The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-05-11


route No is authorised to sell the list of sub
scribers Of this ward to receive any money for it,
All the carriers Of the Herald hereby notified to
serve their papers possible after receiving
them ut the Office
The Moral and Religious Anniversaries In
New-York.
We are now in the midst of the moral and religious
anniversaries of New-York This annual assem-
blage OF distinguished and undistnguihed people, OF
both sexes and of dozen coors from all parts ofthe
Union, and even foreign lands, has some peculiar
and novel characteristics, which claim attention at
this particular of the world Here in this great
meropolis-this Babylon of all sorts of opinions-is
held kind Of annual Congress, representing all OPT
Mons in morals religion, philosophy, and politics,
throughout America and Europe. Probably these
different meetings may reach the number of thir-
ty or forty of all kinds embracing delegates and act
ing personages from various parts of the country to
the number of several thousands. We are now in
the midst of this curious and anomalous assem-
bage, where all opinions free to be expressed in
this free metropolis, without any let or hindrance,
either from law or public opinion.
In the earlier stages of these annual anniversary
meetings, Christian morals and religion formed the
stated topics of discussion and elaboration; of
late years, however, these things have been diver
sled and augmented by the addition of all sorts of
the most ultra opinions in morals, religion, and
philosophy. Formerly, Methodism, or Presbyte-
rlanism, or Evangelism, or some other equally So
Der and sedate "ism," formed the prominent and
almost the exclusive topics of anniversary celebra-
ton and discussion. But now we have socialism,
Fourierism, abotionsm, infdelity, immortality,
races together-and of all the most ultra opinions
In morals, religion, and politics. 1t would hardly be
possible to enumerate the different shades of
tinents or opinions represented in all this mass of
meetings. The reports published daily must be
perused, that they may be understood in all their
latitude and longitude-their depth of eloquence
and depth Of disgrace.
Let us take an example. Yesterday there was
celebration given, in the shape of public break
fast, at the Coliseum, at which all colors and all
shades of colors met together the common
ground of liberty, equality, and fraternity. There
was to be seen the black and the white, the yell
low and the mixed, blended together in one social
mass of loving equality. In one corner of the
room the highly respectable African leader, H. H.
Garne, as black as the ace of spades, and as igno-
rant an aboriginal native of Congo, and with
pair of whiskers big enough for six ordinary ne
groes, was to be seen sitting cheek-by.jowl with
distinguished and original philosophers, such as
Horace Greeley, Mr. Tappan, and others-persons
claiming to belong to the white race, and to be
lineal descendants of the Anglo-Saxons, without
single in their blood or breeches There they
were to be seen, eating and drinking, talking and
laughing, rollocking and enjoying themselves at
the same board, on the same footing of equality
men and women-black, white, mixed, yellow, and
all sorts-expecting the "good time that is COM
ing" Oh oh
In matters of religion, these anniversaries also
deserve attention In addition to the represent
tatives of Presbyterian Christianity or of Metho-
dist, Christianity, or others, there are meet
tings, some of which purely philosophical; but
OF late, number of associationists have made
their appearance, who possess different charac-
ter, and give forth the most ultra opinions upon
politics, religion, and government. A distinguish
ed philosopher and wealthy individual, from Bos-
ton-the Hon. Wendell Phillips-is here to be SEEN
attended on side by fair lady, Mrs. Lucreta
Mott on the other side by runaway negro slave.
from some Southern State, Frederick Douglas.
This Boston philosopher declares himself TO be op
posed to the Christian church, opposed to the con-
stltutlon, and willing to walk over the ruins, both
OF Church and State that he may establish the free
dom OF the Southern slaves on secure and perma-
nent basis OF liberty equality, and fraternity On the
other hand the Fourierltes, assocationists and
socialists, while they all accept these sentiments
as necessary part of their creed, yet advance
step further, and want to come at once to the de-
strucon of all individual property, all prevailing
opinions and religions, all personal and social dis
tinctions, and to substitute, instead of the present
state OF society, their own extravagant and indef-
nabe views of promiscuous mixture of all persons
and things together, which they also call by the
names of liberty, equality and fraternity.
Such are some of the characteristics of these ex-
traordinary meetings, called anniversaries, which
are held annually in the month of May, in this me-
tropois--this Babylon Of all opinions and Babel of
all Commissions. In this respect, New York is great
er than Paris. In the French metropolis it would
not be possible to entertain the ultra opinions up
on all things and all subjects, without raising some
conmotlon or producing some collision But
here in New York, all these various enthusiasts of
both sexes and of every variety of color-from the
African negro black as night, to the rcd-haircd
Saxon, red fre-arc all equally let alone. freely
to indulge in the utmost latitude of their different
opinions Thisliberality, however, extends no fur
,her There lisa practical good sense and irmness of
purpose in the American people and among the cit-
Gems OF New York, which magnanimousy permits
every species of luxurance here hut they cannot pro-
coed TO carry their opinions into execution against
the constitution and laws of society. The different
cig.cs of enthusiasts come here annually as it
were to a Lunatic Asylum or Maison de Santt,
where they luxurate for time, and expcl some of
the gas from their system, and gohome again much
relieved, and able to live quietly and comfortably till
the next May day returns. In the midst of these
scenes folly, insanity, cloquence, wit, nspdity,
and Stiffness, which given out during this as
semblage, the great mass Of the community quietly
go on in the exercise of their daily labor, under the
guidance of good laws and good principles, both in
religion and morals