Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-01-01

stupid men would tread on trailing skirts, Blu,
the fair sex generally did not appear to dis
like the outside pressure-some, indeed, like
the gallant Kentuekians at New Orleans, were
we'll protected by cotton defences, as If antici
pating an attack, though willing to ''surren
der at discretion
When We left, those who were fortunate
enough to get out were vending their way Ia
the residences Of the Secretaries-the boys
were waiting to see "the Bloomer-and an
irascible Frenohman, who had lost his wife,
was insisting on re-entering where he had
come out, evidently Disguised at the Yankee
way Of celebrating the day. "Vst for is you
do laugh to me ?" said he 81 did loose ma
femme. 1 would enter by hero. will prss-
emily be angry-who shall say to me happy
new year, Au Diable ayec votre new year,
cechons that you is" And we left.
The Tenor Of the Year.-We need hardly
ask Of our readers an attentive psrusal of
the Presidents Annual Message, to be found
on our first and fourth pages to-day. The
excitement created by its PRONUNCIATION in
the Capitol yesterday, was such as to rem
der it certain that all, from Maine to Ore
gon, will study its points with due care. 1t is
conceived by statesmen and dipIomatists here
of all parties and nations, to be the most i'm
portant American State paper that has yet
seen the light; because it is the first one that
has beidly approached and fearlessly handled
the subject which already threatens the per-
msnency of the American confederacy The
effect through our land of its plain exposition
of the fearful tendencies of the sectional feud
Of the times, can hardly fail to be much
more widespread appreciation of the fact that
We are, as single power, resting on a mine
that must sooner or later blow up, unless its
capacity for evil is rendered harmless by the
proper action of public opinion.
The President clearly comprehends the
fact that the South will not submit to be robbed
with her eyes open, under any new tangled
prete1t whatever, of the rights of co-equality
under the federal government, freely guaran-
teed to her, as the inducement for her 10 enter
the union Of the States originally; and with
out which in due force, almost any conceivable
will be preferable to her future
condition in the Union. Our sincere hope is
that the thinking and really Union-loving por-
ton of the North, will speedily come to realize
the fact that the actual condition of the couu-
try required the President thus boldly and
emphaticalfy to set forth the domestic dan
gers by which we are surrounded We are
persuaded that it is requisite only to awaken
.he northern popular mind to the extent of the
present danger, growing out of the unbridled
political, theological and philanthrophic dem
lgogism that has come to reign supreme in
most of the nOn-slaveholding States, to cause
the remedy soon to be applied.
The New Haven Murder. Ills amusing to
read the commentaries of the New York Tyi
'~ne and Times upon the recent murder of
by Sly, in New Haven. These two
journals, of all papers of extensive circulation,
have for years past been the chief inculcators
IF principles which lead to the belief that it is
eminently right and proper for every man and
woman to set up for him or herself standard
Of right and wrong, under the fictitious title
Of individual conscience, by which to be gov
erned in their conduct towards others; casting
aside the obligations of law and those Of true
Christian discipline, as the latter have been
handed down to our generation, from the DAYS
Of the Founder of Christianity, himself.
Under the moral teachings of such in.
structOrs as the New York Lldepslldent, Theo
dore Parker, the New York Tribune, Henry
W ard Beeeher, ct I'd omne genus, New Eng
land has become too good by half That is to
say, every village has adopted for itself he
or she living saint, by whose acts and opinions
1t squares its conduct and views; in nearly
every case the ruling principle with the saint
aforesaid, being the qualification Of some pe-
euliar passion or prejudice Of his or her own,
delfed under the title of " conscience" The
result is the development of an astounding
amount Of sickly pseudo philanthrophy on the
surface Of things. Tho real condition of society
In that quarter is, however, so aptly explained
IN recent article in the New York Conn
its views on the subject:
with all our boasted intelligence as a neo.
pie, our abundant and literally Supported
means Of popular education, cur churches, re-.
liglous institutions, and benevolent agencies.
there is nevertheless an appalling amount of
ignorance, superstition and fanaticism in our
midst. Livery day reveals it, Events of pub.
lie notorlety demonstrate that much of what
We have been wont to regard as substantial
progress IN knowledge and true religion is
after all but superficial 1t lacks the solid
basis Of well settled principles and convictions.
Ii there were no other evidence of this, the
spread of the absurd dogmas and pretensions
OF so-called spiritualism, of which the fanati.
cism Of Rhoda Wakeman and her associates
Is put phase, or perhaps the fruit, would be
ail-suflclent. such utterly absurd and RI
ulculouS pretensioDs as those of the sprit.ran.
pers and spiritualists could never have gained
SUCH widespread prevalence as thew have
attained, had there been difused through the
masses OF our population general belief in
ana deep conviction of the truth of Christianity
and the Bible" '''i''
While our contemporaries of the Northern
press are abusing the people of the slave