The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-02

THE ART UNION DRAWING We receive constant
inquiries relative to the drawing of the Art Union
Associ ston, for the distribution of the paintings
and the closing up Of the last years business We
have infor nation on the subje,t, neither docs
the corporation itself furnish any positive or definite
intelligence which can throw any light on the
probable day Of drawing.
The postpoRement Of the proper day is undoubs
e6ly violation Of their pledges TO the public, and
violation Of their charter given by the Legisla
ture, and may be considered, in some sense, as a
circumstance similar in it's character to that of the
suspension Of specie payments by banking incorpo.
rstions. During the last year, under the promises
Of the Art Union Association, the public oil over
the country, purchase tickets the amount of over
twelve thousand, contributing to the funds of the
institution over sixty thousand dollars 1t becomes
therefore, very natural question, how after re-
ceiying such an immense cum, it was rendered
necessary to postpone, indsfnitey, the drawing, as
the several bulletins issued from the institution
have done, apd to give no intim alton as to
the probable day on which the distribution
may take place. On the face of it, there must have
been some strange Encouragement in the internal
affairs Of the association, to produce-afer receiving
over sixty thousand dollars-such catastrophe as
the whole Of the last year. No institution can ex-
pect to sustain It's character or retain its privileges
that trifies with the public mind in tho manner in
which this institution has done during the last
year. Ever since its commencement, we have
aided, assisted, pulled, and praised the manage.
mtnt and managers; and we believe the whole
press OF New York has performed the like gratui
tous service. We continued this system Of putting
and praise CT to the very day in which they first
issued their brlletin announcing the postponene
OF the ton, and the consequent violation of
their promises. From that moment, we took the
side Of the puhhs against the mismanage-
ment of the institution; and for our auda-
city in this matter we have been-under the
advice and sanction of the present District At
torney-gravely indicted for libel by the Grand Jury
of this city 1t is we'll known that there are nearly
thousand illegal grog-shops tolerated in New
York-several thousand houses Of improper charae-
ter, and gambling houses innumerable. Yet the
Grand Jury Of this city, with all the advice, and
intelligence, and public virtue which is possessed
by our District Attorney, never have lifted finger
in the work Of bringing these vioators of the laws
of the State, and of the principles of morality to
punishment. They have, however, done their
duty in their own way. They have indicted
single newspaper which dared call in question the
conduct of an impudent assooia alton that violated
their pledges to the public after receiving sixty
thousand dollars.
We call. therefore, on the present patrioticsand
vrtuous District Attorney to bring up his indict-
ment at once. We ask him or any other public
officer to 60 before any jury in this city, with such
an accusation against an independent journal, for
calling in question the conduct Of an association
which had so unwarrantably violated the terms of
its charter. In the meantime, We can assure all
inquirers that we have no means of knowing tho
day Of distribution, or whether any such day may
ever arrive for the drawing of the lottery undo
the patronage of the Art Union.