Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-09-10
SOCIAL LlrEIN NEW yonK.
ny NEW YORK CORRESPONDENT OF THE MA
TIoNAL INTEL LIGENCER.

is the "almighiy dollar" wolshipped win
such an intensity OF devotion as in this great
city. /, is indeed the Alpha ard the Omega
of her citizens in the most extended sense
Wealth, wealth, veal h, is the cry and The
pursuit of every one, from the extreme OF
the Battery 10 tooth, 15oth and 2ooih street,
and from The extreme pon, Of the eastern
most pier on East river TO The western boun'
Diary of the most western pier on the Hud-
son, the pursui, is made by every one with
an eagerness which battles description. Wa
King or sleeping, walking, riding or yachting,
in the street or the house, a, the counter or
the desk, at weddings or funerals, dinners or
rou,s, money, money is the god OF their idol.
airy, before which they bow with more than
Eastern devotion Colonel Hamilton, of the
British army, III his Book Of Travels in this
country, published some years since, hi, of
this New York feeling very happily in de-
scribinC an evening party Of gentlemen to
which he had been invited, where his host
had something 10 say of the wealth Of every
guest to whom he in,rodused him, and final
Is, on the entrance OF IA new conner, the geu-
tleman Of the house begged the colonel 10 al
low him 10 presen, him Mr.. B, who chad
recently made one hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars in ,aIlow."
The general style of living and the heavy
expenditures in New York has no parallel
either in this country or in Europe. in the
same rank and class of society. 1t is, 10 be
sure, far exceed By lha immensely rich no.
bily of England, bot the BANKERS, merchants
aud traders Of England are very far exceeded
in THEN style of living aud personal expenses
by the corresponding classes of this city
There is also here an absurd rivalry on this
subject. The man with $50, 900 wishes to
live on footing with his neighbor who has
500, 900; this latter with another who has
accumulated $500 GOO and this latter again
millionaire of the fifth avenue. This dispos-
lion and he practice of it is exhibited in every
form By the men, in their town and country
houses, in their furniture, fas, horses, and The
quality and price of their wines; by the wo-
men in their bonnets dresses, laces, cash.
mere shawls, equipages, ball, and soirees
and the general desire Of show and parade
extends not ouly 10 their weddings, but even
/ to their funerals and the habilimeus Of
! woe"
| The rich men are, with some few excep-
| tious, the great men of New York; and
( though Hamilton or King, Webster or
an Everett, would be fully and properly ap.
PIeciated by very many in this city, still
large majority would regard with more de.
! ference, and treat with greater degree OF
respect and attention some noodle who had
a million of United States six per cent. stock
standing in his name.
There is also in New York general, and
| it may be called vulgar practice to esimie
or tell the COS, Of every thing. II you are
at bali or a soiree, il yon do not hear it at
The time, YOU are sure TO learn it in The gos-
sip of The next fory.eighi hours, that the ma
lural flowers displayed in the rooms or on
| the supper table cost so many hundred dol
lors, that Weller was paid such a sum for tee
SUPPER, that the hire Of the extra plate and
glass cost so much, and thai the band had ii
like amount tor lis services, and tha, the
whole entertainment involved an onIlay per-
haps Of two or three thousand dollars If il
is dinner party, you are sure 10 learn that
Weller or some other cookery mani char
ged fifteen dollars for each guest for his vi
ands, besides The ornaments and the dessert,
and that The Madeira wine was SIS, and the
sparkling Mosele Sc per bottle.
But it is on the occasion OF a wedding
among The supper tent tina, gossip feass and
reyels Eevery part an parcel Of the BRIDES
array has its cost announced TO the very dol
lar. Her lace veil cost $500, presented by
such a relative her diamond pin or sioma-
cher $1,000 presented by another relative ;
necklace $500, probably presented by the
gloom her dress Of such material cost $1,000,
with 50 many yards Of lace on it al $50 per
yard and altogether her entire costume aud
parure as she stood up at The ceremony cost
$4,000, or $4,000, or may be $4,000 then
she had one cashmere shawl which cost
$500, another s 1000, AMI such and such bri-
dal presents, presented by such and such
persons, that cost $1,000, $500, $500 $500
and 500, respectfully; The poor bride, it is
to be hoped, being all this lime ignorant Of
these discussions, and equally so how such
information got about.
Now like the people Of this place, who
are a generous, liberal sci, notwithstanding
all this and sincerely wish that every man
and mothers son of them would make
rsl5O, 900, by iallow" every year Of iheil
lives nor do mention their oddities with
the least unkind feeling, but only in the hope
that it may tend to reform them in this re-
spec,, and make them think and talk less
abou, money as The only good and desirable
thing in this world, as their continued recur
renee TO il is some time rather annoying.
can, at their splendid dinners, enjoy q
thigh Of wo odcock, OF a piece of Weller
delicious frcandieu, and their old Madeiri
or sparkling hook with more satisfaction thar
when am given TO understand by frlent
: or another guest, that my share of the eala
: bles cost our host SIS, and that he had pai'
}, Gov. Davis, of Coney Island, SIS for the Ma
: dsira and 81 for the hoek, particularly if
o had tucked under my vest pint OF the for