Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-01-28

The Tarif.-We believe that Mr Campbell,
of Ohio, did not consult the minority Of the
Ways and Means Committee urOn the provi.
sions of The amended Tariff bill reported by
him yesterday. Perhaps, as the views of the
two sections of the committee upon the subject
are so wide asuuder, to have done so would
have been labor thrown away, as i. were At
any rate, it is understood that so soon as the
minority Of the committee can have an oppor-
Unity of thoroughly examining the new bill
promptly put in such a minority project or
report az that may make necessary. If any
disposition is really to be made this winter Of
this most important subject, il is greatly to be
deplored that action upon it was not COM
menced perhaps month ago. We cannot for
the lie of Us comprehend how both Houses
will have the necessary opportunity to digest
it thoroughly ere the 4th of March next, while
also engaged in disposing Of the immense mass
Of other important business that N ust neces.
sarily be disposed of at the same time
The Witches Trade.-Since history made
her first record w,tchcrsft has fourished as q
distinct and really profitable business no less
in civilized and highly refined communities,
than in those Of savage hordes and tribes in
every longitude and CLINE. OF late years its
practitioners have increased vastly in mum
bers in this country, until they have become
grievous nuisances to the public everywhere,
more especially in the cities. The New York
Tribune of a late date contains chapter VI o.
the rise, progress and condition Of the trade in
Gotham, which embracing facts that apply as
forcibly here and elsewhere over the country,
we draw upon it for the informa ton and amuse-
meEt of tie Stars aders, as follows:
g. Our curious readers have no doubt often
read these Astrological advertisements. have
smiled at the pTetentious moss and turned up
their critical noses at the execrable English
therein displayed, the while indulging in q
kind Of innocent wonder as to whether these
transparent nets ever catch any guls. They
read that these wonderful women are able to
tell past and future events TO foresee coming
trouble and misfortune, which they are will.
| lng, by their magi, power, to stave of-fur a
| consideration, that they tell lucky NUN bers in
lotteries, and that they will guarantee happy
to every one who is willing to disburse dol.
lar for the ungrammatical promise OF such
equIvocsl bliss These matter-of-fact readers
| OF ours have NO doubt queried sometimes in
vague, puIpOseless SOFT of way, if there really
are people In our city who put trust in
charms and 81 love powders, and who have
faith in the prophetic infallibility Of pack Of
greasy play ns-cards. Ifany one is persistent
~ skeptlcal on this point, he had better III
| yestigate for himself. meanwhile we assure
him ard the public that there are hundreds Of
people in our good city of New York who ac-
tually believe that the ruling powers Of heaven
and earth have revealed the programme of
futuTity, t. be retailed a. Fifty cents dose, to
| these snuhy, ignorant cid women, who, if the
| eyes and Lose Of our reporters be credible wit
nesses, live, for the most part, in a state of
chronlc personal flthiness, which nothing less
damp than second deluge can remove or even
| mitigate
| IL may open the eyes Of these innocent
| querists to the vulgar popularity of the witch
| craft OF 1881 to hear that the nineteen she
| prophets who advertise in the newspapers Of
| this city are visited every week by an average
OF sixteen hundred persons, of whom probably
three quarters place implicit confidence in the
| miserable stuff they hear and pay for
1T may open still wider their wondering
| optics to learn that, although a part of these
| visitors are ignorant servants, unfortunate
| girls OF the town, or weak minded, imbecils
young men, still there are among them not a
| few influential professional men, AID many
| merchants Of good credit and reputs, who
periodically consult these women and actually
are governed by their advice in business mat
ters Of great moment 1t il also often the csss
| that ladies Of wealth and social position, who
are, We presume, otherwise dis rect, are led
| by curiosity or other motives to enter these
places for the purpose of having their fortune,
toid When these ladies are informed of the
true character OF the houses they have thus
penetrated, and the real business Of many Of
.ne women whose fortune telling is but a
80. 70 intercept the public gaze from it, we
bo. .na. no one Of them will ever compromise
her reputation by another visit.
People who know any thing abont the sub.
yect VIII not be surprised TO hear that most If
,nese numoug sorceresses are now or have
Deen In more youthful and attactive doy.
women az the town, and that som, M ,hs;,
present dens are vile assignation bon.as. -.
tnat a number OF them are professed ~
tIonists, who 90 as much perhaps in ths III.
OF child murder as others whose names b.a,SS
been more prominently before the world: nor
nor will they be astOnished to hear that thcsa
chaste siby!S have an understood partnerships
with the keepers Of houses Of prostitution
and that the opportunities for lucrative
playing into each others hands are constant
Indeed, the greater part of these female for
ture-teileis are but doing their allotted work
in a scheme by which, in this city, the whole
sale seduction Of ignorant, simple-hearted
girls, in the lower walks If life, has been
thoroughly systematized.
"The fortune-teller is the only one Of the
organisation whose operations may bs known