The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-17
The Curiosities or Jenny Lind's Reception
In Am ertc9.

Ihe reading OF the paper was followed by con-
siderable applause.
The Curissities OF Jenny Lind's Reception
In America.
From the London Times, Dec. IA.
The Americans have begun TO moralize upon
their own sensibilitles. After receiving popular
songstress with depth of enthusiasm hitherto con-
sidered peculiar either TO loyalty or Devotion, they
have turned 10 Analysing their sentiments by the
aid of European commentaries, and have pronounce
ed deliberate judgment on the late display Ihey
presented Jenny Lind with sOl poetcai welcomes
Zone of which she was expected to stag hersst)' a
monster bouquet Of perfumed flowers, carried by 10
ysung ladies, and very substantial specimen OF
what they term the " almighty dollar" what
they dad besides respect OF Populations and ad-
dresses we need hardly repeat; but It now becomes
our duty TO state that by way either of correcting
their idoatry vary ing their entertainments they
have "had her up" before polce court. "Ihe
Nightingale" has been literally 'iynched that
IS 10 say, she has been tried and examined oy
Judge OF that dentic name, though the reports Of
the transaction are present 80 imperfect that It
is hard 10 say whether the suit represented any
bona fde issue, or whether the whole thing was
speculation on the part OF the plaintiffs for getting
a gIatuitous exhibition out OF "Bdrnums singing
bird" We suspect the most correct version OF the
story will be suggested by the LATER hypothesis.
II seems that two OF the subordinate vOcalist5
engaged for the concerts conceived themselves de-
frauded of their proper salaries, whersupon they
commenced an action not only against Baraum,out
against Jenny Lind, as his commercial partner, and
it was necessary, therefore, to serve that young
LADY, with subpoena. We sincerely trust that
many of our readers may he SO wholly lnexpe-
renced in the forms of litigation, as 10 learn now,
for the first time, that the service OF these legal do
cuments consists in exhibiting the original missiye
of the court, and rendering true copy thereof to
the indivi iual unfortunately concerned The Anne.
icans have not yet quite cast OH these chlcanerie5
Of traditional routine though they are in fair way
of doing so, and the proce edngs consequently re-
CURED that the Nightingale should be bodily en-
closed the subpoena in letter, addressed, IN a
feigned hand 10 Miss Jenny Lind, and delivered IT
to her al her carriage window, as professional
communication from Mr.. Seguin. This done, he
completed the q" service by mounting behind the
vehicle as i. drove of, and displaying the original
document in IN. air As the average number OF
confidential epistles daily received by Jenny Lind
exceeds 800, there is nothing surprising In the fact
she should have neglected 10 open this particular
missiye. The objecf, however, was gained, for all
that was desired was her presence IN public hall
and, as she did not appear 70 the SUBPOENA she was
forthwith mpeached for contempt, and warrant
for her arrest was issued by Mr. Justice Lynch, at
the suit Of the aforesaid parties.
Ultimately, matters were so arranged, that both
the SUIT and the warrant set aside, on condi-
uon of Jsnny's appearing as witness on fixed
day, which she undertook 10 do. On this conces-
sion TO popular feeling, justice itself became in
stantly notified, and preparations were made for
the hearing in exactly the same style as for con-
cert. The case was removed from the common
hall 10 a more convenient chamber up stairs, but
Judge Cowles, on visiting the place beforehand,
obse rived that it was Every shabby" and that
Miss Lind "would entertain poor opinion OF
American courts from such specimen as that"
He proposed therefore, 10 change the venue either
to the town library, or the corporation tea.room,
but the aldermen declined TO accommodate the
public with either apartment, and the case, as a
local journal reports II, was becoming desperate,
when the Office of the Clerk Of the Peace was
placed the disposal of the authorities for the
casion. This was all that was desired Jenny
Lind hO 90 lQOkpd pplfafe1. and a elmOlp
dress, with an expression OF scorn," underwent an
examination long enough to give the assembled
multitude an idea of her voice; after which the
Judge came down 10 shake hands with her, and
she departed n the midst of enthusiastic crowd,
the case Of " Miner v. Loder" being left TO take
care Of itself.
We are rather surprised that the action was not
contrived as for breach Of promise, which would
have made the occasion far more interesring but IL
served It's turn and gave the popular excitement an
agreeable variety. Perhaps, indeed, Barnum
himse II was al the bottom OF II, for il begins TO
be more and more generally ackno wledged that
this eminently. gifted speculator is the entire
and exclusive founder Of Jenny Lind's trans
atlantic fame nor is there much doubt en-
tertained OF his competence 10 provide another no
yelty equally stimulating, when.this has passed
away. Barnum absolutely formed and tutored the
minds OF his counirymen 10 his own purposes; he
furnished them with all their ideas before
hand; he created the mania before even Its
object was visible, and he did this, economically
wlthsl, that he actually turned to profit what would
with ordinary mertals, have been the expenses Of
his speculation Instead OF advertising his pvotfgs
he made the newspapers pay him for intelligence
which he had taught the public 10 demand; he sold
10 en- hotelkeeper the privilege Of entertaining HIM
self and the lady; he received money from an up
holste-ereI for the right Of furnishing her apart
ments, and counted all services rendered 10 him as
advantages well worth the purchase OF any clever
tradesman. He knew, in fact, that notonety was
everything with his countrymen, and that there
was no advertising van in the universe equal to
Jenny Lind carriage.
II is painful to think of what this greatness must
come 10. We are touching on mysterious and
perhaps uDtathomable subject, but we believe
hing is known of the fate which awaited Mr..
Barnum's former prodigies Where is the woody
horse Where is Washington's nurse 7 Each
Of these objects created in its day sensation
Nightingale nay, as far as that goes, the lNer
l@k Huaid plainly confesses that " pasteboard or
Navarino bonnets had exactly the same re-
markable effect on the public mind" as that now
produced. Indeed, 1t is by induction from these
recorded facts that an able Amerc an journalist has
constructed that analysis Of the Lindonania - to
which we have referred. The writer in question,
who speaks with the experience OF an eye witness,
calmly argues that his countrymen are constitu-
tonally prone TO unity Of ideas" 90 They
cIrcumscribe," he says, the whole present 10
one class Of sensations" They can only take In
one thing at time, and they require the periodical
production Of an idol 10 revive their natural sens
biliiy. What this idol may be signifies very little
Jenny Lind's actual voice goes for nothing at all
IN fact, i is scknoT lodged, in the very words which
we emf loyed ourselves, that !" II she had croaked
like raven or howled like hyena, public opinion
would have pronounced her perform ince superior
to the music Of the spheres
We can only say to this that il must be very
fine thing 10 be an American idol, and II Is ex-
tremely unfortunate that our country man, Mr..
George Thompson, did not put hlmself into Bar.
nuns hands at iirst going out. With a due exer-
else Of that gentleman 8 ingenuity he might have
Teen reared, in some character or other, a sue
CeSsOrfo Jenny Lind instead Of being hunted bout
from town 10 town like a runaway negro
The Basis Of the Dresden Conferences.
The following Is literal translation Of this i'm
porant dooumeni-the basis Of the conference to
be held al Dresden:
For more than ten years, the necessity and the
wish Of a thorough reform Of the constitution OF
the German Diet have manifested themselves uni.
yefsslly in Germany. II has been generally &C.
knowltdged and painfully felt, by rue patriots,
that the administrative power Of the Diet, as con-