The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-12-21
[ooaarsposDrsor OF THE REPUBLIC

ing.-NeD Workers on Good Terms toih the South
Car0linians.
New YoRK, DEC. 10, 1850.
The appearance of large city at the approach
of winter is curious enough to warrant its being
made the subject of paragraph The anticipated
change of season s too marked not TO leave its inn
press every thing that be affected by wind and
weather. The aspect of all around tells of coming
SHOWS and impending frosts. Huge coal carts per.
ambulate the streets, and deposit their glistening
contents at stated intervals on the way. Trap
doors lie invitingiy open, and any one may try the
horrors of the Black Hole for himself Here and
there, cord of hickory, split in jack straw profu
sion the sidewalk, procaims the residence of
some revolutionary hero, whose notions of irewood
too conservative to submit to modern innova-
ton. The wind bloweth where it lsteth, and every
good housekeeper, out of retaliation, if nothing else
listeth where it bloweth AS you glance down
Wall street from Broadway, the bushel baskets of
parchsd corn look like premontory drifts Of snow.
The fact that they not, however, is proved by
their being sold at sixpence quart, and strongly
seasoned with salt. The telegraph posts. the
cold side of the Exchange, seem like many north
poles, with CONCEALED mud puddles for icebergs
Perhaps OF these north poles will tell yet
Of whereabouts Of Sir John Franklin and his har
dy crew. If poor men were only scholars, how they
might forget the inclemencies Of the in the
recollection of Hamlet's sophistry applied to log
cabins and mud walls:
'Imperious Cssar, dead and turned to clay,
Might stop hole to keep the wind away;
TIL immortal dust that kept the world in awe,
Might patch a rent to exPel the winters flaw"
So that all who are driven to substitute an old hat
for pane of glass, or To stop the chinks in their
shanties by handful Of moistened sand, can
sole themselves with the reflection that the mortal
coil'' of the great of the Republic may per-
chance do humble service at their cabin win
dows
The promenader in the streets of New York can
not fail to have noticed blind sailor who solicits
aims from the passers by from his seat the
steps of the custom house. His name, Henry
Franklin, is painted upon placard which hangs
from his neck, together with the words, 81 have
little family to support" Helost his sight at sea by
lightning, and has since been compelled To resort to
the streets for a livelihood He ia a favorite, how
ever; every body knows him, and no one doubts
his claim upon the public compassion. On thanks
giving day, arrayed in his quarter deck costume
and surmounted by fresh tarpaulin, he took
seat upon the steps of the hospital. This time he
wss accompanied by shaggy, curly pated, cold
nosed terrier, who seems only to turn out on les
tive occasions. semicircle of admiring urchins
collected around, having very much the APP
pearance of Partisan two SOUS theatre. passer-
by wishing probably to introduce some OF the spirit
of the day among the ragged group, gave lew
pennies to the cieanest faced of them, with re-
quest to pass them on to the sailor. The boy whis-
tied to the dog, and threw a cent into the air. The
animal watched it,, and caught II in it's descent.
The sailor, feeling up the dogs back, aud following
what he remembered were the physical PECULIAR
ties of terriers conformation, got as far as his
mouth, when he recovered the booty AMI transfer
red it to his pouch CHOW thank the gentleman,
Mizen- mast" Mizen mast did as he was bid, and
with short, sharp bark, proclaimed his canine
gratitude. moment after he caught small sill
coin between his teeth and when told TO thank
the donor, gave three banks instead Of one to tho
lnfinte amusement of his infant auditory. Mizen-
mast good hunter, and, as he was never
known to follow false scent, never accepts "A coun-
terfeit penny. eet-begging ia usually demoral-
izing in its effects, and the strong of the police
would be well employed in suppressing it; but the
mutual attachment of this sghtless sailor and his
mute companion, their joint exertons for the sup
port of friends home, their studied neatness and
their scrupulous attention thanks for aims
bestowe ed forms sort of road side lesson which he
who runs may read.
The annual distribution of the Art Union is an
nounccd to take place tomorrow evening at Trip
Ter Hall. 1t is generally understood that the sub
scription list s much smaller than that OF last year
This detection is ascribed by those interested to
the Swedish Nightingale. Vast numbers of five
Union, have this year been invested in tickets with
Barnurn's autograph instead of those bearing the
seal of the institution Another Tor the de-
cline of patronage is the growing discomfort at the
manner in which the funds are appropriated, aud
the almost unanimous opposition OF the artists
themselves. The feeling is general that the Art
Union has had it's day Though it has not accom-
pshed the object for which il was created, il has,
at least, opened the eyes Of the people TO the i'm
portance Of American shool Of art. Ii has
proved that there is a work to be done, though it
has not done the work itself. This ia great point
gained, as 10 know that thing must be done is
the next but to doing it, In the exhibition
of this year is truly American picture Ii is
by Durand, and illustrates passage from Bryanps
Thanatopss-American scenery described by an
American poet and presented on canvass by an
American artist II would be better to have fifty
works like this than ten thousand of the character
and scope of those which grace the walls Of the pre-
sent exposition. The Art Union can hardly exist
another year and if the subscription fails TO attain
the amount reported at last December distribution
its doom is sealed. The managers are exhausting
all the modes Of reaching the public purse-adver-
tisement, pudery, show bills Of Herculean proper.
tions and fancy colors. There lie resource left
untried except brass band, like that of the Ana.
tomical Museum, or poet, like him Of cold candy
celebrity
The returned Cafornans fast corrupting the
republican simplicity of our hired help. II is no
uncommon thing for a Sacramento millionaire to
bostow half eagle upon gentleman of dark OK
traction in guerdon for the polishing Of bis boots
This would be well enough, perhaps, if II did not
render said dark gentleman averse to backing my
boots, any other modest persons, for shilling
What would be the result Of this were ii to con-
tinue it is difficult to foresee; probably an over
or he IA nd
know good many poets and men of letters who
would be glad 10 enter the business at such rates Of
compensation
II you should any South Carolinians, assure
them of the continued good feelings Of the New
Workers. The sweet potatoes they send US con
tinue to have their old flavor, whence we infer that
disunion has not yet ombttered the root Of society
in the land Of pamcttoes. FRANCO.