The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-11-17
The American Press and Jenny Lind.


that the public opinion Of her free and enlightened
citizens reigns with undsputed aud absolute sway.
EschewIng 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 opinion
OF the majority Is fn5l, conclusive. and indisput-
able. The majority are everythlng-the minority
nothing Nor rs this supremacy OF the many con-
lined TO those sub ects which may legitimatey be
termed matters Of opinion There is no ri1ht,
however sacred, no privilege however unquestien-
able, which an individual may not, at any time, in
this ffeest Of all the nations of the EARTH be died
upon 10 sacrifice AT the summons Of public opinion.
IL u thall please the jority TO decree that par
ucolar landlord shall no longer receive rent, his
right Is exlingushed efiectually as by the most
formal release VI II shall please the majority TO
mako fOOtpat IN across citizens lawn, the road Is
tps0 tgcfO dedicated 20 the of the public. II the
majority be- Of opinion that II is expedient that a
particular citizen should cease 10 exist, he perishes
m the face Of day, with all the formality OF legal
execution.
Il becomes people who are in the habit of in
vesting their convictrns, when once formed, with
such PRACTICAL and serious consequences, TO be pro-
portiOngtely careful ana deliberate in arriving at
thOse convictions; and as their opinions have the
force OF sentences, their minds should have the
impaTtiaiiy OF Judges.
Any one impressed with these reflections must
have rerused with painful interest the accounts
which have from time TO time appeared in this
journal OF the Lindomania in New York. IL ~
Illuminating To nation, which boasts that u leads
the van OF human improve ment, so little capable OF
approaching the relative dignity and mert of differ
ent talents ana employments as 10 bow down in
PROSTATE adOrairn az the feet Of woman, who,
after ALL Is merely fret reie vocalist. sydney
Smith reminds the Pennsy lvauians that there are
some things worth living foe besides gin sling and
sherry cobbler; and we should have thought, but
Tor our experience TO the contrary, that II were
needless to have Informed the counirymen OF
Franklin, Washington, and Charming, that there
are things more worthy the admiration Of a great
people than the power Of producing sweet sounds.
sfit thap Pal NH
IL, that the possession Of this much. priEed faculty
by Jenny Lind was entirely taken Tor granted by
this acute and calculating people. who were so
enTaptured by her musical powers before they had
heard single note OF her voice that we verify be-
Iieye II, at her flrst concert, she had croaked like
raven or howled like a hyWaa, public opinion
would have pronounced her performance a little
superior 10 the music OF the spheres. We were
totally unable TO account for This papable surrender
81 ell ITetensions 10 common sense on the part VI
the American public, ill we fell in with an article
in the Noo York Herald, in which that journal,
justly socitous for the dignity of its calling. ynd
Gates the American press from the charge OF having
excited the American public TO so outrageous
pitch Of folly and selfsbasement. IL Appears from
the article Of our able contemporary, which bears
On lie face The stamp OF truth, that Mr. Barnum,
the great Snowman Of the Bge-the exhibitor ct The
living skeleton, General Tom Thumb. the woody
morse. and the nurse OF General Washington--had
struck cut, for TIE express benefit OF Jenny Liad
and himself, new idea, which the backing of
warren and the wastcoats ~ Moses have never
inspired Their poets withal He invented what we
must want ola better nsue, he police ~ puff
iefY: tie bsd actually, for months before Ierny
Iind's arrval, "A nemher OF provocs as the
French cellthem, IN bis pay, whose business was 10
s'getup ftrcye' for Jenny Lind This fsvors once
ercueo,Was cnr0nlcieO by the ne wspaper- and thus
iafnitely multiplied, az heat end light are increased
nv being reflected The whole susceptlppity IL
the country was coon in y hlaze, aud long before
Jenny Lind he'd placed boz zoo, m the Anr rican
cVDHsr' plthe eILAes ~ sivl.---.eo - a.