowdyism-
simply because he must have some career and there
no other within his reach. The writer Of this sketch
has been with the Bhoys, at many times and IN many
circumstances, determined TO learn all that could DC
learned by study and observation respecting class
mankind so peculiar and SO interesting and ne does
not hesitate to record his testimony IN favor OF the
goodness of their natures and the nobeness OF theii
original capacities while at the same time he admits
and deplores the degradation into which most OF them
have fallen Many of the coolest well As most dar
Ing acts of courage during the late Mexican war were
performed by these men, while al the same time theii
character for subordinaton modesty and temperance
was unimpeschabe. Now war is at best but A coarse
low master and not much calculated to add dignity OF
refinement 20 the human character But II teachc;
discipline obedience and punctusli,y, and discoun
tenances buster and disorder; and even this wa
enough to greatly change the Bhoy from bad 10 better
and 10 show clearly Of what under still more iayora
Die circumstance he would be- capable. suppose foi
instance Government should take II into its head one
of these days to organize an army OF Volunteer Asri
curists under General SKfN>ER and an ehclent corps
of officers from the American Institute instead OF Wes
Point-armed with hoes, rakes scythes and cradles
artieried with plows and hsrrows and furnished forth
with complement of cattle seeds and all necessary
utensils and ordered to the frontier 10 conquer q
piece from the wilderness instead of the MeXicans-
and suppose that every soldier in this grand army were
permitted TO take bis wife and children his sweet
heart and were given in fee simple nice little farm
sufficient for all the wants OF himself and amily-whs
glorious chance would this be for the hoy and
how much less national money and national crime i
would cost snd how much happiness instead OF death
and mourning II would entail As soon rs civilization
arrives at years of discretion and u sble 70 what
ais H. we expect in some such way as this, our
cities purged of rowdyism. and the incentives TO their
robbery and prostitution greatly sbsted, while at the
same time clear swing and ample reward Will De
granted 70 Labor and Intelligence, and the Golfers OF
the nation enriched by the creation OF new and pros
porous communities repenishing the gransries whence
Europe must draw her su.tenance, and consuming i'm
mense amounts Of our own manufactures.
But the Bboy thinks little Of his future destiny, and
seems unconscious OF any higher powers than those
brought into play by for are plug or scamPer
.,-.,,. He s,ronrest DassiOn and