The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-01

they predict modification in the conditions
of our being" they merely allude to the being
Of believers and no one will be inclined q
deny that spirituaiism has already effected ;
very remarkable modification in their menta
existence-so thorough, in many instances, tina
bigotted ply sicians have pronounced it insanity
"The faith and philosophy Of the age" hav,
survived Mesmerism, Robespierreism Transcen
dentalism, Socialism, Millerism, Shakerism
and myriad Of other isms, each Of which wal
ushered into existence as the necessary precur
sor of their final extinction or modification
With respect to the government Of the world
with all due respect to the spiritualists, it il
going on as well as can be expected. In ont
being taught to the Asiatcs in easy lessons o
one battle per week. In another, reactionary
despots are precipitating the crisis which must
overwhelm them. In third, reactionary
governments are conspiring their own ruin
and wilfully raising up powerful opposition
to their course. Now, if our friends the spi
ritualists can change the government Of the
world, suppose they begin in one Of these odd
corners and give US sample of their powers
Can they induce the Gar to recross the Pruth
Can they procure for us the navigation Of the
Yang-tse-Keang Can they persuade Presi-
dent Pierce that Marcy is running him, and land
him once more on a sound national platform
Ii they can do these things, we shall endorse
their memorial and see that Congress does it
justice.
In the meantime we fear that the railroad
companies and contractors have got the start of
them. Congress is terribly conservative
body, and is apt to look at things as they are,
and not as they ought to be. Thus it will view
the spiritualists as two classes-the one COM
posed of enthusiastic imaginative men, who,
when they run foul Of an unexplained physical
phenomenon. straightway call in the aid of
deity, a devil, or ghost; the other made up of
half educated simpletons, silly young men, and
stupid people, who are always ready to swallow
the last popular absurdity and atone for their
want ofreasoniDg by the intensity of their faith.
Both these classes have existed since the begin
ming of society Sometimes numerous, sometimes
few in NUMBER they have served their purpose
in the economy of the world they have amused
their fellows, and illustrated the fallibility of
man. The slave who ran by the side of the
Roman general at triumphal professions, whis-
pering in his ear Remember that thou art
but man p filed useful Office Congress
will be apt to regard the spiritual memorialists
as his dire ct successor.
The Common Council Proceedings-The
Broadway Railroad Scheme Annuiled.
Our city corporation reached last night the
term Of its official existence. The last hours
of that existence possessed an exciting interest
for our citizens. It was known that the Broad
way Railroad scheme, in some one Of its Protean
phases, was to be attempted to be carried
through, despite Of all opposition, and in utter
disregard alike Of popular sentiment and
Of personal disgrace. 1t seemed to be an under
stood thing that the City Fathers had pledged
themselves to consummate that Ubiquitous
scheme and it was even patent and undis-
guised fact that the company to whom the priv
ilege Of constructing railroad in Broadway
was to be thus given, had in readiness force of
several thousand laborers, who were, immedi-
ately on the grant being made, to have COM
menced operations on the pavement with crow
and pickaxe. 1t was not to be wondered at
then that intense interest was manifested
throughout the whole Of yesterday as to the
ter. The public anxiety is now relieved. Broad
way is secure for the present, at all events,
against any railroad Dissertation and the Al
dermen and Assistant Aldermen who attained
for themselves an unenviable notoriety are at
liberty to retire to private life.
The ordinance comforting the privilege of
building railroad in Broadway on the asso-
citation of capitalists designated the "Manhat-
tan Railroad Company" having been, very
properly, vetoed by the Mayor, it was appre-
hended that it would be reacted on by both
boards, and would become law by virtue Of a
two-thirds vote. The Common Council was un-
derstood to have resolved on that course.
1t was said they were under pow.
erful obligation to do so. But the op-
ponents Of the measure were prepared for
even that final exercise of authority, and
had procured q rule Of injunction out of the
Superior Court to restrain them. The Board of
Assistant Aldermen, however, on Friday eve
ming gave birth to new project, by which it
was thought they would evade all the objec-
tions Of the Mayor That is, they passed an
ordinance authorizing the construction of
railroad in Broadway under certain terms
the privilege thereof for ten years to be set
up and sold by auction on the goth of February
This ordinance came up for consideration yes
terday before the Board of Aldermen. They
referred it, in their morning session, to the
Committee on Streets, and adjourned till
five o'clock, P. NJ, to give that COM
mittee time to report. This report pre-
sented at the evening session, was unhvora-
BILE to the ordinance, on the ground that the cor
poration had no right to dispose Of fran
chise, and recommended inconvenience. The
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