The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-03-27
From our New York Correspondent.

New YORK, March 49, 1852.
The Herald and the Arts UnionIhe Cuban expedition
Trial l-Greetey upon Fillmore and the Maine Laa0.-
Trade Sales, &c.
The principal topics of conversation and gossip in our
city present the between Bennett of the Herald
and the Arts Union the trial of OSuvan and others for
setting foot the Cuban expedition, and the Maine law
The first is altogether curious affair, and promises, in
its progress and result TO enghten the public in regard
mysteries which, for years past have given rise
to good deal of futile speculation but which have
yet been satisfactorily fathomed explained. The Arts
Union is an institution which was established several
years ago for the osensbe purpose OF assisting and
couragng native talent by providing to as great an
the OF the project would allow, regular
market for the sale OF works of acknowledged merit
Its beginnings small but in very short space of
time 10 Importance, and its annual receipts even
tuay sweled 10 the amount of nearly hundred thou
sand dollars The first thing that attracted public atten-
ton was the dsproporton between the Improvement
in the number and quality OF paintings for distribution
and the increase in the amount yearly subscribed to pro-
cure them The gallery, when the receipts upwards
of eighty thousand dollars, did not actually contain so
many really valuable pictures as when they only
one fourth OF that Works OF very inferior char
acler accepted, while others OF the very highest
order OF art declined by the managers The prices
paid unknown, but those a xed TO of the daubs
allotted prizes were well known TO be preposter-
ously exlavagant All these things created suspicion
and discomfort But when the International Arts. Union
was started under the auspices OF Goup vibert, the
contrast between few really good pictures exhibited by
those gentlemen and the Of trash hung upon the
walls OF the Ars-Unon was too garng, too papabe, 10
be overlooked unie The patrons OF the latter nsi
tuition became dsgusei-the subscription list begun to
fall off When the 2lsl of December-the day fixed for
the distribution last year-arved, il found that the
receipts, instead Of amounting the managers expected
to slOo 00 scarcely exceeded half that amount and the
drawing was consequently indefinitely postponed This
led 10 closer examination OF the value OF the pictures
the wall and some attempts to investigate into the dspo
sition that had been made OF the enormous (haf
million or more) which had been drawn from the public
during the comparatively brief existence of the assoca
ton. The conclusion arrived at by most observers and
inquirers was that, notwithstanding the great dimnuton
OF the receipts for the last year, the pictures purchased
and exhibited for allotment would be dear at third
quarter of the amount subscribed-say S60,000-and
that aside from the value of the real estate belonging
the association and all necessary expenditures there would
remain be accounted for after allowing all they were
worth for the whole of the pictures distributed from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand dollars Into
these examinations and dispositions the press very gen
orally en,eredsome taking one sde and some the other
but the Herald led the attack upon the institution with
great power and commented upon the denquencies OF its
managers with unparng severity These latter, by way
of retaliation caused Bennett to be indicted for libel
but were speedily thrown out OF court the representa-
tyes OF an association got up for unlawful purposes, and
incompetent TO apply for legal redress Not satisfied
with that success over his assailans the editor OF the
Herald purchased a ticket, and, becoming member
of the Union "pro hde vice, applied for an injunction
against the managers restrain them from distributing
the property OF the institution by lottery, and TO bring
them 10 account generally This case is now on, before
Judge Duer OF the superior court, and he hst taient az
the bar employed either side. The result IS some
what uncertain But, in any event, the community wiil
be indebted to the Herald for the investigation OF mat
ter which has been the OF very great and general
dissatisfaction.
TIE O'Suvan trial has been on in the district court
for more than fortnight and bids fair equal in length
the Forrest divorce case Within the last few days II
has assumed a interesting aspect, in consequence
of the revelations made by some OF the Hungarian
and German officers engaged in the expedition. Their
stories tally very well with each other, and undoubtedly
give perfectly accurate account OF tho way in which
matters were managed by the arch consprator to push
forward these poor and desperate but gallant men into the
lions mouth, while he kept himself ont OF reach OF both
angs and claws Their poverty and destituton are graph
caly described. Their citation OF spirits when probered
an opportunity OF striking another blow in freedoms
cause the mystery with which these communications
were transmitted through different agents. Their march
ings and couner-marohings; their anxiety TO embark
the constant succession OF delays and INVESTIGATIONS in
terposea; the extremities which they reduced
their earnest applications for recfor means to keep
them alive the egoris made 70 avoid the responsibility
Of suppor,ng ,hem and at the time 10 retain them
in the service the denouement the discovery the ap