The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-19
From the London Times. October 81.

The AMERICAN Press AND JENNY LIND.-lt is
the peculiar boast of the modern republic that the
public opinion of her free and enlightened citizens
reigns with undisputed and absolute sway. Es-
| chewing the enormous faith Of many made for one,
she has adopted for herself the creed that the few
are made for the many. On every subject, in
every township throughout the States, the opin-
ion of the majority is final, conclusive, and indis-
putable. The majority are everythlng-the mi
nority nothing. Nor is this supremacy Of the
many confined to those subjects which may legit-
lmately be termed matters Of opinion. There is
no right, however sacred, no privilege, however
unquestohable, which an individual may not, at
any time, in this freest Of all the nations of the
earth, be called upon to sacrifice at the summons
| Of public opinion. If it shall please the majority
to decree that particular landlord shall no longer
receive rent his right is eXtnguished ettectually
as by the most lorna! release if it shall please
the majority to make foot path across citizens
lawn, the road is ipse aco dedicated to the use of
the public. If the majority be of opinion that it
is expedient that particular citizen should cease
to exist, he perishes in the face of day, with all
the formality of legal execution.
1t becomes people who in the habit Of in
vesting their convictions when once formed, with
such practical and serious consequences, to be
proportionaely careful and deliberate in arriving
at those convictions =; and as their opinions have
the force of sentences, their minds should have
the impartiality of judges.
Any one impressed with these reflections must
q
which have from time to time appeared in this
journal OF the Lindomania in New York. 1t is
humiating to a nation, which boasts that it leads
the van of human improvement, so little capable
of approaching the relative dignity and merit of
different talents and employmentsa as to bow down
in PROSTATE alteration at the feet of woman,
who, after ALL is merely first rate vocalist. Sgd
! ney Smith reminds the Pennsylvanlans that there
are some things worth living for besides gin sling
and sherry cobbler and we should have thought,
but for our experience to the contrary, that IT
were needless to have informed the countrymen of
| Franklin Washington, and Charming, that there
are things more worthy the admiration of great
people than the power OF producing sweet sounds.
But what is stranger still than this moral obliquity
is, that the possession Of this much priced faculty
| by Jenny Lind was entirely taken for granted by
this acute and calculating people, who were so
| enraptured by her musical powers before they had
heard single note of her voice that we verify be-
lieve it, at her first concert, she had croaked like
raven howled like hyena, public opinion
would have pronounced her performance little
superior to the music Of the spheres. We were
totally unable to account for the paIpable surren
der Of all pretensions to common sense on the part
Of the American public, till we fell in with art
Gle in the .NsU York Herald in which that journal,
justly solicuous for the dignity Of its calling, vim
dicates theiA merican press from the charge of
| having excited the American public to outrage
pitch Of folly and sell -abasement. 1t appears
from the article of our able contemporary, which
beers on its face the stamp of TRUTH that Mr.. Bar
nuEa, the great Snowman Of the age-the exhibitor
! Of the living skeleton, General Tom Thumb, the
| wuolly horse, and the nurse of General Washing
ton-kad struck out, for the express benefit Of
Jenny Lind and himself, new idea, which the
backing Of Warren and the wastcoas Of Moses
have never inspired their poets withal. He in
vented what must call, for want OF better
months before JENNY Lind s arrival number of
provocative agents, as the French call them, in his
pay, whose business to 60 get up fitrore' for
Jenny Lind. The fitrore once excited, was chroni-
cled by the newspapers, and thus Infinitely multi
| piled, as heat and light are increased by being re-
! fected. The whole susceptibility OF the country
! was soon in a blaze, and long before Jenny Lind
| had placed her foot on the American continent,
public opinion had pronounced in her favor, and
she was peerless.
Not to be wanting to his good fortune, Mr. Bar
mum employed his police in the congeniai occupa-
ton Of putting the ticket auction, ill., at the mis-
called town of Providence, S625 were actually OBJ
tanned for seat, and sold for valuable considera-
| ton the honor of entertaining the Swedish night
ingale to an enterprising inn-keeper. These are
facts, but we cannot help suspecting that the fight
about the peach stone, and the two shilling kisses
Of the IL side Of the glove, little interludes got
up by the Barnum police, to keep the ftrore alive.
1t is impossible to avoid the conclusion that Jenny
Lind was received with this enthusiastic worship
| from the American public, not for her great and
| acknowledged merit, but because IN an evil hour
she had consented TO lease out her fine talents to
selfish and intriguing charlatan, whose paltry and
miserable arts easily obtained for her that homage
which might have possibly to Judge from Ma.
cready's Case, been withheld from their most brill
liant exercise All, and more than all, the suc-
cess she could hope to obtain, was gained for her
before she had done anything to prevent it, by the
action Of the Barnum police on public opinion
The inference is sad one. That which can be
done by private adventurer, may with more ease
be accomplished by the leader Of faction The
same arts which make singers popularity, NAV
create the political capital OF president or ere
reason and experience, may be applied to maa
sures well as to music. 1t is much to be feared
that the same reckless system of exaggeraton. the
same intense vulgarity of means and litteness of
ends, is to be found in the Senate as in the Or
chestra. Who cannot see, in the angry and in
fated tone of American political controversy, and
its constant stranng after dramatcal effect the ca.
reer Of men to whom the most important mea sures,
the most sacred interests, and the most stirring an
peals are matters of the same indifference as the
comfort and quiet Of Jenny Lind to Mr.. Barnum.
| when compared to the acquisition Of a single cent;
SINGULAR VERIFIcATIoN OF DREAM.-Just
two weeks ago, last Saturday night, vougn
lady residing in Hanover street, in this city, re-
tired to bed at her usual hour, and in her usual
cheerful, happy frame Of mind. After having
fallen asleep, she had frightf,l dream or vision.
She dreamed that her brother, who was in the
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