The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-14


An IMPRESSIVE INSTITUTION AltAeugA HlArs
are various exciting topics bsfers tAs eeaaky
such as the Kansas qusstisa, he Central
American row, the expected war ~itA Eng-
land, the Presidential elestisa, aAa ss1sgtA-
we confidently expect that the natter We have
now in hand will exceed them Al In interest,
and excite the pubic mind to degree hare
tofore entirely unknown.
There exists in the city Of New York . se-
cret association Of men Of the mieAtisst intel
lects and the best social standing. Il controls
and regulates public opinion. ItS AAt settles
Tie fate Of the politician, The astAsg, - AStst
and the criminal before the bar Of justice.
This mighty organization, powerful source
of good and ILL.," is "The Press Club" Il orr
ginated after this fsshlon:-
A foreigner of the name Of KsssutA came TO
this country about Elk years age, aAd On the
superstition that he had deAe and su1srsd
something as an editor, for the rather iAds1Aite
thing called the cause of popular liberty, he
was teted and fooled by almost every sas n the
United States That great iAsdtutsa, As New
York press, with the exception Of Ne HERAID,
joined in the popular honage-wsre Aass =hhe
that Of the great patfict-puAsd him. to-, q
tremendous extent, and invited hin To- 11nnsr
At the preliminary meeting Of the eezazittee.
it was desired that this Journal sAsaA b rep
resented. The invitation WAS aeehasd Sc
veral persons connected with the HnALD
were invited 10 the dinner; but stand
ing upon the principle that The aaszy-
nifty of the press should be stzictly pre-
served, they did not attend The wratA Of
the assembled intellect of the New York press,
superadded to jealousy Of this journal, was
mighty. Following the example Of Hamlet's
friends they held up their swerds-Ae, pens,
which are mightier- and swere solemn oath
against the HERALD Tha. journal must be
extinguished by silent contempt No person
connected with it was to be entitled to the
common courtesies Of life. He was to be .
pariah, a leper, and no amount Of Croten
could ever wash the neral dirt from his I'M
fortunate countenance. The Club has dinners
1t catches foreign hons-it feeds them, and
it endeavors to impress them with the idea that
damnation here and hereafter is the deem Of
any man who does not, like the Phaxisee,
cross on the other side when he neaxs the He
RAID Office. If member Of the Club meets
an attache Of the HERALD Office, the member
must regard him as the Isrseites treated the
Philistines--cu him of to the the third gene
ration. On q recent occaAen-the birthday
of Shakspere-the manager Of . popular
theatre desired to give little dinner to some
Of the journalists. He wished to invite rep
resentative Of the HERALD, which Journal had
devoted some space to reviews Of his re-
vivals Of the rarely acted comedies Of the
great master. Trembling with fear Of the
mighty Club, he asked it's consent The an
swer was that personally the mAgnates had
NO objection to any gentleman from the He
RAID, but the Club did not acknowledge that
journal as belonging to the press The me-
mayer bowed to the decree, and allowed the
mighty men Of the pen to dictate 70 him % to
who he should receive .. his own table. Several
other instances Of the same kind have occurred
An artist who lately arrived here from
Europe, applied to one Of the CluA nsgnAtes
for an announcement of the fact Of Ais arrival,
and was told that the Club WAS going to dine
on the next Saturday and that his case would
be laid before it. Fancy the feelings Of that
artist, while lingering in suspense for the YER
dict Of the august tribunal The Club, further,
we understand, are bound by solemn oath to
invite to dinner all foreign Journalists who
may arrive here, except the editor Of The Lon
don Times. That journal being 30 unfortunate
as to be rich, independent and powerful, 10 70
be excluded.
Strange to soy, in view Of xhess fscts
the HERALD is still published, the proprietor
wears smiling countensnce, and is an
ployts dine comfortably every day.
But the effect of this Club on the civilized
world will be great At presen. it ID . little
short Of funds, and once collapsed after giving
dinner to some foreign lion; but it, course
lie onward. It will regulate Congress and the
Executive. It will rule IN the green room OF
the theatre and the coyer Of the opera It
will control the politics Of Europe. It will
say latter the manner Of the Pedlington Ga
zate) to the Autocrat OF all the Rusaias,
"Tremble, tyrant, in your splendid palace
at st. Petersburg-the New York Press Club is
after youw How great must be the homer Of q
seat st such council may be inagined-it
cannot be described. 1t 10 confidently BE-
lieved that if MI. Seward should be present at
two festivals Of this society Of his wire pullers,
that hisroad to the Presidency would DO per
fectly clear.
How sad lie the fact, however, that our Poo
pie generally will neither fear, respect nor ad-
mirA the Presa Club or anv oluhl Hnw
shocking it is to think that they will
say that the club system 10 . foreign
humbug, growing out Of the vices Of
an effete aristooracy and how terrible
it is to know that they believe that gambling
has only been driven from Broadway to AAd
refuge in club houses in by.streetsi How
msurnful was the fate Of the SAakspsrs Clab,