The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-24

Il
1 =, HtoGa The tousy,lls lt.y) Journal, Aug. IL
| The accse''on OF wealth which commerce and
manufactures create are TO be seen In che growth oil
cities, tho adornments Of The surroauding country
and the extension Of all tho physical aids that Chrs-
tan civilization require OF these nids the railway
the telegraph. the college the factory the ship, and
the steamboat are prominent agencies in the career
oil wcaitbsccumulati0n and TT represent ltiyes on
the genias OF skful industry and educated enter.
prise. But towering above them al M q material
agent-a thing Of power. strong efieieat vital pow
er-stands the City. Who can look down upon
great city Vt midday. with s thrOnged streets its
busting quays it, busy workshops and its rcspout
ing furnaces, without feeling that no il viewing one
OF the mghtest instruments that man ever devised
Even in the calm tranquility OF night, when oil cea
tion IL bushed TO repose the behoder OF great city
m he cohtemplates ia vast gregaton OF edifces.
from the iowy tenement OF the poor 10 the spa.
cious palace Of the merchant-prnce feels profoundly
Impressed With the conviction that he IL In the pre-
sence OF dormant energy and sumberng power that
only requires TO be aroused to put forth efforts OF the
most roSistless activity
Whether In every age the city has been the type
Of the times. II Is difcult To determine, but such
seems Ia be emphatically the fact in these later
days. Pekin, constantinopc, ~ Petersburg. Paris.
Vienna. London. and New York. are severaily the
lization that prevail in the respective countries Of
which they are the chief emp0riums OF wealth and
commerce. Tie dormant energies OF the overgrown
cities az China are In keeping with the fecbIeness.
,eesion that are now being 30 ssrkngly manifested
by the nation rs large. Consiantinople ftly repre-
sents the declining condition of Turkey, while Lon-
don and Paris are types Of the national idiosyn-
craces OF the countries OF which they are re spec
lively the capitals.
Individuals. cities and nations all have their
limited periods n existence; they each rise flourish
decay and finally expire Memphis, Thcbes aud
NiEeyah, wat cities. once the pride OF the nations
whose greatness they served 10 illustrate. have
pnssed away. leaving no truce but ruins
Rome = IN rapid progress Of decay Lon
eliminating points; but Il. Petersburg and New
York only yet Ia the full bloom OF early
youtA Young and full OF yigor, drawing their sus-
tcnance each from vast nation, The resource, OF
which are hardly begun to be developed. these two
cities WILL "a their respective countries improve,
continue TO grow in population, wealth and power.
with rapiduy and to M extent Of which there IL
in history precedent. These great cities will In
their turn rise, eliminate and decay, and some FL.
tuIe Layard may exhumc from their ruins spcci-
mems OF art that will serve AZ sad memenos Of ex
tnct power aud departed spiendor. The growth and
maturity OF great cities are work OF time; they
rise slowly 70 eminencc and decline BY almoa. i'm
pefcepthle degrees. In oden times, cities were not
uD!reqnenty destroyed by force ravaSed by fre and
sword and the inhabitants, made captivts, doomed
to lie Of ReTvtnde; hut In these modern time,
civilization has mitiga,ed aarocity. and men and
cities are LETT 70 decay and - natural death.
The mightest cities Of the world have grown gra.
duslly from humble beginnings into vast proper
derful power. The small village which Rotuu-
lus founded ahou, seven hundred and ffty
years before the Christian cru, became even
before that era the mistress of the woriL
Some nineteen centuries ago, the Br,ons e.tab
llshed q camp upon the bank Of the river
Thames; that camp has grown e. Ike tho CONNIE fciaI
emporium OF the world. and the metropolis Of the
proudest empire upon earth. The misofabe hamlet
founded b. come fishermen in the time u Julius
Casnr, on small island In the Seine now dictates
tie laws If fashion to the Christian world and IL
the seat ol the most enlightened and refined civil.
zation known 10 man Two hundred and forty six
years ago ncndrick Hudson y Dutch navigator
pitched his tent on Manhattan island. On thai spot
New York now fcars her lofty towers and cloud.
piercing spiies there stands the al mart 81
the greatest republic that swept along the tide
OF time: city that though young IN Scar. i strong
in ali the elements Of wealth and power a city
from whence afe sent forth attitudes % ships,
whotc Eah whiien every zen, AMI whose Tag floats
in every port upon the piofe One hundred and
nifty two years sgo. Peter the Great founded the town
Of Petersburg. OF the mouth ~ the Neya. This city
OF royal birth Is tit representative Of regal power.
With few raruml advantages " aid it, growth il
lAa been built up into city Il magnificent proper
tions with corresponding power, and Is destined To
become the great centre Of Eastern civilization.
There resides power that all the world Pagan an
Christian, bo.n respect and fear.
But II great ctica are vast depostOres Of wealth
and ageL ccs OF power they are also mot active and
efficient Laboratories OF corruption and vice. There
all human vices have their rendezvous and hold their
re,e Sin finds in cities q moral atmosphere con.
genial 10 a grow tn, place where. like pcstilcnce II
spreads by coIts1t-a place where ptodgacy Il pro.
pagatfd aHd infamy matared. All sorts Of people
resort 10 great cities with purposes various
the chaisccrs and pursuits Of the persons Themselves
Some go there for employment, some for pleasure
some for political promotion and others Tor personal
display; some for the improvement Of their fortunes
ard other. for the benefit Of their health: 10
practice their profession. others 10 acquire
70 study, others 10 instruct for pous aud
benevolent purpo~es, Others 70 petpctrate crimes;
scme come 10 beg and others TO steal. In this vi
amidst the Occupations Of honest pursuits the giady
whirl Of fashionable society tn debauchinH in
iuencc OF vicious associations and the hhbtal tam
iarty with wiekedness and vice. in al their various
grades and phases. goodness j. forgotten duty
" dlsrcgardcd and public virtue decays. The noio.
roUs progacy ot cities has been popDlsrzfd by the
saying, that