New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-01-27
CITY ITEMS.

CITY ITEMS.
CuRIsTMAs. THE Protestant Episc0-
| psian," who INDUCES in rather Incorporate let
ter on our paragraph concerning Christmas fesnvi-
ties is informed that we asserted only that the pc
cuar observances of that great festival which pre-
vail in Great Britain and the United States were Of
| Gothic or Scandinavian orisin,-such as the yule'
leg plays, mummeries, maskIngs, Santa Claus, the
boaIs head fesst-and from that the general idea of
a sensual festiva-the lord Of misrule decorations
of houses with evergreens, and especially the mys-
teal misletoe, &c. &c We meant to say that the
general sentiment and conduct of the people now
adays coincide with the Pagan ceremonies gene
rally known as the Yule Feast. With regard to the
Christian observance Of the day, it is certain that
very different spirit did and should prevail. Gle
ment directed the early Christians to keep the
day of Christs birth, and it ordained that
church service should be celebrated and the angels
HYMN should be solemnly sung and all worshipers
were enjoined to eschew ngldly the spirit Of Pa
gsnism. How much the English observance &C
corded with this view OF the sacredness OF the day.
may be seen in the glowing accounts Of drunken
revelry given by old authors. Evelyn says In his
time the celebration even by the highest dgni.a
fies was an old but riotous custom having no re-
laton to virtue or policy" Furthermore, the mani
fest absurdty OF fixing upon the dead of winter as
the time OF the Saviors birth, when shepherds
watched their hocks by night, which must have been
in warmer weather, is another argument that
the custom was Of Pagan origin The only au-
thority for saying that the 25th December Is
the true time, is the command OF the Roman
poHtiff. whose iIfallibiity in matters OF physi-
cal fact we may be allowed, with Gallileo,
| the presumption to doubt. II our correspondent
| finds consolation in tracing the solemn Christian
observances of the Nativity, which Chrysostom calls
| the "most venerable, the mother and metropolis
of all festivals" 10 the ridiculous and licentious
folIies of Roman Saturnalia, he is welcome to his
taste That the entire spirit of the observance, IN
ell the North OF Europe and in the United States,
Enthusiastically indicates its original to have been the
great Yule Feast perfectly clear. 1.-THE Protes-
tant Episcopalian" desires to reform 1t, let BIN
abolish the popular fiction of Santa Claus annihase
roast turkey and plum pudding, and bring us back
to pulse and water, and going TO the stable at mid
night to see the oxen knee they are said to have
| done at the manger in Bethlehem. Until he does
this we fear he must silently at least agree with us
that the essence of the festival, developed by its
observance is essentially carnal and heather.
HELP FOR VESSELS AT SEA.-Ihe Secre-
tsry of the Navy has ordered the steamship Fulton
to go to the relief OF such vessels as may be of the
coast in need of help. The F went to sea on Sunday.
1t is supposed that not less than 10000 emsranss are
now storm bound near this port.
ALMOST A CALAMITY Sunday evening
about O'Clock over five hundred people collected
on The second and third floors of Chatham Hail. cor
ntr Of East Broadway and Cha!ham-square to listen
to temperance lecture which was TO have been de-
If he
evening had commenced the audience were greatly
alarmed by the giving way OF the second floor, which
Welded about eight inches to the immense pressure
uuDn IT, but IN cOnse Quence of the people retreang
10 the back part OF the room, Calamity when II Is
feared would have been attended vita great loss OF
lie had they not prudenty retired would have oe6n
the result AS soon practicable the congregation
descended 10 tie street and the meeting was con-
cuted On the Square without further interruption
Speecies were MADE by DR.. KiveDOurg, Mr.. Aioee,
| MIR Simeon Pnce, Smith, The razor strop man. and
| others.
Does not this fact indicate the necessity for
some stringent Law to assure the proper construction
OF ediiices for public purposes
FATAL AcCIDRYT-EFFEcTs OF lNrEMPe-
RANCE An inquest was yesterday held By Coroner
| Ives At Nc. l6g Avenue upon the body Of Thomas
CcnpeD. native OF Ireland. IS years OF age. who
dled on Sun6a afternoon The deceased lived In
the third story Of the premises and while intox-
| icsied on Friday afternoon, attempted 20 descend
4
very slippery he missed his footing and fed head fore
aost to the foot OF the st,iYs he was conveyed 10
nis room state of insenSioil.y and died on san
day afternoon The jury retered a verdict OF death
by cor Cusson and compression of the brain from
uaystaion of blood upon the base OF the brain. caused
py accidentally falling down the third story light OF
staiIs en- the evening OF the 23d inst. He leaves
| wife and three children.
! CHARGE OF FALSE PRETEssEs.--Daniel
W. Townsend, formerly President OF the Bowery
Bank was Saturday arrested at his place OF resi-
dence in Williamsburgh, by officer Wm. H. stephens,
! of the Lower Police Court, on warrant issued By
Justice Osborne grounded the afidsvi,s Of Cnes-
ter Drsgs Esq, merchant of this City, and Of Chas'
S. MatIhe and Abel Niles, also OF TINS City, VINO
| charge Dir. Townsend with having defrauced them
Of several thousand dollars by false representations
| From the sffdavits II these gentlemen, Low on NE
at the Lower Police Court II appears that In the iAi
Of 1919 NIT called upon them al their several p aces
oftusmess ano requested them to lake SHARES IN
company about to be then formed for the purpose
of manufacturing faucets, called the New YORK
| Croton and Stesm Faucet Manufacturing Co. ~ 'he
stock OF which he stated would be excellent, ana
TIE company anticipated paying DIVIDEND OF ~
| rer cent per anlum. Os these representations tne
| complalaants subscribed for stock; MI. MAY
| thews 20 the amount of $500, Mf. Drugs SovP'
and Mr. Niles 81, 900, Mr.. Townsend, 1t is also
| alesed, further represented thar II WAS 70 DC
an Ircorporated COMPANY ard further, thsS the III