Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-01-31
Correspondence Of the Spirit Of the Age.
Nrw Vouv Tor Oh 1okS

New YORK, Jan. "a, 1866.
My DEAR OLD FRIEND: You of the good old
plentiful State of North Carolina, have no
idea Of the restitution, want and suffering en-
dured by the poorer classes in this great city,
and especially at the present time. Ordin-
arily, the rigors of our winters bear heavily
enough upon them, but at this time, the
tight times having thrown out Of employ
thousands who are able to provide for them
selves if they could get work to do, has
swollen the number of sufferers to an indef-
mite number, and many are starving for the
want Of means to sustain life. 1t is due to
the people Of this City to state, however, that
active and constant efforts are a to re.
lieve the sufferers, and free soup houses
are open to them, and many lives are saved
thereby. Balls, concerts and entertainments
of various kinds, are given, the proceeds of
which are bestowed upon benevolent objects.
Thousands who prefer to earn bread Tor
themselves and families, for the want of work
to do, are compelled to accept of private and
public charities.
A novel way of raising a charity fund
was resorted to recently by one of the up
per ten families. A lady sent out cards Tor
a calico ball. They requested the invited
to attend in such attire only as would be
suitable for distribution among the poor, and
he or she would be expected to forward the
garments worn on that evening, to the house
of their entertainer, for the benefit of Rev.
Mr.. Pease's House of Industry, of which
place and the good work it has accomplish
ed, | doubt not your readers have all heard.
Well, the enterprise succeeded charmingly,
and the next day some seven hundred dress.
es, male and female, were deposited for dis
tribution land thus were distributed good
NJ ~ oDnoro1 RI noopu dacbifnko ood e,Gon
ing ones. May This fashion be the rage
among the upper crusters.
Our new Mayor Wood has commenced his
Administration in a manner that, if persevered
in, will gain him the warmest concentrations
from those who opposed his election. He
visits with all the severity of the law all
shop-keepers who keep their establishments
open on the sabbath, and deals a heavy hand
against all ~riotous, drunken disturbers of the
peace. Another evil he is taking steps to
suppress, if possible-and that is the land
ing of paupers, criminals and dCsperadoes
of all grades from foreign lands. And to
aid him in this work he has applied to Con-
gress, through the President for powers in
accomplishing it. Hundreds and thousands
of this description of emigrants are almost
weekly ushured into New York, and we have
news of q ship-load of Sandman c~onvicts, of
the worst character, now on their way here.
They should not be allowed to set foot on
our soil to rob and murder our citizens and
contaminate our people.
THERE'S much speculation here as to wheth-
err Seward will be returned to the United
States Senate, and various are the prophecies
pro and con. IF it can be accomplished by
bribery or any other species of corruption, Il
will be done-but l trust there is enough pa
triotism and honesty among our Legislators
to send him "doubly dying" down to thai
vile sink of obscurity and scorn to which he
justly belongs.
The New York Legislature will certainly
pass a prohibitory law at this session, and
such an one too, as will obviate all quibbling
and subterfuges as to it's legality and uncon,
s~titutionality. The people have entered uI
their verdict, and even here in this City o.
corruption and dissipation, it can and will
be sustained by the voice, votes and co-ope
ration of all good citizens. | tell you, l have
become a total disbeliever in the doctrine
that a law passed by our Legislatures canno
be carried out. That problem is demonstra
ted here by Mayor Wood, who has already il
the course of a very few weeks closed four
ffths of the run holes on the Sabbath, anC
a few weeks more will close the balance, anG
also their owners in the prisons, unless they
desist. The American people are a law
abiding people, and they will maintain thu
laws of the land at any sacrifice.
| have been looking with anxiety to see m
old native State, North Carolina, wheel int
line in this great work. She will do SO yet
she moves slowly, but always surely. Co.
speed the day when her free and Independent
sons will raise the pecan of praise over tn
determination of the rum-curse.
A terrible storm ragged all along our coas
, on Sunday last, doing great damage to tn
, shipping in various ports, and our sidewalk
were almost impossible on account of tn
l ice which formed on them as the rain FELL
. The trees in nearly all parts of the city wer
< uprooted. The upper part of one brio
: building was blown off. The storm was tel
| rife at Boston, Philadelphia, Halifax, an
l indeed almost everywhere.
g The next Steamer is looked for with niue
interest, on account of the indefinite hope
a excited by the last arrival that negotiation
for peace would be entered into. | thin
the hope a forlorn one. Russia will M
yield her original grounds, and the Allie
cannot, without suffering in the character
n their prowess. / believe all hands arc tire
of the job they have undertaken, but like til
n thief who was caught in the steel trap, no
h to get out, that is the question.
n Excuse my rambling letter when | hay
m time, l may again give you a few lines frol
the great Commercial Metropolis.
Yours, r. /. S.
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
Individual Influence.