Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-12-27
DAILY EVENING STAR.
CITY BTEMs.

Christmas veck, has, from time imr;emonal, been
p scene of festive holiday, and our foretathers
even moe exact in It's Observance than their pos
rsritr. The custom of its Observance was brought
over IN this section Of the country h. the early coen
from England who b. ing in general descendants
from the Cavaliers, thought part Of their politics.
well a religion, To observe Christmas as lime
ofEstiviiy while Tie descendants Of the PuranS OF
New England through similar feefng--a mixture
of religion and pOtcs-neg'CctSd the observance of
Christmas, and devoted their attention tn the New
Wear. Whichever may he the preferable day 10 keep
shall not discuss, IL is enough hat il is a time
honorrd custom, aud while the name of Washington
Irving exists, his description Christmas, kept in
the old couotry, will be fresh in our memory.
THIS year, Christmas was Introduced by a iremen
dou~ gale of wind, Friday night, which did some
damage, already noticed in Saturday, Sfar; hu,
which was scryicahe in making the ground firm for
the folks during the Christmas HOLIDAYS. The
weather, since then, has been Of the most favorable
description, aud The store Keepers must have made
fich harvest, for we seldom remember 10 have seen
20 large nanber OF loungcrS and purchasers along
the Avenue. as during Saturday last
The PROPER custom of observing Christmas day,
by keeping closed stores. pretty generally OBJ
served yesterday, and although that circumstance
prevented store keepers from business on Monday
we have doubt twill he amply repaid. by larger
sale during the remainder Of the week. This. rs a
matter of course must follow; the only difference
being that rho purchases instead of beiEg extended
over six days, will be effected IN five. Whenever
store keepers are unanimous in any such steps, il Is
always To their advantage. II il only when closing
l. not general. that i'll feeling is generated among
them as class. rs observed before. the closing %
stores yesterday, universal least far as our
knowledge extends, ;or did not notice any open
along the Avenue. If there any So the owners
merit reprobai'A, for attempting 10 obtain uudue
advantage over their fellow trarcSmen.
In addition In the religious observance of the ho,i
day, there was, however, a large class who COM
mcmorated the day by 'deep pOtaons so that rvcr
.ince Saturday, the Maine Law men have been in
very icrSc, or smrH, whichever you will, minority
il Was Ro uncommon sight, yesterday To see gentle
men walking along, i'll what Sam slick would call
very slandicular direction sometimes miStak 9th,
lamp post for walking cane, or betaking them
selves TO the gutter, for what Paddy calls :. DIR,
lodgings" ''When the liquor is in the wit is out,
Is an old pTOySTh, and il was cxempIifed YESTERDAY
10 greater extent than have known it for som,
tured On Sunday Eight, very unproftabIy for may OF
thelr listeners were " right merry with the wassa
bowl" on the Monday following. The coIored pnpr,-
ation of our city, were exception to the remark
Indeed, II appeared 10 be a complete saturnalia with
Them, and negroes during the night, were haiIoin.
and yelping about the streets like wild Indians Or
Saturday night, mob of these latter consisting o
about thirty or forty negroes assembled ON the plank
road. about four miles out, leading from eth street
where they kicked up regular dust baIlone and
yelling like mad. This sort of Christmas keeping
however agreeable TO the parties themselves was moi
particularly to those resident in the neigborhood
and IN consequence, the of Mr. Fitnam residing
in the vicinity of this nuisance went out 10 expostu
tate with the ' niggers." The elder a Young man.
about twenty one years of age, proceeded up alone
10 tbC colorrd asscnibdre while his brother a youth
OF about fourteen years old, remained little behind |
The elder brother having approached The mob h,
bryan To eNpostuate with them, AT the rosc tina,
they were making, when they Immediately turned |
upon HIM, and having knocked him down, treated
hun in the most brutal manner possible kicking and
beating HIM, so that his shoulder d,iocated and
other bodily injuries received How far their brtI
iahty might have extended. it would he impossible
To say Fortunately, the younger brother, who was
some way back, had gun with him. and secin. h |
brothers danger, he put charge of shot into th,
gun, and fired it among the mob. Th- acted like |
magic, the negro heroes boted of nstanter and have
not since been heard oil some of them however
who acted :" brutality towards Mr. Fitnam are |
known by namc, and will possibly be made 10 <uffe
for their brutal behavior. On Monday ni.h there
was the same yelling and scrcacEing about the |
streets 20 tina, II was quite unpleasant for rnid
person 70 walk along them. After all, we think that
tins Christmas Keeping, nniess kept within the
bounds q: moderation, j. . more honored IN In, |
brench Than In the Observance thereof" The Sun |
Day, which was the proper Christmas day, was oh
served As religious festival in all c,lT churches and
some excellent di-courseS were delivered on the oc
ca>Ion, one Of which, hy the Rev. Mr. Sunderland.
VIII be found noticed in another paragraph