New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-23
MAYOR WOOD AND THE GAMBLERS.

accordingly, has acted with his accustomed de-
cisop, in ordering toe arrest Of Pat Hearn, who
lives at No. 5S7 Broadway, in the hoase next
north of John Jacob Astor's old residence, and
joe ph S. Hall, who lives at No. 537 Broadway,
next south Of toe house which was occupied by
the late John G. COsttr. II the ghosts of the
depsrt ever visit earthly haunts, how great
must be the sstonishment of the civic worthless
psmed above. to fad these social pest-houses put
down cheek by jowl with their Own homes: man
.ions in the most public street of the City. BY
every method of legitimate commercial enter
prise, these Inen succeeded in making large for
tunes which they left to ther descendants in the
full confidence that the com nunity would be able
| TO protect them in their use. And 80 il would,
90 far as any violent aggression Is concerned. II
any Of our gamblers should get up an Orgsniza-
tcn for high way. robbery in NewYerk, there can
| be no doubt that justice would very soon over
take item. But i. lie only your novice and bun
| Qler that takes nowadays to highway. robbery.
| That branch Of the business fsuri.hed 10 the
golden prime Of rOguery before society bsd al
tanned to competen. political organization; aud it
has fallen into comparative disue!ude since the
| policeman is regularly fouLd upon his measured
beat IL pays much too poorly at this time of
dsy to tempt or satisfy any aspirant in whom the
romsDce Of the profession sill liDgers. One
ctssary element of romance /, secusiOn and
what seclUsOn is possible when policeman is
liable every moment to compic.te the eater
tainmebt7
Subtle inventions have accordingly become the
vogue, and the adopts in that honorable profess
sioD, whose moxim is to appropriate as much as
one safely can of everything tina. everybody else
has earned, are no longer buIly aud revolving
wretches, whose every glance betrays their
quality. They are gentlemen in their address aud
manners. They are on speaking terms with null
titudes Of decoreus people. They drive costly
carriages. They rent handsome houe 10 some
conspicuous Ilsce, where no one would suspect
knaveIy to be habitually transacted; the, furnish
it in the most sumptuous manner; they entertain
oil the world upon al the Injuries of the earth;
they lavish every courteous art and assduous
vile to psmper the senses of a young or giddy
Dives; and finally, under the mack Of friendship
and cordial ollity, they get their hands into his
pocket, whence, with many well feigned pro-
crastinatiOn and relentiDg, with many coy,
reluctant, smorous delay" such as the cat
gives the mouse, they yet eventually sure to
wiring the very last farthing. Does society pro-
teci Its children from this sort of invssionl We
sb al see what sort of answer our Mayor makes
to this appeal.
Butwe cannot ioregO the present opportunisyOf
renewing our thanks TO that able aud intrepid
irrctiOhary for the service he has already done
and is now doing. The law was al ways as strin
gent before as now. The nOtoriety of these
houses was just as great. Police officers aud
police magistrates knew all about the business
just as fully as they 90 now, end if they managed
once year to make descent upon some Sunday
gamblers in some Dutch dance house ia some OBJ
icure street, they considered themselves dis
charged from any further public obligation. Bus
Mayer Wood pitches the tune somewhat higher.
He deals with the processes Of the old official
routine as vigorous housemaid deals with the
cobwebs which defsce her ceilings. He sweeps
them out of sight He certainly stands for more
public vrtue-the virtue msn want 10 Mayors
than any six of his predec:uors put together,
and men feel tie same gratitude to him
that they do to s brisk north. wester,
which shakes disease aud damp from the
ndolent atmosphere, and restores joy and vigor
to the universal pulse. This alone is an immense
boon. To have revived hope ia every bosom
whence hope had nearly died out, as Mayor
Wood has done; to have made men believe that
crime and vice have no social terrors but what
magisterial incspacity or tmidity gives them;
this alone should entite Mayor Wood to perma-
nent remembrance. But We cannot bat believe
that he will do mOre-that he will really put the
overt pur.ui. of Liquiy in this City to such dis
advantage, as that we shall ste clear way open
ing for its utter eventual extinction. The day
for winkiDg a. vice is over. This necessity grew,
in former times out of she demands OF public or
der. Government was established arbitrarily,
or did not ask the consent Of tie governed,
aid unless the people could be brutalized out of
their higher instincts, unless they could be made
callous to those divine promptings OF freedom
which too surely foret oded the ultimate decsase
OF all arbitrary power. governments could of
course enjoy no lasting guarantee Of existence.
Hence they Licensed the brothel, the gambling
house, sid the gin. shop, in order to keep the
senses If she great democratic monster drugged,
AID go prevent his intellect growing into a semi
pelued consciousness. But this day especially
il ihis laDc, is passed. We have 10 government
which does not originate exclusively in the wdes:
wsDts OF the people; and the people" with US
cans 10 speciality, means nothing short Of human
worth wherever it is exhibited Thus our Gov
erDmeRt is based only on the truest needs of