The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-11-13

some stirring event calculated to FIJI the public
mind with establishment. We perceive its disas-
tiers In almost every face. Immense failures i'm
mense frauds, great legal conflicts about Wills,
trusts and corporate liabilities are the topics of
the daily press AS one catastrophe becomes fa-
miliar, we wait expectantly for another. We
have recorded the financial operations of Wall
street operator Ne dispersion Of his household
effects under the hammer Of the auctioneer. His
horses and his Carriages have followed. and no
thing remains but the bitterness Of reflection at
the consequences of enormous misconduct Who
stops, however, for the moral of such example?
Houses are still erected at fabulous prices twen-
ty thousand dollars are paid to decorate single
ute of parlors; there are operators in stocks in
Wall street who are known to have jointly lost
at least three millions of dollars in their specua-
tons in the course Of o year, sum greater than
he whole of them and their hackers are worth
What of that? They 60 on just as usual; there
is no outward sign of any such losses being sus-
tanned. Where does the money come from? The
subject is highly suggestive, and leads to train
of reflection upon the characteristic features of
the day.
The moralist sees in the extravaganza, the
dissipation, and the greed of wealth the Fremont
tory symptoms of the decline Of public virtue.
The mere economist looks at the increase of ma
tional wealth as the welcome triumph Of indus
try, art and education, and he looks no further.
These two classes of men make their observations
in corresponding spirit. The one sees ruin
near at hand; the other is forever praising " the
good time coming" Meantime the disorders Of
society continue, and with the more general pros
perity come the particular evils which startle
society.
five look across the ocean we find one Of the
greatest nations of Europe in crisis of gigantic
financial adventure, accompanied by an extraor-
binary degree Of personal expenditure and extra
vagance. The French people have renewed the
follies which attended the schemes Of Law; the
rich know no limits to their expenses while the
competition to supply their wants is actually
reducing the prices of labor The facility with
which political changes are made among them
unsettles the hope of permanency, and the hot
desire Of making the most Of the present is the
result Of constant apprehension Of the future.
The expectation Of change renders the public
mind unstable, and the pleasures of immediate en-
joyment are preferred to the slower and steadier
pursuits Of life. All observing travellers in
France notice the air of recklessness which per-
vades it's society.
The Paris correspondents of the British and
American newspapers agree in their statements
&c tho Of 1uyuru fha uuiypraai
spirit Of emulation and adventure, the decline Of
marriages and the increase Of commercial crimes,
How far our own country is following in the foot
steps Of France remains to be SEEM but it is evil
dent that very great changes have occurred even
here within the last generation Take our own
great city. New York is at this moment city
Of private palaces. Dwellings are occupied by
men Of business, equal in value to the whole for
tunes OF our earliest merchants The cost of
the interior decorations, as we have already
remarked swells up to an enormous sum-all
soon to 60 out Of fashion, or perhaps to be d,s-
persed by the hammer Of the anctionecr. The
dSfss Of lady for q single night Of pleasure, Is
osten obtained at price which would purchase
whole sections Of land in some Of the Western
territories, adequate to the support of dozen
families. Rents have become so enormous that
here, as in Paris, the operatives cannot find habi-
tations at prices which secure them ordinary
comfort. All our public humane institutions are
crowded with the poor and the necessitous, and
though many kinds of wages are high, the prices
Of food and Of clothing are comparatively higher,
and are increasing. The influx Of gold, the enor-
nous enlargement Of our cities, the rapid growth
Of towns in the interior, and the enor-
nous speculations going on in every
direction, keep society in q continued
ferment. The desire for rapid accumulation
besets tho public, and every now and then some
unexpected and dreadful explosion takes place,
involving character, credit and fortune, and
proving the truth Of the saying that he who
hastes to be rich can scarcely be innocent. The
very existence of our Union is becoming affected
by this state ofthings Intrigucs for Official no
nors, vast outlays Of money to purchase votes
appeals TO private interests, a thrs. for pub Q
employment, q share Of the public plunder,
(Which II il now fashionable TO style the balance
Of power are the paths which too many are
htauihk, Al aht noPt VI obbi1nlbS riuucu Ntaitu
and lives Of Incidence.
The miserable consideration Of the cash price Of
negroes has actually entered into the calculations
OF hitherto patriotic and disintcrcstci States and
violence, bloodshed and illegal legislation have
been used as means to extend their ntroduc-
tion into Territories now free.
Amidst these sordid contests, real merit and
selfdeDying integrity find themselves driven
rudely to the wall They receive litts favor
from the predominating influences OF the day
That public sentiment should be seriously affected
by the general extravaganza Of manners and
tastes is the fear Of all rejecting minds IL Is by
no means, then, an idle or improper question we
have already asked--What are We coming TO?
A WARNING IRON FILLMORE, AND A BIp.-Con-
sidering the results Of the late Presidential cleo
tiop In tho Cautharu giatcu Tho honac or0an Of