Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-12-27
BALTIMORE CORRESPONDENCE.
BALTIMORE, Dec. 20, 1854.

BALTIMORE, DeC. 20, 1Oof.
Chri,ts.ss - The Nsw Year-A Debtors
Soliioquy-IHe Council and tie Manor
Brantz Mayer-Pnblic Works-Veathfr-
Business, 9c.
Christmas has come and gone. Its joys and
sorrows are buried with the past, and live only
in remembrance.
The new year is close at hand, bringing
in its train the memory of hours, days. weeks,
months, and years which have rolled into the
unseen abyss, and piles them mountain high
to mental vision. 1t concentrates life past
into one incomprehea sible present. It makes
man think of his own nothingness ard serves
to teach him wholesome lessons. 1t is sea-
son for good resolves-a starting point-a
foundation, if you please, wherein erring hu-
mainly can, if it will, rear a beautiful struc
ture.
The custom of celebrating New Years Day,
has too long been neglected in this city. It
has usually been day of business-One ab-
sorbing mems minds with the rougher things
of life. Here, in Baltimore, tho very uncivil
custom prevails Of dunning and presenting
bills. Every street, lane and alley, swarms,
on that occasion, with collectors and others,
hands, pockets, hats, &C., filled with bills,
which are unceremoniously thrust under the
noses of unfortunate debtors, thus reminding
them of their enslavsment to merciless credi-
tors, interrupting the chain of moral reflection
so necessary to the commencement of new
year. Some repentant sinner may be musing
to himself after this fasion: "Well, this is
the beginning of new year God, in his in
finite goodness has spared me through the past.
He has overlooked my manifold transgressions.
When 1 erred, He forgave-when deserved
condemnation, He was of long suffering and
slow to anger. Danger, unseen to me, was
averted by His potent arm Oh how ungrate-
full have been, in not approaching these be-
nevolent manifestations Of His superlative
kindness and infinite mercy. will, if He
spares my life. henceforward resolve to do
better-tO mark out and practice q moro ap-
provingSourse. The intoxicating draft shall
no more pass these lips. The name of Him
who created the universe shall no more be
taken in vain. The rocks and quicksands in
life's turbulent voyage, shall be avoided. I
will learn from the past, lessons for the future.
Life's follies and thousand transitory pleas.
ures are but bauble, like the meteor's fash,
COR like the snow drop in the river,
A moment white, then gone for ever" -
At this particular juncture of our soliloss
GUSTS reverie he is interrupted by q knock at
the door. A grim, stern visage enters, present.
Ing DILL, accompanied Dy sOrI OF nervous,
equivocal interrogatory, When can you pay
this? Shall I call tomorrow, or next week?
I am instructed to say it must be adjusted
soon, or it will be placed in the hands of an
officer" A cold chill runs through every pore
of our moralizing soliloquist. Hard times
stare him in the face, and he not only breaks
the chain of thought on moral philosophy
which had previously bound him, but he for
gets the good resolves and falls back into cold
misanthropy. Why not, then, let the first day
in every year be free from such annoyances
I am glad to learn that very many Of our
citizens have determined to suspend business
during the coming anniversary, and appro.
pirate the time to the wholesome, agreeable
custom of visiting, renewing acquaintances,
adjusting old animosities, cementing friend.
ships, DO. This is as it should be. The ladies
are especi ally in its favor, and what they
commend must be right, virtuous and good.
One day of sociability, set apart for such pur-
pose, and really enjoyed, is worth whole
year of existence amid the care, turmoil, and
rude chafngs of business.
Our City Council has finally settled the vex-
ed question, or difficulty between the mem
bers and the executive, in which an attempt
was made to take the appointing power away
from him. by resembling some former resolu-
tiens to that effect. It cannot be denied that
there are some "Know Nothines" in the
Council-men who are justly entitled to the
appellatiop-men whose calibre of intellect